Heat network consultants · Heat network zoning in England
Your building may be told to connect to a heat network. Here's what that means, in plain English.
I own or manage a building
Offices, hotels, universities, hospitals, leisure and retail.
I work in heat networks
Consultants, developers, ESCOs and operators.
Where things stand
- Awaited
Zoning regulations
Not yet laid before Parliament
- Not yet
Zones designated
None yet
- In force
Ofgem regulation
Since 27 January 2026
Is your building in a heat network zone?
No zones are formally designated yet. But zoning work is much further on in some places than others. Check a postcode or town against the 28 zoning pilot places and the early zones announced since.
Postcodes are looked up with postcodes.io. We don't store what you type.
What happens if you get a notice
Proposed process- Step 1
A notice arrives
Once a zone is designated, the zone coordination body can send a connection notice to buildings in the covered categories.
- Step 2
The 6-month clock starts
At least 6 months from receiving the notice. In this time you either agree a connection date with the zone developer or apply for a temporary exemption. GOV.UK describes it as a minimum deadline of 6 months, so a notice could allow longer.
- Step 3
Agree a date or seek an exemption
Negotiate a connection date with the zone developer, or apply for a temporary exemption of up to 2 years from the end of the proposed connection window.
- Step 4
Connect within the window
The connection window is at least 12 months long. The window can run at the same time as the 6-month agreement phase.
From the government's January 2026 response. Not yet law. Work out your dates
Independent directory
Finding the best heat network consultants for your building
There isn't one best heat network consultant. The best one for you is the firm that has done your kind of work, in your kind of building, without a conflict of interest. A hotel checking whether it's over the 100 MWh threshold needs different help from a university negotiating a connection for a whole campus.
So we rank firms on public evidence of relevant work, with a published method, and you can also start from what you need. Nobody pays to be listed or to rank higher.
Best heat network consultants in England, ranked
Scored out of 100 on public evidence. Nobody pays to rank higher.
- 1stAECOM
- 2ndVital Energi
- 3rdSwitch2 Energy
- =4thBuro Happold
- =4thRamboll
- 6thFairHeat
Guides building owners read first
Heat network zones by city
Zone status, the likely coordinator and local consultants for each of the places where zoning work is under way.
- Barking and Dagenham
- Birmingham
- Bridlington
- Bristol
- Canterbury
- Carlisle
- Cheltenham
- Coventry
- Darlington
- Exeter
- Greater Manchester
- Hull
- Lancaster
- Leeds
- Leicester
- Liverpool
- Newcastle
- Northallerton
- Norwich
- Nottingham
- Old Oak and Park Royal
- Peterborough
- Plymouth
- Sheffield
- Southampton
- Southwark
- Stoke-on-Trent
- Strood
- Sunderland
- Westminster
Latest update
What we know about HNTAS ahead of its planned 2027 launch
GOV.UK has updated its page on the Heat Network Technical Assurance Scheme. Here is what HNTAS is, where it fits alongside Ofgem regulation and what operators can do now.
Why this site exists
Zoning will affect thousands of buildings whose owners have never bought heat before. Most of what's written about it is by people with something to sell. This site is independent: not a trade body, not a consultancy, and not connected to DESNZ, Ofgem or any zone developer.
It isn't funded by anyone yet. Listings are free. If we ever charge for featured listings or introductions, they'll be clearly labelled and won't change what we write.