THE price of new homes in the Black Country is set to rise by between £1,000 and £4,000 as part of the government’s drive to tackle climate change.

But the good news is that energy bills will go down as gas boilers are replaced by more efficient heat pumps.

And it should also lead to a boost in construction jobs, as the new heating systems take longer to fit.

By 2028 experts say around 2,000 new homes built across Dudley each year will be fitted with heat pumps.

The move to ban gas boiler installation in new homes after 2023 is part of the ‘green

industrial revolution.’

Heat pumps operate by extracting the heat from the ground, air or water in the atmosphere outside the home and then transferring it through the house.

They can work even when outside if freezing, and they are far more efficient that gas, which uses energy to generate the heat.

According to Libby Jones, of Dudley heating, ventilation and air conditioning company aircon.co.uk, the down side for someone who wants a new home is that the cost is forecast to rise between £1,000 to £4,000, depending on size.

And you may have to wait longer as construction takes longer with heat pump equipment.

There are also potential maintenance issues, as the systems are more complex if something goes wrong.

But because the technology is more efficient, the price of heating the home will fall significantly.

And, of course, its part of the strategy of tackling climate change.