New heat network regulations are coming and here's the big question - is your site ready?

As we sift through the latest draft of the Heat Network Technical Assurance Scheme (HNTAS) standards published by DESNZ, one thought keeps coming to mind - how will the 100s, if not 1000s, of smaller and independent sites navigate this?

What better way to demonstrate the positive effect our team can have on the wider community than a series of Before & After shots?

As the clock ticks toward 2050, one of the biggest climate wins may be hidden right beneath our streets.

This week, we’ve had the pleasure of welcoming Maria Grimes for her Industrial Placement. Maria, a Year 12 student from Queen Elizabeth High School in Hexham, is exploring career paths in Architecture and Chemical Engineering.

Friday marked a big date in the D3A calendar – the 2025 Summer Social. After a brilliant time at Golf Fang in 2023, there was unfinished business and a podium to defend – so we returned, ready to settle the score.

It’s funny how life turns out…

As a child, Ian Williamson, our newest D3A recruit, dreamed of being a fireman. Later, after studying structural drafting, he worked for a manufacturing company where he designed a fireplace that achieved the lowest emissions in the company’s entire product range.

Just over a year ago, the D3A Energy team made their way to the picturesque district of Uttlesford in Essex, where we carried out surveys on a number of council-owned buildings ahead of developing bespoke Heat Decarbonisation Plans.

In 2024, we worked with Settle Energy Local Club (SELC) and Action on Climate Emergency (ACE) to assess the potential for community wind energy in their area.

“It’s big and light - what an incredible achievement.”
“An absolutely wonderful building.”
“It’s a credit to the village.”
“It’s fantastic - so light and airy.”

Just a few of the comments shared during the Opening Weekend of the Chinley Community Centre - and we couldn’t agree more.

Saving 57,000kWh a year and generating 10,700kWh of clean electricity - all in one project!

These are the results after Starbeck Methodist Church decided to take major steps to cut energy use and carbon emissions.

Ouseburn Trust is committed to reducing its carbon footprint and is actively developing the Ouseburn Regeneration Strategy 2020-30.

With the UK government softening its stance on the Gas Boiler Ban, many in the Heat Network sector are wondering - has this slowed down progress?

The UK’s journey towards net zero by 2050 is accelerating, and district heating is playing a key role.

At D3A, we've been attending several community energy workshops in our hometown of Hexham, Northumberland.

We love this video case study produced by the North East & Yorkshire Net Zero Hub.

With our client, the Yorkshire North & East Methodist District, still firmly focused on their target to be entirely Net Zero by 2040, we carried out site visits to progress Decarbonisation works at three churches in Harrogate and Knaresborough.

As we tackle climate change and work towards net-zero emissions, district energy systems offer a really powerful solution for our cities.

The D3A team got to let off some steam on Friday. For our autumn social, we headed to Game of Throwing to try our hands at Axe Throwing.

Meet Conor! He’s a recent graduate from Manchester University, where he earned his MEng in Chemical Engineering. We’re excited to welcome him as the newest member of the D3A Energy team! As a Graduate Engineer, Conor will be diving into decarbonisation plans and helping design heat network systems and energy centres.

Great news!! In Round 6 of the Government’s Heat Network Efficiency Scheme (HNES), another £2.7 million has been awarded to 33 heat networks across England & Wales. This includes 2 schemes that the D3A Energy team have been supporting.