Professional Builders Merchant

Demand for energy saving products is rising for a whole variety of reasons. The government is committed by law to reduce UK carbon emissions by 50% by 2025; when you consider that the average house creates six tonnes of carbon dioxide each year, it’s clear that making our homes more energy efficient is a high priority.

Hence, the introduction of the Green Deal — the government scheme that allows householders to make energy efficiency improvements without any upfront payments. These improvements will include installing heating controls, high efficiency boilers, loft insulation and cavity wall insulation amongst others, and a new financing system will allow householders to pay back the costs through their energy bills.

Government focus and initiatives are undoubtedly fuelling interest in building products that will improve the sustainability of UK housing stock, but it is the financial savings associated with greater energy efficiency that are really striking a chord with householders.

The ‘big six’ UK energy suppliers have increased energy costs by up to 20% and the average dual fuel bill now stands at a record annual high of £1,400. As a result, home improvements that will help to reduce the impact of high energy bills — and quickly — now have unprecedented appeal, as consumers struggle to manage household bills amidst rising inflation.

This combination of factors means that merchants can expect even more interest in energy saving products, but it’s important to consider which lines are marketed as part of a sustainability offer as the initial costs, payback periods and impact on fuel bills can vary quite significantly.

Many householders will express interest in energy saving products, but the financial reality can be off-putting, for example, the payback period for solar panels is usually around 10 years.

In contrast, heating controls have a much shorter payback period and are cheaper and quicker to install, which means they represent a relatively small upfront investment that will quickly pay for itself.

Heating controls can provide three different types of control — temperature control, time control and zone control — which all help to save energy and reduce fuel bills in different ways.

Temperature control

Temperature control is essential for energy efficient heating and reduces energy use by preventing a home from overheating and lowering comfort temperatures. This is achieved using a room thermostat, which will sense the air temperature in a room and only call for heat from the boiler when the temperature drops below the thermostat setting. Once the set temperature has been reached, the thermostat will stop calling for heat and the heating system will turn off, saving energy.

Even greater savings can be realised by turning the set temperature down by just 1°C, which can lower bills by 10%. This equates to £140 based on typical annual energy bills. Temperature control is simple and highly effective, yet the Energy Saving Trust estimates that 40% of UK homes do not have a room thermostat, which means there are significant sales opportunities.

Time control

Time control reduces energy use by limiting the time the heating system is on and automatically turning it off, when heat is not required. This can be achieved using a programmer, which tailors the heating system’s on/off periods to the householder’s lifestyle. By setting a programmer correctly, a householder can ensure that the heating is only on when the house is occupied and reports suggest that a programmer could save up to £187 on fuel bills.

For more advanced control and further energy savings, it is possible to combine temperature and time control in one unit — a programmable room thermostat — which allows householders to set when their heating system will come on and what temperature it will reach.

Zone control

Finally, zone control can save energy by preventing empty areas of the home from being heated. Typically, a home will be split into two zones — upstairs and downstairs. This allows the heating to be matched to the lifestyle of the householder, for example if only one person is at home during the day, the ground floor may be the only zone that is heated, with the heating coming on upstairs later and at a lower temperature to aid sleeping.

The easiest method of providing zone control is to install a room thermostat in the main zone and Thermostatic Radiator Valves (TRVs) in the other zones. TRVs work by regulating the temperature of individual radiators and they are now a requirement of the new Part L of the Building Regulations.

Heating and hot water account for 83% of a home’s energy use, so it is clear that the ability to control when the heating comes on, at what temperature and in which areas of the home, will have a major impact on a property’s energy efficiency and the occupiers’ fuel bills. The evidence is compelling and heating controls should be central to any merchants’ sustainability offer, alongside other energy saving products that will provide business opportunities for their trade customers and fuel bill benefits for householders.

» For more information visit www.draytoncontrols.co.uk/