City Plumbing launches integrated energy design service for housebuilders

City Plumbing has launched a new integrated design service to help housebuilders deliver low-carbon homes more efficiently, while maintaining control over cost, complexity and speed of build.

As low-carbon renewable technologies become more commonplace in new dwellings, City Plumbing has developed its New Build Design Service to integrate heating, hot water, solar PV, EV charging and battery storage in a single, coordinated design process.

The New Build Design Service is delivered by City Plumbing’s Renewables team, which has over a decade of experience with these technologies. The team works closely with housebuilders to support the entire design process, including detailed heat loss calculations, accurate heat pump sizing, emitter and pipework layouts, hot water configuration, and optional on-site generation. By considering these elements together rather than as separate packages, housebuilders can avoid common inefficiencies such as oversizing equipment, adding unnecessary components, and creating complex pipe runs that increase cost without improving performance.

By working with the design team, housebuilders benefit from a more streamlined system that can reduce capital spend, simplify installation across trades and improve operational efficiency once homes are occupied. Integrated controls and coordinated layouts can also help reduce post-completion queries and support a smoother buyer handover.

The New Build Design Service is provided free of charge for developments of a suitable scale and is fully indemnified by City Plumbing, offering developers added reassurance that designs are professionally engineered and supported.

Jez Climas, Head of Business Development, Renewables at City Plumbing, said: “As energy systems evolve, housebuilders need practical support that protects margins as well as meeting low carbon requirements.

“Taking a whole house view allows us to identify efficiencies that are often missed when systems are specified in isolation. By coordinating heating, hot water and on site generation from the outset, we can reduce unnecessary cost, simplify delivery and help create homes that are efficient, attractive to buyers and straightforward to build.”

City Plumbing’s Renewables team takes an independent, whole-of-market approach, drawing on experience across a wide range of manufacturers to compare performance, SAP impact, and cost at both development and plot level. The service is underpinned by the merchant’s national infrastructure and 350+ local branch network, helping to simplify procurement and reduce coordination across multiple suppliers.

For more information, contact renewables@cityplumbing.co.uk.