When combined with other systems in order to control the building climate the whole system may be referred to as HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning).
Central heating differs from local heating in that the heat generation occurs in one place, such as a furnace room in a house or a mechanical room in a large building (which is not necessarily the "central" geometric point). The most common heat source is through combustion of fossil fuel in a furnace or boiler. The resultant heat is then distributed typically by forced air through ductwork, by water circulating through pipes or by steam fed through pipes. Of increasing use, the heat source may be solar powered, in which case the distribution system is normally by water circulation.
In the UK and much of northern Europe and urban portions of Russia, where air conditioning in homes is rarely warranted due to its temperate climate, central heating is installed in most new housing. It is normally gas fired or, where gas is not readily available (as in Ireland), oil fired systems are used. In the western and southern United States natural gas fired central forced air systems are most common; these systems and central boiler systems are both in use in the far northern regions of the USA. Steam heating systems may be fired by coal, oil or gas and are used in the USA, Russia and Europe primarily for larger buildings. Far less energy efficient[citation needed] and less common are electrical heating systems.
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