A measured approach to gas reduction
The era of cheap gas is over. Organisations that reduce their gas consumption now are building resilience against future price shocks while cutting costs today. But reduction without measurement is just hope - HeatFlow provides the data to turn aspiration into verified results.
Know Your Starting Point
You can't reduce what you don't measure. HeatFlow establishes your actual gas consumption baseline - not an estimate from a bill, but granular, meter-level data that shows exactly where gas is going.
Identify the Biggest Losses
HeatFlow's analytics reveal which sites, buildings, and systems are consuming disproportionate amounts of gas. Focus your efforts where the savings are largest, not where it's most convenient.
Track Reduction in Real Time
Watch your gas consumption fall as efficiency measures take effect. Real-time dashboards show daily, weekly, and monthly trends - so you know immediately whether interventions are working.
Benchmark Against Portfolio
Compare gas consumption per unit, per m², or per degree-day across your portfolio. Identify underperforming buildings and replicate what's working at your most efficient sites.
Prevent Waste Before It Accumulates
Smart alerts detect when consumption spikes above normal patterns. A stuck valve or control fault can waste hundreds of pounds of gas before anyone notices - unless you have automated monitoring.
Report Verified Reductions
Generate reports showing verified gas reduction over any period. Perfect for board reports, sustainability disclosures, and demonstrating progress towards carbon targets.
Where the money is being lost
You're paying for heat that reaches nobody
In a typical heat network, 15-25% of heat produced never reaches a dwelling. It's lost through uninsulated pipes, faulty valves, and bypassing HIUs. At 10p/kWh, a 100-unit scheme losing 20% efficiency wastes £10,000+ per year on heat that warms corridors and risers instead of homes.
Your boiler is working harder than it needs to
Flow temperatures set 10°C too high, cycling losses from poor sequencing, and oversized boilers running at low load all waste gas. These are operational issues - fixable without capital expenditure - that typically waste 8-15% of total gas input.
Nobody notices until the bill arrives
Without real-time monitoring, consumption anomalies go undetected for weeks or months. A stuck valve wasting £50/week for 6 months costs £1,300 before anyone asks why the gas bill is high. HeatFlow detects anomalies within hours, not months.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much gas can a typical heat network reduce?
Well-managed efficiency programmes typically achieve 15-30% gas reduction. Quick wins like flow temperature optimisation and valve repairs can deliver 10-15% within weeks. More substantial measures like insulation and equipment upgrades push savings further. HeatFlow tracks the actual reduction so you know your real number, not a theoretical estimate.
What are the most common causes of excessive gas consumption?
The most common causes in heat networks are: flow temperatures set too high (8-15% waste), faulty or bypassing HIUs (5-15% waste), uninsulated distribution pipework (3-7% waste), oversized or constant-speed pumps (3-5% waste), and poor boiler sequencing (5-10% waste). Most buildings have multiple issues, making combined savings of 20-30% achievable.
How do I know if my building is using too much gas?
Compare your gas consumption per unit (kWh/unit/year) or per square metre against benchmarks. For UK heat networks, typical consumption ranges from 4,000-8,000 kWh per unit per year. If you're above 6,000 kWh, there are almost certainly efficiency gains available. HeatFlow can benchmark your buildings against portfolio averages.
Does reducing gas consumption require capital investment?
Not always. Many of the most effective measures are low or zero cost: optimising boiler controls, adjusting flow temperatures, fixing stuck valves, and correcting pump settings. These 'operational' improvements often deliver 10-15% savings before any capital expenditure. When capital investment is needed (insulation, equipment replacement), payback at current gas prices is typically 6-24 months.
How long does it take to see gas consumption reductions?
Operational changes (flow temperatures, controls) can show results within days. Maintenance fixes (valves, HIUs) within weeks. Capital projects (insulation, equipment) from the date of installation. HeatFlow tracks changes against your baseline from the moment each measure is implemented.