Renewable Heating Hub Homeowners' Q&A

Are Britain’s new homes really fit for the future? I'm joined by George Clarke, TV architect, and Ben Laverty from Mitsubishi Electric to explore new towns, new builds, low-carbon homes and why the British public deserves better from the housing industry.

“I personally feel like we’ve let the public down,” says George, in a conversation that challenges how we design, build and plan our homes, while recognising the economic pressures, planning difficulties and skills shortages that make meaningful change so challenging. From the positioning of houses and windows to insulation, heat pumps, solar panels and ventilation, we discuss why better housing needs a thoughtful approach from the very beginning, with comfort, affordability and environmental performance considered together.

Expect strong opinions, practical insights and plenty of laughs as we explore what it would take for Britain to build better.

Please support Renewable Heating Hub by exploring our books, courses and audio guides:
📕 Britain’s Heat Pump Shitshow https://renewableheatinghub.co.uk/britains-heat-pump-shitshow/
📘 The Ultimate Guide to Heat Pumps https://renewableheatinghub.co.uk/go/ultimate-guide
📗 From Zero to Heat Pump Hero — completely rewritten and updated for 2027 https://amzn.to/4f47f4C
🛠️ Bodge Buster — completely rewritten and updated for 2027 https://amzn.to/3YPIcep
📙 Heat Pumps Explained https://link.amazon/B0g9cmDYa
🎓 Heat Pump Fundamentals course https://learn.renewableheatinghub.co.uk/fundamentals.html
Use code INTRO50 at checkout to receive 50% off the Heat Pump Fundamentals course this summer.

Join the Renewable Heating Hub forums for independent homeowner advice, technical discussions and real-world heat pump experiences: https://renewableheatinghub.co.uk/forums

If you would like to sponsor an episode, please email editor@renewableheatinghub.co.uk.

🌿 FOLLOW RENEWABLE HEATING HUB 🌿
Website: https://renewableheatinghub.co.uk
Forums: https://renewableheatinghub.co.uk/forums
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/renewableheatinghub
Instagram: https://instagram.com/renewableheatinghub
Email: editor@renewableheatinghub.co.uk

Got a question or experience to share? Leave a comment below or join the discussion on the forums.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Renewable Heating Hub Podcast, I'm joined by TV architect and Mitsubishi Electric ambassador George Clarke, alongside Rob McGaughey, Head of Smart Cities and Heat at ScottishPower.

Together, they explore the practical realities of moving away from fossil-fuel heating; from designing homes properly and improving their fabric to installing, commissioning and operating heat pumps successfully.

Topics covered include:
• Why good low-carbon design starts with orientation, glazing, insulation and a fabric-first approach
• The importance of accurate heat-loss calculations and property-specific system design
• What homeowners are most concerned about when considering a heat pump
• Why installation quality, commissioning, training and aftercare are essential
• George’s experience of replacing his gas boiler with an air-source heat pump
• How heat pumps operate differently from traditional boilers
• Building consumer confidence and looking beyond negative headlines
• Connecting heat pumps with solar panels, batteries, EVs and smart energy tariffs
• Why every home and every household needs a tailored solution

It’s an honest, practical and entertaining conversation about comfort, cost, carbon and the future of heating Britain’s homes.

Please support Renewable Heating Hub by exploring our books, courses and audio guides:
📕 Britain’s Heat Pump Shitshow https://renewableheatinghub.co.uk/britains-heat-pump-shitshow/
📘 The Ultimate Guide to Heat Pumps https://renewableheatinghub.co.uk/go/ultimate-guide
📗 From Zero to Heat Pump Hero — completely rewritten and updated for 2027 https://amzn.to/4f47f4C
🛠️ Bodge Buster — completely rewritten and updated for 2027 https://amzn.to/3YPIcep
📙 Heat Pumps Explained https://link.amazon/B0g9cmDYa
🎓 Heat Pump Fundamentals course https://learn.renewableheatinghub.co.uk/fundamentals.html
Use code INTRO50 at checkout to receive 50% off the Heat Pump Fundamentals course this summer.

Join the Renewable Heating Hub forums for independent homeowner advice, technical discussions and real-world heat pump experiences: https://renewableheatinghub.co.uk/forums

If you would like to sponsor an episode, please email editor@renewableheatinghub.co.uk.

🌿 FOLLOW RENEWABLE HEATING HUB 🌿
Website: https://renewableheatinghub.co.uk
Forums: https://renewableheatinghub.co.uk/forums
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/renewableheatinghub
Instagram: https://instagram.com/renewableheatinghub
Email: editor@renewableheatinghub.co.uk

Got a question or experience to share? Leave a comment below or join the discussion on the forums.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Homeowners’ Q&A podcast, I'm joined by Simon Baseden from AAC Group to compare air-to-air and air-to-water heat pumps.

They explore heat loss calculations, system sizing, installation costs, whole-house heating, cooling and the common design mistakes homeowners should avoid.

Can an air-to-air heat pump replace a boiler and heat an entire UK home? Is air-to-air really cheaper than air-to-water?

And how do installers heat bedrooms, hallways and other rooms when warm air cannot easily travel through closed doors?

