Central heating
English Housing Survey, Headline Report, 2020-21, published by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities in 2021, suggests that a central heating system is: ‘most commonly a system with a gas fired boiler and radiators which distribute heat throughout the dwelling (but also included in this definition are warm air systems, electric ceiling/underfloor and communal heating). It is generally considered to be a cost effective and relatively efficient method of heating a dwelling. Communal systems use heat generated in a centralized location for residential space and water heating. This could be from: a central boiler using any fuel which supplies a number of dwellings; waste heat from power stations distributed through community heating schemes; or heat from a local CHP (combined heat and power) system.’
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- Boiler.
- Building heating systems.
- Building services.
- Combustion plant.
- Heat meter.
- Heat pump.
- Heat recovery.
- Heating large spaces.
- Hot water.
- Low carbon heating and cooling.
- Mechanical, electrical and plumbing MEP.
- Radiator.
- Thermal comfort.
- Thermostat.
- Types of domestic heating system.
- Types of heating.
- Underfloor heating.
- Water heating.
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