There are so many new initiatives coming through the system it’s easy to be left behind or miss out on the best opportunities at the moment. Whether you are a housing manager, housing development director, or a key decision-maker on energy issues facing your local authority, we all need to be alert, ready and switched on to change.

Here are six of the most read topics on our site in recent months. Take a moment to check you are fully up-to-date on the latest developments.

With links to example projects at King’s Cross, Pimlico and Whitehall, see why community heating has officially become a hot topic, not only in the capital but right across the UK where 150 community heating schemes are achieving some fantastic results.

Overall, some 210,000 of the UK’s 27m households currently benefit from being part of a district or community heat scheme and the Government wants to see up to 11m connected by 2050. Community heating gives renters and owners an affordable, always-on source of heat. But it also has strong green credentials as well:  take a look at three environmental benefits.

Of course, the energy debate is not just focused on saving the planet (as fundamental as this is). These days it also centres on cost and affordability, particularly since energy bills have risen by an average of 140% in the last decade while incomes have only increased by 30%. This is an area explored in, Community Heating - a way forward in the fight against fuel poverty, which attracted many readers.

Staying on matters financial, this six-point payment plan infographic proved to be hugely popular for readers who need to ensure bills are sent out on a regular basis, residents are only charged for the energy they use, and payments come in on time.

Community heating systems are now viewed as one way to address fuel poverty, since the greater efficiency of well designed and managed district heating schemes can significantly drive down energy bills. The key words here are “well designed and managed”, and there are five key considerations around this area for every development team to consider when drawing up initial plans for a new community heating scheme.

Finally, staying with the number five, let’s end with a link to one of several items about the Heat Network (Metering and Billing) Regulations 2014, with advice on 5 steps to compliance.

With every end customer requiring an individual meter to be fitted before the end of this year, the regulations are definitely still a hot topic for anyone involved in community heating.

Takeaways:

• Changes for the community heating industry are coming through thick and fast
• The industry is still largely self-governed with voluntary codes of practice setting the direction of travel
• A strong commitment to high quality hardware and customer service will be essential as the industry continues to mature

Learn how to design and build successful community heating networks for the future.