How much energy does heating actually take?
Heating is the largest energy use in most temperate-climate homes, and it varies by a factor of ten between the best and worst buildings.
1.2 × 1990s house, 100 m²
12,000 kWh is more than 5 of the 6 references on this page.
Reference figures are measurements and are rounded; the unit conversion behind them is exact.
| Reference | Size | Yours ÷ theirs | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| boiling a kettle | 0.158 kWh | 75,923× | For comparison |
| an electric car battery | 75 kWh | 160× | |
| Passivhaus, 100 m² | 1,500 kWh | 8× | 1 500 kWh a year |
| new-build, 100 m² | 5,000 kWh | 2.4× | 5 000 kWh |
| 1990s house, 100 m² | 10,000 kWh | 1.2× | 10 000 kWh |
| Victorian terrace, uninsulated | 21,944 kWh | 0.547× | 22 000 kWh |
Worth knowing
- A Passivhaus uses about 15 kWh per square metre a year for heating; a poorly insulated older house can use 220 — fifteen times more.
- A heat pump delivers three to four units of heat per unit of electricity, so 10 000 kWh of demand needs about 2 800 kWh of electricity.
Frequently asked
How much energy does heating a house use?
In the UK, typically 8 000–15 000 kWh a year of gas for a family home — usually more than double all the electricity used for everything else.
Is insulation or a heat pump the better first step?
Insulation, almost always. A heat pump sized for an uninsulated house is expensive to buy and runs at lower efficiency because it needs higher flow temperatures.