Arup And Ordnance Survey Advance Heat Network Planning in England
England’s push toward district heating has moved forward with a major update to the national heat zoning model, giving the Government a stronger base for deciding where low-carbon heat networks should go. The aim stays clear - support the target for heat networks to supply one fifth of all heat by 2050 and help local areas move from policy into delivery.
Updated Model Supports New Local Zones
Arup and Ordnance Survey have reached a significant point in the rollout of heat network zoning across England. The revised model is expected to help at least 10 towns and cities begin setting up their own designated zones later in 2026, with more places due to follow after that.
Heat network zoning means identifying areas where shared low-carbon heating is likely to work better than lots of separate building systems. In practice, the model screens places for heat demand, likely network cost, and the fit between buildings and nearby heat sources, then local authorities refine those results before any zone is formally designated.
From what I’ve seen in mapping-led infrastructure work, this kind of milestone matters because zoning models act a bit like a geospatial filter. If the underlying logic is sound, local decisions become quicker and far less speculative.
The objectives are fairly direct - cut emissions and improve energy efficiency. Zoning also gives councils a clearer route for planning investment, while consumers may benefit from more reliable heat service and lower long-term system costs if networks are built well.
DESNZ Commissioned Technical Support in 2024
Arup, the global engineering and sustainability consultancy, and OS were first brought in by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero in 2024 through the Heat Network Zoning Consultancy Framework. Their role includes:
- technical input on the national model and the evidence used to identify suitable areas
- advisory support for local authorities as zones are refined and prepared for designation
That work includes shaping and running the national heat zoning model itself, which is used to assess where larger heat infrastructure with lower carbon impact is most suitable. In practice, it gives the Government a more consistent way to align energy planning with net-zero emissions and wider climate change mitigation goals.
Implementation is expected to move in stages. National government sets the framework and provides guidance, technical consultants support the evidence base, and local authorities use that material to test boundaries, confirm priority sites, and move zones toward delivery. Once a zone is designated, the next phase turns to project development and connection planning.
Support for councils is therefore more than high-level advice. It includes access to model outputs, technical review, and framework-based guidance that helps officers check whether proposed zones are workable on the ground.
OS Data Sits at the Core of the Analysis
The model relies heavily on OS building and address data as its main analytical input for estimating development costs. It also draws on OS roads and rivers data, which helps refine how proposed networks may fit real conditions on the ground.
| Data Source | Purpose in Model | Impact on Zoning |
|---|---|---|
| OS building and address data | Estimates heat demand and likely development cost | Helps identify areas where network buildout is more viable |
| OS roads and rivers data | Tests how network routes fit site conditions | Helps refine boundaries and infrastructure layouts |
Accurate building classification is especially important here. It shapes assumptions about heat demand and improves the dependability of the model output. I read that much like checking a GPS layer against a base map - if the attribution is off, every downstream decision starts to drift.
That same evidence also helps determine how buildings and heat sources may be connected inside a zone. The exact requirements will depend on local design and future regulation, but the core test is straightforward: the connection has to be technically practical and aligned with the zone plan. Existing heat networks would also need to be considered at this stage so they can be integrated or upgraded where that makes sense.
Further Value Is Being Assessed in the OS NGD
The possible role of the OS National Geographic Database is also under review. Its strongest value may come through richer attribution for newer buildings and deeper site-level data, which could make future zoning work more precise and more useful for sustainable energy planning.
As heat, zoning, and infrastructure policy continue to tighten around the United Kingdom’s low-carbon economy goals, better data design is doing a lot of the heavy lifting behind the scenes. In this case, the update gives England a more reliable platform for expanding heat networks with fewer blind spots.