Please support Renewable Heating Hub by exploring our books, courses and audio guides:
📕 Britain’s Heat Pump Shitshow https://renewableheatinghub.co.uk/britains-heat-pump-shitshow/
📘 The Ultimate Guide to Heat Pumps https://renewableheatinghub.co.uk/go/ultimate-guide
📗 From Zero to Heat Pump Hero — completely rewritten and updated for 2027 https://amzn.to/4f47f4C
🛠️ Bodge Buster — completely rewritten and updated for 2027 https://amzn.to/3YPIcep
📙 Heat Pumps Explained https://link.amazon/B0g9cmDYa
🎓 Heat Pump Fundamentals course https://learn.renewableheatinghub.co.uk/fundamentals.html
Use code INTRO50 at checkout to receive 50% off the Heat Pump Fundamentals course this summer.

Join the Renewable Heating Hub forums for independent homeowner advice, technical discussions and real-world heat pump experiences: https://renewableheatinghub.co.uk/forums

If you would like to sponsor an episode, please email editor@renewableheatinghub.co.uk.

🌿 FOLLOW RENEWABLE HEATING HUB 🌿
Website: https://renewableheatinghub.co.uk
Forums: https://renewableheatinghub.co.uk/forums
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/renewableheatinghub
Instagram: https://instagram.com/renewableheatinghub
Email: editor@renewableheatinghub.co.uk

Got a question or experience to share? Leave a comment below or join the discussion on the forums.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Heat pumps work. So why do so many installations fail?

Mars is joined by JT Stewart from Slipstream for a revealing transatlantic investigation into heat pumps in Britain and the United States.

Although the two countries use the technology very differently, homeowners on both sides of the Atlantic are being hit by familiar problems: oversized systems, poor design, inadequate training and sales processes that can put profit before performance.

Britain has largely embraced air-to-water heat pumps. America is dominated by air-to-air and ducted systems. But does either country genuinely install them well?

Mars also examines how these failures compare with the problems uncovered in his book, Britain’s Heat Pump Shitshow.

Please support Renewable Heating Hub by exploring our books, courses and audio guides:

📕 Britain’s Heat Pump Shitshow https://renewableheatinghub.co.uk/britains-heat-pump-shitshow/
📘 The Ultimate Guide to Heat Pumps https://renewableheatinghub.co.uk/go/ultimate-guide
📗 From Zero to Heat Pump Hero — completely rewritten and updated for 2027 https://amzn.to/4f47f4C
🛠️ Bodge Buster — completely rewritten and updated for 2027 https://amzn.to/3YPIcep
📙 Heat Pumps Explained https://link.amazon/B0g9cmDYa
🎓 Heat Pump Fundamentals course https://learn.renewableheatinghub.co.uk/fundamentals.html
Use code INTRO50 at checkout to receive 50% off the Heat Pump Fundamentals course this summer.

Join the Renewable Heating Hub forums for independent homeowner advice, technical discussions and real-world heat pump experiences: https://renewableheatinghub.co.uk/forums

If you would like to sponsor an episode, please email editor@renewableheatinghub.co.uk.

🌿 FOLLOW RENEWABLE HEATING HUB
🌿 Website: https://renewableheatinghub.co.uk
Forums: https://renewableheatinghub.co.uk/forums
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/renewableheatinghub
Instagram: https://instagram.com/renewableheatinghub
Email: editor@renewableheatinghub.co.uk

Got a question or experience to share? Leave a comment below or join the discussion on the forums.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

MCS has spent years presenting itself as the badge homeowners can trust when choosing a heat pump installer.

But has it actually protected them?

In this episode of the award-winning Homeowners’ Q&A Podcast, Mars speaks with experienced heat pump installer Barry Sharp from Renewable Heat about the failures of the old MCS system and whether the newly redeveloped scheme can finally deliver meaningful protection for homeowners.

Please support Renewable Heating Hub by exploring our books, courses and audio guides:

📘 The Ultimate Guide to Heat Pumps
https://renewableheatinghub.co.uk/go/ultimate-guide

📗 From Zero to Heat Pump Hero — completely rewritten and updated for 2027
https://amzn.to/4f47f4C

🛠️ Bodge Buster — completely rewritten and updated for 2027
https://amzn.to/3YPIcep

🎧 Heat Pumps Explained: A Jargon-Free Guide for Homeowners
https://renewableheatinghub.co.uk/listen/heat-pumps-explained-a-jargon-free-guide-for-homeowners/

🎓 Heat Pump Fundamentals course
https://learn.renewableheatinghub.co.uk/fundamentals.html

Use code INTRO50 at checkout to receive 50% off the Heat Pump Fundamentals course this summer.

Join the Renewable Heating Hub forums for independent homeowner advice, technical discussions and real-world heat pump experiences:
https://renewableheatinghub.co.uk/forums

If you would like to sponsor an episode, please email editor@renewableheatinghub.co.uk.

🌿 FOLLOW RENEWABLE HEATING HUB 🌿

Website: https://renewableheatinghub.co.uk
Forums: https://renewableheatinghub.co.uk/forums
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/renewableheatinghub
Instagram: https://instagram.com/renewableheatinghub
Email: editor@renewableheatinghub.co.uk

Got a question or experience to share? Leave a comment below or join the discussion on the forums.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.