City Science, a specialist data science and software company, has been awarded two significant contracts by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) to help support the UK’s transition to the new Home Energy Model (HEM) for the assessment of domestic dwellings.
The HEM is a landmark government initiative to create a new, sophisticated methodology for assessing the energy performance of UK homes. It will replace the long-standing Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP), which was first developed in 1993, and its derivative, RdSAP. The new model is designed to be more accurate, transparent, and capable of modelling modern, low-carbon technologies, making it a critical tool for achieving the UK’s Net Zero goals, increasing the energy efficiency of homes, and tackling fuel poverty.
City Science has been selected to deliver two fundamental components of the programme: Work Package 2 (EPC Framework and HEM for Future Home Standard) and Work Package 3 (HEM methodology for existing homes).
Under Work Package 2, City Science will develop the essential ‘wrappers’ that adapt the core HEM engine for specific regulatory functions. This pivotal work includes defining the methodology that will underpin the generation of new Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) and the framework for assessing compliance with the new Future Homes Standard.
For Work Package 3, the company will design the new data collection framework for assessing existing properties. This involves determining the precise information energy assessors need to collect from the UK’s diverse housing stock, balancing the need for accuracy with the practical constraints of on-site surveys. This will form the modern successor to the current RdSAP methodology.
Laurence Oakes-Ash, CEO of City Science, commented: “We are immensely proud to have been chosen by DESNZ to play such a central role in this nationally significant project. The Home Energy Model is the bedrock of future policy for decarbonising our homes. Being chosen to deliver two of the core work packages is a testament to the expertise of our team in building physics, data science, and complex software systems.”
He added, “Our work will help ensure the UK has a world-class tool to guide policy, drive investment in green innovation, and provide households with clearer, more accurate information about their homes’ energy use. This project aligns perfectly with our company’s mission to apply data for a better, more sustainable future.”
The Home Energy Model programme will be delivered over the next two years. It was established following recommendations from the Climate Change Committee (CCC) to overhaul the UK’s building physics modelling to ensure it is fit for the Net Zero transition.
A spokesperson for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said: “Developing the Home Energy Model is a vital step in modernising how we measure and understand energy use in our homes. We are pleased to bring expert partners like City Science on board to help us build a robust and transparent system that will support our climate and energy security goals for years to come.”
To learn more about City Science’s work in energy modelling or to explore partnership opportunities in sustainable housing innovation, visit www.cityscience.com or contact our team today by emailing info@cityscience.com.