Ofgem has decided to split the standard heating control measure in the Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) scheme into two separate measures: a programmer and room thermostat measure, and a thermostatic radiator valve (TRV) measure. The decision is set out in the regulator's final position on its ECO4 scoring methodology consultation, published on 12 April 2022, which covers parts 1 and 2 of the consultation held in 20211.
The document states: "Thus, our decision is to split the standard heating control measure"1. Ofgem also confirmed it will "retain our proposed approach and remove the wall type distinction for heating measures"1. The consultation decision was published in March 2022, and the government response to the related BEIS consultation was published on 1 April 20221.
Ofgem's decision document also records that BEIS decided not to take forward its proposal to make the English Boiler Plus standard a specific ECO requirement throughout Great Britain1. On other scoring matters, Ofgem said it will "maintain our proposed approach and segregate the scores into the four floor area segments set out in our consultation", and will "implement our proposal for pre-calculated, deemed PPS based on the floor area and intermediate SAP band"1. The final set of partial project scores (PPS) includes a correction factor of 10%, and scheme rules will require that the PPS for a measure represents its average annual energy bill savings1.
The Energy Company Obligation is a government scheme that requires obligated energy companies to deliver energy efficiency measures to domestic premises in Great Britain1. It is administered by Ofgem, while policy and legislation are set by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS)1. ECO3 ran from 3 December 2018 to 31 March 2022, and ECO4 is intended to run from 2022 to 20261. An interim delivery period allows suppliers to continue delivering measures to ECO3 rules from 1 April 2022 to 30 June 2022, with some exceptions1.
"Thus, our decision is to split the standard heating control measure."
Why it matters for households
Splitting the standard heating control measure into a programmer and room thermostat measure and a separate TRV measure changes how heating controls are treated under ECO4. For a household, the practical effect is that these two elements of a heating control upgrade are now scored and delivered as distinct measures rather than as one combined item. Heating controls, including thermostats and TRVs, determine how a home's heating is operated and can affect both comfort and running costs. The change sits within the wider ECO4 scheme, which is the current Energy Company Obligation scheme for delivering energy efficiency measures to domestic premises.
The decision also removes the wall type distinction for heating measures, which had previously affected how such measures were assessed. For households considering heating controls as part of a broader energy efficiency project, the scoring methodology determines how measures are valued under the scheme. The full set of heating controls available and how they interact with a property's heating system remains a matter of the specific measure and the property's SAP rating. Ofgem's role in administering the scheme is set out in its capacity as the energy regulator.
What happens next
The interim delivery period runs from 1 April 2022 to 30 June 2022, allowing suppliers to continue delivering measures to ECO3 rules, with some exceptions1. ECO4 is intended to run from 2022 to 20261. Ofgem states that a complete edition of SAP 10 (SAP 10.2) was published in February 2022 and is expected to be adopted for Building Regulations purposes in England from June 20221. Ofgem also states its understanding that ECO4 legislation will instruct it to calculate scores with reference to SAP 20121.