With the UK experiencing it’s third heatwave of the year before the middle of July, it’s no wonder that households are desperate for ways to keep cool.
As a result of the high temperatures, there has been unprecedented demand for portable air conditioners and fans, selling them out left, right and centre. But it’s not just portable appliances that are seeing record levels of demand. Fitted air conditioning has also see a huge boost, according to Angus Struthers, Managing Director at BOXT: ‘From 1st of May to 30th June, BOXT saw AC sales rise by 249% YoY, with increases in all regions of the UK. This was true as far north as Scotland, which saw a 233% growth YoY, and down in Brighton on the south coast, there was a whopping 1,700% YoY increase in enquiries.’
The Guardian has also reported that the number of air conditioned homes has doubled to four million over the last three years.
And so for those who have invested in a fitted system, headlines about air conditioning being ripped from homes under energy efficiency rules will undoubtedly be worrisome. So is air conditioning really being banned? I asked the experts for the truth behind the rumour.
Is air conditioning going to be banned in the UK?
No air conditioning isn’t going to be banned in the UK. In fact, in response to headlines to the contrary, the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government has stated: ‘There has been media coverage this week suggesting that air conditioning is banned in homes. This is incorrect.
‘Air conditioning can be installed in both existing and new homes.
‘In most cases, planning permission is not required to install it for a small home if it would not materially affect the appearance of the building from outside.
‘However, there is no blanket rule. People should speak with their local council to check the rules, and councils should take a common-sense approach.’
Where do rumours of an air conditioning ban come from?
As reported by The Telegraph, some homeowners in London have been ordered by their local authority to remove the air conditioning from their homes, in favour of more passive cooling solutions like keeping windows and curtains closed at the hottest part of the day, and opening them when it’s cooler to get some cross ventilation going.
In many cases, enforced removal like this will be down to the installations falling foul of planning and building regulation rules, which will not be the same for every area of the UK. Air conditioning rules may also be stricter in highly populated urban areas, like London, as Michael Whittall, Sustainability Manager at Fairview New Homes, explains: ‘Air conditioning may make individual homes cooler, but we also have to recognise the wider impact it can have on our cities and communities. Air conditioning systems work by removing heat from inside buildings and releasing it outdoors. When this happens at scale, particularly in dense urban areas, it can contribute to the urban heat island effect – adding to higher outdoor temperatures and increasing heat stress in cities.’
There are also concerns about what a widespread uptake of air conditioning may mean for the National Grid, with researchers from Loughborough University telling the BBC that it won’t be able to cope with the additional demand. According to Kian Milroy, Renewables Electrical Engineer at Heatable: ‘There is a legitimate concern about millions of inefficient air conditioning units being switched on simultaneously during a heatwave. Modelling by researchers at Loughborough University found that, under its highest domestic uptake scenario, air conditioning could add around 7GW to Britain’s evening peak electricity demand by 2050.’
But Martyn Bridges, Director of External Affairs at Worcester Bosch, argues that this wouldn’t be grounds for a ban: ‘It is highly unlikely that grid capacity concerns will lead to a ban on domestic air conditioning. Much of the UK’s electricity grid is already being upgraded anyway to accommodate the wider electrification of transport with EVs and heating with heat pumps.
‘Furthermore, a typical domestic air-to-air heat pump uses around 1.2 kW/hr of electricity—which is less than a standard washing machine or dishwasher. Given this relatively low consumption and the ongoing infrastructure upgrades, there simply isn’t a strong case for a ban.’
Kian also disagrees that a ban is the answer, saying: ‘A more credible future is tighter standards rather than a ban. This could include minimum energy-efficiency requirements, restrictions on the least efficient portable units, better installer regulation and incentives for modern systems that provide both heating and cooling.
‘Smart tariffs and demand-response technology could also help spread electricity use more intelligently, encouraging households to pre-cool their homes when renewable electricity is abundant rather than adding demand during the evening peak.’
Do you need planning permission to install air conditioning?
Whether or not you need planning permission for fitted air conditioning will depend on where you live, the property you live in, and the type of air conditioning you plan on installing.
In many cases, installing an air-to-air heat pump (which is what fitted air con units are), can be done under Permitted Development as long as it can be used for both heating and cooling, and is fitted and used in a way that doesn’t negatively impact your neighbours in terms of things like noise and proximity to their property. It’s always best to double check with your local planning authority before you commit to save yourself any hassle. If you don’t check and your installation falls foul of the rules, then you may face enforcement action to remove it at your own expense.
Rules will be different if you live in a conservation area, Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty or national park. In these areas, permitted development rights may be restricted or removed altogether, meaning you’ll need to apply for planning permission. Similarly, if you live in a listed building, you will need Listed Building Consent to make changes.
Portable air conditioning units will be exempt from planning and building regulation rules, but if they are too noisy or cause issues for your neighbours, the council may intervene if they receive a complaint.
Should homeowners do anything differently?
The best thing you can do if you are planning on installing air conditioning at home, is to check with your local authority that it would be breaching any rules. That way you can rest assured that your investment won’t be short lived.
Choosing a reputable installer is also important and they should also be well-versed in the installation requirements under the planning rules.
If you already have air conditioning installed and it turns out you should have sought planning permission, then you could try applying for retrospective planning permission, although there is no guarantee that this will be granted.
If it looks like a fitted system won’t be feasible for your home, you could invest in a portable air conditioner when stock is replenished. Until that time, you could also try the tricks to supercharge your fan’s cooling power, and opening all your windows when it’s cooler outside to help freshen up and cool down your home.
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