The gas boiler era is ending
Since 2018, new Dutch buildings have been prohibited from connecting to the natural gas grid. This means every new residential and commercial project must choose between two primary heating strategies: individual heat pumps or connection to a district heating network. Both have merits, and the right choice depends on your specific project.
Heat pumps: independence and control
Air-source and ground-source heat pumps extract thermal energy from the environment and convert it to heating. They give building owners complete independence from external energy suppliers and are highly efficient, delivering 3-4 units of heat for every unit of electricity consumed.
Heat pumps work best in well-insulated buildings with underfloor heating systems. They are the default choice for most new-build residential projects, particularly detached and semi-detached homes where outdoor space for the unit is available.
District heating: scale and simplicity
District heating networks deliver hot water from a central source — typically industrial waste heat, geothermal energy, or biomass — to multiple buildings through insulated underground pipes. The building owner pays a connection fee and ongoing energy tariff but does not need to install or maintain individual heating equipment.
District heating is often more practical for dense urban developments, apartment buildings, and commercial towers where space for individual heat pumps is limited and the economics of scale make centralised heating more cost-effective.
Key decision factors
- Building type and density — apartments suit district heating; houses suit heat pumps
- Available outdoor space for heat pump equipment
- Proximity to existing district heating infrastructure
- Long-term energy cost projections and price certainty preferences
- Building insulation levels and heating demand
Our approach at Cornerstone
We do not have a default preference. We model both options for every project using lifecycle cost analysis and recommend whichever delivers the best combination of comfort, cost, and carbon performance for the specific building and its occupants.