Dave Borlace doesn't just predict a shift in home heating; he presents a technological workaround that dismantles the two biggest excuses homeowners use to avoid switching from gas. By combining proprietary artificial intelligence with a radical redesign of the water storage cylinder, the author argues that the era of expensive, space-hogging heat pump installations is ending before it truly began.
The Engineering Bottleneck
Borlace identifies a critical friction point in the green transition: the gap between the promise of heat pumps and the reality of current installation practices. He notes that while heat pumps are theoretically three to four times more efficient than gas boilers, the industry is failing to deliver on that potential due to a lack of specialized training. "Modern heating engineers have in most cases become highly specialized at just fitting gas combi boilers and have had no training whatsoever on heat pumps," Borlace writes. This creates a dangerous cycle where homeowners are told heat pumps are unsuitable for their homes simply because the installer lacks the skills to design one correctly.
The core of the argument rests on the historical mismatch between old and new technologies. In the past, cheap gas allowed engineers to "oversize" systems with rough guesstimates, ensuring warmth regardless of efficiency. Borlace explains that applying these same vague calculations to electric heat pumps is disastrous because these systems rely on "low and slow" heating rather than the high-temperature blasts of a gas flame. "It suddenly becomes vitally important to get the space heating calculations absolutely bob on for each individual home," he argues. This framing is effective because it shifts the blame from the technology itself to the incompetence of the supply chain, a nuance often lost in broader climate debates.
Critics might note that relying on a single company's proprietary software to solve a systemic workforce training issue is a risky strategy. However, Borlace's evidence suggests that human calculation alone is no longer sufficient to handle the complexity of modern retrofitting.
The AI and Hardware Breakthrough
To solve the calculation problem, Borlace highlights the work of HeatGeeek, a UK firm that has moved beyond simple training to deploy a sophisticated artificial intelligence system called "Zero Disrupt." The author describes how the company gathered millions of real-world data points from thousands of properties to train an algorithm that can now output the optimal system design in minutes. "Instead of an engineer spending hours and hours working through all the unique variables... they can now simply load the dimensions and fabric of a building into the Zero Disrupt AI system," Borlace writes. This is a compelling argument for automation in a field traditionally reliant on manual estimation.
The result, according to the author, is a dramatic reduction in the need for physical modifications. The AI-driven designs require "less than a third of the adaptations and changes that typically come as a result of manual calculations." This efficiency is backed by a bold guarantee: if the system fails to deliver optimum efficiency, the company will fix it for free. "HeatGeeek are the only UK heating company offering such a comprehensive backup," Borlace asserts. This guarantee is the piece's strongest leverage point, transforming the heat pump from a risky gamble into a financially secure investment for the homeowner.
When they were testing the system, the HeatGeeek team found that these types of highly tailored installations required less than a third of the adaptations and changes that typically come as a result of manual calculations.
Reimagining the Water Cylinder
Perhaps the most tangible innovation Borlace covers is the physical redesign of the water storage unit. For years, the need for a large water cylinder has been the primary barrier for flat-dwellers and those with limited utility space. Borlace details how HeatGeeek's "Mini Store" flips the traditional design on its head. Instead of running hot water through a small coil inside a large tank, the new design runs hot water directly into the main body, allowing the household water to flow through the coil. "This means the cylinder can be shrunk down to a size that can be fitted inside a kitchen base unit," he explains.
This engineering tweak eliminates the need for external expansion vessels and complex piping, solving the "shoehorn" problem that has plagued the industry. Furthermore, Borlace notes that the new design removes the need for weekly anti-legionella heating cycles, saving energy and money. The author even hints at a future "Nano Store" that could be smaller than the smallest combi boiler, suggesting that the physical footprint of green technology may soon disappear entirely. While the thermodynamics are sound, the rapid iteration from "Mini" to "Nano" raises questions about long-term durability and the scalability of such compact systems in colder climates.
Bottom Line
Borlace's coverage is most valuable for its refusal to accept "it's too hard" as a valid reason to delay decarbonization. By proving that AI can solve the design complexity and hardware innovation can solve the space constraints, he makes a persuasive case that the barriers to heat pump adoption are now technical, not fundamental. The biggest vulnerability remains the speed at which the wider industry can adopt these proprietary tools, but the trajectory is undeniably clear: the future of heating is not just electric, it is intelligent and compact.