Engage Consulting recently delivered a presentation on heat networks to a delegation of representatives from government, parliament, academia and civil societies from Bosnia and Herzegovina visiting London.
The visit was organised and administered by Logika Group on behalf of the British Council, as part of a wider programme exploring approaches to tackling air pollution in the UK. A particular focus of the programme was domestic heating, which remains a major source of air pollution in many Bosnian cities due to the continued use of coal and wood for space heating.
Heat networks and urban air quality
Heat networks can play a critical role in reducing urban air pollution by replacing large numbers of individual, often highly polluting, fossil fuel boilers with more efficient heat sources. When paired with low-carbon generation, they also offer a clear pathway to long-term decarbonisation.
Engage Consulting’s presentation provided an overview of the UK government’s approach to growing its heat network sector, including:
- the implementation of a regulatory framework
- the potential role of zoning in building investor confidence and scaling city-wide heat networks
- how heat networks can harness recoverable waste heat and support grid resilience, with knock-on affordability and decarbonisation benefits.
Building on existing heat networks
Bosnia and Herzegovina already has heat networks in many cities, providing a strong foundation for future progress. The discussion therefore focused not only on new development, but also on how existing systems could be modernised, expanded and decarbonised over time.
This enabled a practical, two-way exchange, combining UK policy and regulatory experience with the operational realities of district heating in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Supporting international knowledge exchange
Engage Consulting has experience working with governments, regulators and local authorities on heat network policy, regulation and market design through its role as the UK’s Alternate Delegate for the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Technology Collaboration Programme on District Heating and Cooling. Contributing to international knowledge-sharing initiatives is an important part of this work, helping policymakers adapt proven approaches to their local context.
We were pleased to contribute to this international programme and thank Logika Group and the British Council for the invitation.
For more information about our heat network services, visit our dedicated heat network service page. To find out more about the IEA TCP role, contact Lorenzo Wong. 
