Heat Pumps and Solar Panels for New Builds in Scotland, Designed In From Day One
Aventus Eco designs the heat pump, underfloor heating, solar array and battery into your plans before the first brick is laid. One heat-loss calculation, one system, one point of responsibility.
Most recent win:
Two firms told Penny and Monique a heat pump could never heat their 1920s Glasgow sandstone. A room-by-room heat-loss calculation said a 7kW system would. It does. Every new build design of ours starts with that same calculation.
“Changing from gas central heating to renewables isn’t simple but, having asked four companies to quote to convert our system, Sean stood out as someone who cared about getting the design right.”
Alison Hyde, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Google Review
Why Design Heating and Solar In Before the Slab Is Poured
The Cheapest Time to Get a Heat Pump Right Is Before the House Exists. That Is the Whole Trick.
Since April 2024, a building warrant in Scotland cannot include a gas or oil boiler. Every new build gets zero-emissions heating, and in practice that means a heat pump. The question is no longer whether — it is who sizes it, and when.
Most self-builders bring in a heating installer after the shell is up. By then the floor build-up is fixed, the plant room is an afterthought and the roof was framed without asking where the panels go.
Sound familiar?
“Our builder says the heat pump is someone else’s job.”
“The architect drew a cupboard and called it a plant room.”
“Nobody told us the roof pitch mattered for solar.”
Brought in at drawing stage, we size the new build air source heat pump from the architect’s heat-loss numbers, reserve a proper plant room, set the underfloor heating zones and orient the array while the roof is still on paper. That work costs nothing extra. Retrofitting any of it later costs thousands.
What a New Build Heat Pump and Solar System Includes
One design covers heat, hot water and generation, sized to the fabric of the actual house rather than a brochure kW figure.
What We Design In
| Component | What we design in |
|---|---|
| Air source heat pump | Sized from room-by-room heat loss on the drawings, not floor-area rules of thumb |
| Underfloor heating | Zoned wet UFH designed for low flow temperatures, the pairing new builds are made for |
| Hot water cylinder | Located in a real plant room with sensible pipe runs, not squeezed in later |
| Solar array | Panel layout set with the roof design: pitch, orientation and shading resolved on paper |
| Battery storage | Cabled and located at first fix, so storage drops in without rework |
| Controls and app | One control strategy for heat, hot water and generation, explained at handover |
New build solar panels earn more when the roof is designed around them. A ridge moved half a metre on a drawing costs nothing; on a finished roof it is a compromise you live with for 25 years. Upgrading an existing home instead? That is our heat pump and solar package, and the solar installation service covers retrofit arrays.
What a New Build Heat Pump and Solar System Costs in Scotland
New build projects run bigger than retrofits because they carry the whole heating system: emitters, cylinder, controls and commissioning, designed once and installed at the right build stages. Honest fitted ranges for Central Scotland projects:
New Build System Pricing at 2026 Rates
| System | Typical fitted cost |
|---|---|
| Full new build heating system (heat pump, UFH integration, cylinder, controls) | £25,000 to £40,000 by size and spec |
| Solar array added at build stage (4 to 6 kWp) | £6,000 to £10,000, less than retrofit because the scaffold is already up |
| Battery storage at first fix | £4,000 to £8,000 by capacity |
There is no HES grant on a new build, and no gas main, flue or boiler to pay for either. The comparison that matters is against getting it wrong: undersized pumps replaced in year two and arrays squeezed onto the wrong roof face. Our air source heat pump cost guide breaks down where the money goes.
Why One Specialist Designs the Whole System
It is not the hardware that determines results: it is the design that ties all three together.
One design, one responsibility: the heat-loss calculation sizes the pump, the pump sets the cylinder and flow temperatures, and the roof design fixes what the array can generate. Split those between three trades and the gaps appear at handover, when they are expensive.
Most new build heat pump installers arrive after the design is frozen. We ask to arrive before it: one point of contact for your architect and main contractor, one specification for the warrant, one commissioning sign-off at the end. The trades coordinate because one company designed all of it.
Trusted by Self-Builders and Homeowners Across Central Scotland
Rated 5 stars by clients across Central Scotland, for heat pump, solar and battery installations in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Stirling, Perth, Paisley and the Lothians.
What to Expect From Your New Build Installation in Scotland
One project, from the first drawing to a running system.
Design-Stage Survey
We work from your architect's drawings and heat-loss numbers, before the warrant if possible.
One System Design
Heat pump, UFH, cylinder, array and battery specified together, with the plant room drawn in.
Warrant-Ready Paperwork
Specifications your architect can drop straight into the building warrant application.
Install at the Right Stages
First fix, second fix and commissioning slotted into the build programme with your main contractor.
Full Handover + App Training
You see the whole system working and learn to run it before you move in.
Direct Aftercare
A direct line to your installer for the long term, not a call centre.
Self-Building? How the MCS Process Works
MCS certification is the paperwork backbone of a self-build system. Your Smart Export Guarantee application needs an MCS certificate for the solar array, and lenders and warranty providers increasingly ask for it on the heating side too.
As an MCS certified installer for both heat pumps and solar, we handle the certification, commissioning records and DNO notification as part of the job. You get the certificates in your handover pack. If you are project-managing the build yourself, that is one workstream you never have to think about.
Timing matters more than most self-builders expect. Involve the heat pump installer before the floor build-up is agreed, and the solar side before the trusses are ordered. Both conversations are free.
Still Unsure? These Questions Come Up on Every New Build
And we answer them at design stage, every week.
Can we still have a gas boiler as backup?
No. Building warrants applied for since 1 April 2024 cannot include gas, oil or LPG heating. The design question is a heat pump done well.
