NEWS | DIGEST IN BRIEF Heavy rain a factor in construction output fall Monthly construction output in the UK decreased by 0.5% in July, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONSs) most recent monthly data, released on 13 September. The data shows a 0.5% drop in volume terms for the month. This follows a 1.6% increase in June. The decrease in Julys output came solely from a 1.3% drop in repairs and maintenance, with new work increasing 0.1% during the month. The main contributor to the monthly decrease was private housing, including repairs and maintenance, and new-build projects. The ONS said anecdotal evidence suggests heavy rainfall in July led to delays to planned work, and this was compounded by a continued slowdown in the sector. It added that construction output was flat in the three months to July, with a 0.3% increase in new work offset by a 0.4% decrease in repairs and maintenance. Iron mains pipes need replacing ahead of hydrogen blending Government says hydrogen can embrittle iron pipes and equipment The phase-out of old iron ring main pipes may need to be accelerated if the go-ahead is given for blending hydrogen into the gas grid by 2025, the government has said. A new consultation paper, launched by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 16 September, is designed to inform a government decision, by the end of this year, on whether to back 20% of hydrogen by volume into Britains gas-distribution networks. It states that blending is not a substitute for actions to deliver full decarbonisation of heating, such as accelerating deployment of heat pumps. In a section on cost implications of blending, the paper flags up that some areas of the gasdistribution network are made up of old iron mains, which can be embrittled by hydrogen. All iron mains are due to be replaced by 2030. If hydrogen blending is to be rolled out nationally from 2025, however, premature replacement of iron pipes and equipment may be necessary, ahead of the current programme. This may mean hydrogen being blended only into areas of the gas-distribution network where the pipes and components are not made from old iron. As a result, during early years of blending, it would only act as a flexible offtaker in specific parts of the gas-distribution networks. Another potential cost is updating some legacy gas meters, which may not be sufficiently accurate because of the different volumes of natural and blended gas. Energy minister Lord Callanan said: Blending hydrogen into our gas supply through existing gas infrastructure would open the door to an expansion of its use as a fuel, one that could help us cut emissions and stabilise bills for families and businesses. The energy sector, consumer groups and industry have until 27 October to respond to the consultation paper, which is entitled Hydrogen blending into GB gas-distribution networks. Call for protection for heat pump consumers SCAN ME WATCH ON DEMAND NOW Our Sustainability Journey Register here: bit.ly/CIBSEDAIKIN Brought to you by: 10 October 2023 www.cibsejournal.com The government has been urged to close a legal loophole that leaves hundreds of thousands of heat network customers at risk of losing heating and hot water when their buildings gas supply is disconnected. Responding to the governments call for evidence on domestic customers reliant on non-domestic energy contracts, the Heat Trust said these offer far less protection than those for domestic utility customers, which are protected by Ofgem licence conditions. The consumer body for heat network customers says this lack of protection has led to cases where entire blocks of flats have faced disconnection from their gas supply because of payment issues involving a building management company. The trust is calling for whole residential buildings to be protected from disconnection if an owner or manager fails to pay bills on time. It is also recommending an ongoing price ceiling for non-domestic supplies serving residential buildings, to give customers equivalent protection to the price cap enjoyed under domestic energy contracts. In addition, the Heat Trust raised in its response the lack of access communal electricity customers have to the Warm Homes Discount Scheme, which offers top-up payments for certain low-income customers. Stephen Knight, director of Heat Trust, said: While the government is separately looking at regulating the operators of communal and district heating systems, which is great news, customers are also impacted by the lack of regulation of the energy supply to these operators.