A technical guide to district heating (FB 72)
BRE (Building Research Establishment) is an independent, research-based consultancy, testing and training organisation, operating in the built environment and associated industries.
On 2 December 2014, BRE published A technical guide to district heating (FB 72) by Robin Wiltshire, Jonathan Williams and Paul Woods.
District heating (DH) allows centralised heat sources to be connected to distributed heat consumers. Typically it comprises; one or more energy centres, the pipe network, and connections to consumers. The high heat loads compared to individual, independent systems allow economies of scale and smoother demand, leading to more efficient operation of the energy centre. It also allows the use of heat sources that would not be viable at a smaller scale.
FB 72 presents comprehensive information outlining system and component design, operation and maintenance. The 54 page guide is largely an update of Good Practice Guide 234, Guide to community heating and CHP, but it has been extended to emphasise the importance of other low-carbon sources of heat other than combined heat and power (CHP) including thermal renewable energy.
The guide focuses on technical rather than financial issues and will be useful for anyone involved in the technical aspects of district heating networks, whether on new or refurbishment schemes.
Its contents include:
- Executive summary.
- Introduction.
- What is district heating?
- System design.
- Component design.
- Operations and maintenance.
- References.
- Relevant standards, codes of practice and publications.
[edit] Find out more
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- BRE articles on Designing Buildings Wiki.
- BRE Buzz articles on Designing Buildings Wiki.
- BSRIA guide to heat interface units.
- Building Research Establishment.
- Combined heat and power.
- Community energy network.
- Geothermal energy.
- Heat interface units.
- Heat meter.
- Heat Networks Investment Project HNIP.
- Municipal energy - briefing sheet.
- National heat map.
- Water source heat map.
- What can government do about district heating.
Featured articles and news
UKCW London to tackle sector’s most pressing issues
AI and skills development, ecology and the environment, policy and planning and more.
Managing building safety risks
Across an existing residential portfolio; a client's perspective.
ECA support for Gate Safe’s Safe School Gates Campaign.
Core construction skills explained
Preparing for a career in construction.
Retrofitting for resilience with the Leicester Resilience Hub
Community-serving facilities, enhanced as support and essential services for climate-related disruptions.
Some of the articles relating to water, here to browse. Any missing?
Recognisable Gothic characters, designed to dramatically spout water away from buildings.
A case study and a warning to would-be developers
Creating four dwellings... after half a century of doing this job, why, oh why, is it so difficult?
Reform of the fire engineering profession
Fire Engineers Advisory Panel: Authoritative Statement, reactions and next steps.
Restoration and renewal of the Palace of Westminster
A complex project of cultural significance from full decant to EMI, opportunities and a potential a way forward.
Apprenticeships and the responsibility we share
Perspectives from the CIOB President as National Apprentice Week comes to a close.
The first line of defence against rain, wind and snow.
Building Safety recap January, 2026
What we missed at the end of last year, and at the start of this...
National Apprenticeship Week 2026, 9-15 Feb
Shining a light on the positive impacts for businesses, their apprentices and the wider economy alike.
Applications and benefits of acoustic flooring
From commercial to retail.
From solid to sprung and ribbed to raised.
Strengthening industry collaboration in Hong Kong
Hong Kong Institute of Construction and The Chartered Institute of Building sign Memorandum of Understanding.
A detailed description from the experts at Cornish Lime.