Is involving you at design stage expensive?
The design consult is free. Moving a ridge line or reserving a plant room on a drawing costs nothing; changing either after the build costs thousands.
Will underfloor heating be warm enough?
In a new build, yes. Modern insulation levels plus UFH at low flow temperature is the most efficient pairing a heat pump can have.
What if the builder has their own heating sub?
We work alongside main contractors constantly, and we are happy to carry just the heat pump and solar scope as the specialist.
Does a new build get the Smart Export Guarantee?
Yes. SEG applies to any MCS-certified array, new build or not. The certificate is part of our handover pack.
What size heat pump will we need?
Whatever the room-by-room heat-loss calculation says. On a well-insulated new build it is usually smaller than people expect, which is why rule-of-thumb quotes oversize and overcharge.
Real Clients. Real Results.
Designed From the Drawings, Not Patched Afterwards
Penny and Monique’s 1920s sandstone home in Glasgow is the proof of our design discipline: two other firms said a heat pump would never work there. A room-by-room heat-loss calculation said a 7kW system would, and it does.
That same calculation-first method is what we bring to your new build, except nothing forces a compromise. On a blank drawing, every radiator argument disappears into correctly zoned underfloor heating and a plant room that actually fits its kit.
The result on any project we design: a system that hits its numbers in a Scottish winter, bills that match the projection, and no year-two rework. That is what the free design survey is for.
“Sean stood out as someone who cared about getting the design right.”
Alison Hyde, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Google Review
See Our Work First-Hand
Real heat pump, cylinder, solar and battery installations by our team across Central Scotland.
New Build Heat Pump Grants in Scotland: The Honest Answer
There is no Home Energy Scotland grant or loan for a new build or self-build. The scheme funds existing homes replacing old heating systems — we checked the eligibility wording again this month, and plenty of installers still imply otherwise.
Why the numbers still work: a new build never buys a gas connection, flue or boiler, the solar array goes up on scaffold that is already hired, and every exported kWh earns Smart Export Guarantee income from day one. Full scheme rules are in our heat pump grants guide.
One genuine exception worth knowing: buying an older property to demolish or deep-renovate can change the funding picture entirely. Worth a conversation before you commit either way.
SEG needs an MCS-certified installation, which ours are. The export tariff paperwork is part of the handover, not your problem to chase.
The free design consult prices your actual project and states the funding position straight, so the budget you plan on is the budget it costs.
Certified for Building Warrants, SEG and the Paperwork That Matters
MCS certified for heat pumps and solar, Heat Geek trained, TrustMark registered and RECC members. On a new build those are not badges, they are the documents your warrant, your SEG application and your structural warranty provider will ask for.
Every install is commissioned to its design numbers and the records go in your handover pack. Your architect gets specifications in a format they can use, and your building standards officer gets no surprises.
Our Guarantees
Confidence is built into every job.
- 5-Year Workmanship Guarantee, signed by your installer
- 15-Year Battery Warranty on EcoFlow PowerOcean systems, 10 years on Fox ESS and SigEnergy
- Remote monitoring setup with a live performance dashboard
- Free 3-month post-install optimisation visit
- Direct line to your engineer, not a call centre
- Lifetime system monitoring on every install
Your energy system should work for years. And so should your installer.
Frequently Asked Questions About New Build Heat Pumps and Solar
Clear answers to help you decide.
Can a new build in Scotland still have a gas boiler?
No. The New Build Heat Standard applies to building warrants from 1 April 2024: no gas, oil or LPG heating in new homes. Heat pumps, heat networks and electric systems are the compliant options.
Is there a heat pump grant for new builds in Scotland?
No. The Home Energy Scotland grant and loan is for existing homes only. New builds and self-builds are not eligible, and any installer implying otherwise is worth questioning.
Can self-builders get the Home Energy Scotland grant?
No. Self-builds fall outside the scheme for the same reason: it exists to replace old heating in existing properties.
Do new build houses in Scotland have to have solar panels?
Not as a blanket rule. Building standards push overall energy performance, and solar is often the practical way to meet it, but the requirement is performance, not panels.
When should we involve you in a self-build?
Before the building warrant if possible. The floor build-up, plant room and roof design all affect the system, and all three are cheap to change on paper only.
Does underfloor heating work with an air source heat pump in a new build?
It is the best pairing there is. New build insulation plus UFH lets the pump run at low flow temperatures, which is where the efficiency lives.
Do new builds with solar panels get the Smart Export Guarantee?
Yes. SEG needs an MCS-certified installation, which ours are. The certificate comes in your handover pack.
What size heat pump does a new build need?
The size the room-by-room heat-loss calculation produces. Well-insulated new builds usually need smaller pumps than rule-of-thumb quotes suggest.
Can you work with our architect or builder?
Yes, and we prefer it. We supply warrant-ready specifications and slot first fix, second fix and commissioning into the main contractor’s programme.
What does MCS certification mean for a self-build?
It is the certification your SEG application requires and your warranty provider or lender may ask for. We are MCS certified for both heat pumps and solar and handle the paperwork as part of the job.
We'll answer your questions, explain your options and price your new build honestly.
Get Design-Stage Advice, No Sales Pressure
We’re ready when you are.
Send us your drawings, or just your questions. A free consult tells you what your new build actually needs, what it will cost, and what to change while changing it is still free. The team fast becoming Scotland’s go-to for heat pumps and solar, from the first line on the drawing.
- One survey that sizes the pump, the array and the battery together
- Up to £7,500 in HES grant support, paperwork handled with you
- Honest advice: when the numbers do not stack up, we say so
- Direct line to your installer for the long term