On the face of it, there is a good fit between district heating and blocks of homes owned by housing associations and local councils - not least because manage homes in concentrated clusters easily served by a heat network, and, as ‘landlord’, the housing association or council can benefit from economies of scale. And of course district heating can also help social landlords deliver energy efficient homes, tackle fuel poverty, reduce carbon emissions and improve energy security.

For this reason, social housing could be a shot in the arm for the district heating sector.

Project officer Annette Lammers said. “This very topical piece of research, funded by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, will inform policy development and practice across the UK. We’re calling on housing associations and councils to pass on their valuable experience.”

Click here to go to the survey.

The organisations are just as keen to hear from social landlords in the process of planning a scheme, or even those who have never considered district heating at all, as they are interested in those who have a fully operational (or decommissioned) district heating scheme.

The anonymous survey will collect quantitative data on why schemes were installed, successes and barriers, costs, social/economic impacts etc.

Only one response per organisation is being sought. The survey will close on Friday 26 August 2016, and one filler-in will win a £50 Marks & Spencer voucher.