Kevin McCloud shares his prediction on how we’ll be powering our homes in the future

Kevin McCloud has shared his predictions on how we'll be powering our homes in the future. Following the April energy price cap rise, we are all increasingly concerned about how to save energy at home, and how to make our homes more eco-friendly.

But the Grand Designs host sees huge, positive changes taking place over the next 30 years.

Kevin McCloud home energy prediction

Grand Designs Live, the UK’s premier event for home building, renovation and improvement, is back this May for the first time since 2019. Ahead of the nine-day exhibition, we spoke to Kevin McCloud about energy-efficient options for the home. He sees heat pumps and solar panels entering the mainstream.

Self-adhesive olar panels for windows

'Things like stick-on solar panels, self-adhesive transparent solar panels that can go onto your windows are going to hit the market big time in the next five years,' begins Kevin. We know that the removal of VAT on solar panels in this year's spring statement prompted more homeowners to consider whether the reduced cost of solar panels could make them a viable option for their home.

But the availability of self-adhesive panels that can be placed on windows will open up solar energy to more and more people, including those living in apartments. As for how we heat our homes, Kevin says heat pumps are the future.

Heat pumps to replace the gas boiler

The gas boiler ban coming in 2025 will mean traditional boilers will be phased out and replaced by energy-efficient heat pumps. 'Social housing projects are already putting them in, and we’re going to see sales of those increase exponentially,' Kevin comments.

The designer and writer says that last year, 60,000 heat pumps were sold. This year, 100,000 will have been sold, and by 2035 we’ll have retrofitted the whole country.

Also, given the technological advances taking place, the Grand Designs presenter believes that there is no reason why the UK can't reach its target of being carbon neutral by 2050. 'There’s no excuse because we can do it, and it’s all technologically and financially available now,' he says.

At Grand Designs Live you'll be able to discover more ways to make your home more eco-friendly at the Eco Theatre and Advice Hub, with sustainable products like eco-building materials, insulation, heating and renewable systems, furnishings, and electric car-charging equipment.