Featured
MCS Heat Load Calculator v3.0.1 explained
The April 2026 MCS Heat Load Calculator update explained properly: what changed, why heat loss calculations may move, and what installers should check before using the result.
Vertex Blog
Vertex Blog
Articles, explainers, and policy updates across heat pumps, solar, heat loss, EPC, and MCS work.
Solar
UK solar passes 2 million installations
March's record figures, rooftop growth, plug-in solar, batteries, new homes, and what a solar survey should check before quoting.
BUS
BUS set to rise to £9,000 for oil and LPG homes
A clear summary of the reported off-grid grant uplift, including what is confirmed, what public guidance still says, and what remains outstanding.
EPC
Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) guide
A straightforward guide to EPC checks, ratings, evidence, and the documents most often needed before survey and grant decisions.
Core guides
Guides
Reference pages for the recurring questions around surveys, evidence, and report content.
Heat loss
How heat loss calculations work in UK homes
An explanation of the inputs, assumptions, room-by-room results, and checks that shape system sizing.
Heat loss route
Heat loss survey
The main service page for measured heat loss survey scope, pricing, desktop options, and room-by-room evidence.
Calculations
Heat loss calculations
A reference guide for the inputs, assumptions, U-values, and evidence behind defendable room-by-room calculations.
Planning
Heat pump planning permission guide
A guide to permitted development, common planning triggers, and the evidence usually needed before decisions are made.
Survey reports
What an ASHP survey report needs before design starts
A checklist of the room, electrics, emitter, cylinder, and external details that support cleaner design work.
PDF reports
PDF v2 report release
An overview of the update to the heat pump, solar survey, and heat loss report formats and download flow.
Survey report PDF
Survey report PDF
A reference page on report structure, format, and delivery across heat pump, solar survey, and heat loss work.
Heat pump report
Heat pump survey report
A reference page covering what a heat pump survey report includes and how it supports the next stage of work.
Solar
Plug-in solar vs rooftop solar
A comparison of where the products overlap, where they do not, and why rooftop design still depends on proper site evidence.
Solar route
Solar survey
The main page for solar survey scope, roof evidence, electrical checks, battery-ready context, pricing, and report deliverables.
Heat pump route
Heat pump survey
The main page for heat pump survey scope, pricing, and deliverables.
ASHP checklist
Air source heat pump survey
Air source heat pump survey scope, terminology, and typical site requirements.
Air-to-air
Air-to-air heat pumps
A guide to how air-to-air systems differ from wet ASHP projects and the checks that matter before design starts.
Storage
Solar batteries guide
A guide to the checks that matter before battery storage is added to a property.
Fabric
What is a U-value and how is it calculated?
A guide to fabric assumptions, U-values, and why better evidence changes the next decision.
Reference
Pricing and compliance
Pages for pricing, comparisons, certification, and the checks that influence the next step.
EPC upgrades
How to improve EPC rating
A guide to the upgrades, evidence, and preparation that usually matter most when an EPC needs to move.
EPC checks
How to check EPC rating
How to use the official registers and confirm whether a certificate is still valid.
Heat pumps
Air source heat pump vs air-to-air
A comparison of wet-system and air-delivery routes, focused on what changes on site and in the survey work.
MCS
What delays MCS certificate sign-off?
A look at where MCS sign-off commonly slows down and which gaps cause delays.
MCS basics
What is MCS certification?
A practical overview of what MCS means for installers and where certification starts.
Electricity costs
Cost of electricity in UK
Current electricity-cost benchmarks and why they still affect storage, heat pump, and usage decisions.
Survey pricing
Heat pump survey cost
Current heat pump survey pricing and the factors that move the final quote.
Solar pricing
Solar survey cost
Current solar survey pricing, what moves the final quote, and what the base rate covers.
Survey pricing
How much does a survey cost?
A side-by-side view of public rates for heat pump, solar survey, and heat loss work.
Heat pump bills
Air source heat pump running costs UK
Current guidance on ASHP running costs and the main factors that change the real bill.
Battery cost
Solar battery cost UK
Typical battery-cost ranges for domestic systems once real installation conditions are taken into account.
Air-to-air cost
Air to air heat pumps cost UK
Current cost benchmarks, the grant route, and the site conditions that most often move the installed price.
Updates
Policy and standards
Dated pages covering grants, official guidance, and technical standards.
MCS heat load
MCS Heat Load Calculator v3.0.1 explained
The April 2026 update, design temperatures, U-values, airtightness, room inputs, and why heat loss calculations may change.
Solar
UK solar passes 2 million installations
The March 2026 deployment record, rooftop growth, batteries, plug-in solar, new homes, and the survey evidence that matters before quoting.
Electricity reform
Why UK electricity prices still follow gas and what the 2026 reform could change
What the 21 April 2026 announcement changes, what it does not change yet, and why it matters for heat pumps, solar, and bill comparisons.
BUS
BUS grants overview
An overview of Boiler Upgrade Scheme eligibility, process changes, and the related grant pages on the site.
BUS
BUS changes from April 2026
A summary of the draft Ofgem guidance, what changes, and what still matters in the survey and quoting process.
EPC
Do you still need an EPC for a heat pump grant in 2026?
A short explainer on what the draft BUS update changes at application stage and what evidence still needs checking.
RdSAP 10
RdSAP 10 evidence requirements
What changed in evidence expectations and which supporting documents are now more important.
MCS 020(a)
MCS 020(a) sound calculations
An overview of the current sound rules and the checks that matter before permitted development is assumed.
Future Homes Standard
Future Homes Standard: heat pumps and solar
What is confirmed for new-build heating and generation, and what it signals for retrofit by comparison.
Warm Homes Plan
Warm Homes Plan 2026
A summary of the plan, its funding routes, and what it means for homeowners, installers, and landlords.
Archive
Archive
Older updates kept available for reference.
Archive note
BUS statistics update
A dated snapshot retained for reference alongside the current BUS pages.
Archive note
Record clean power auction
A dated policy snapshot kept available for context.
Archive note
Public sector clean energy fund
A focused funding update kept available as background reference.