RENEWABLES
High time for hybrid? T
Renewable energy has created a buzz in built environment circles for years. But here Phil Birchenough, product manager at Sime, claims we need to encourage greater uptake of hybrid products that combine different energy sources if we are to meet government targets to tackle climate change
SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCE
PHC CEO, John Thompson, looks at how plumbing and heating contractors can benefit from
social media. Over the past decade, companies
hottopic A
have embraced social media as a valuable marketing tool. Right now, social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn are at the forefront and can be very impactful marketing tools giving plumbing and heating businesses the ability to communicate with customers and potential customers directly.
The most important bit of advice I would give when looking to build a social media network of followers is to not focus on quantity, like gathering tens of thousands of followers, but to focus on gaining meaningful engagement and page impressions from a relevant social media network. To do this, I would look to engage with local people and companies
whom you may have an affinity with; do they have the same customer base? Find them, follow them and engage with them. Retweet and repost their content and look for opportunities to feature them in your content. In time, you will find their audience becomes your audience. I would recommend using social media to: • Drive traffic to your website; • Generate questions and enquiries from potential customers; • Share helpful information; • Promote deals and special offers; • Share industry relevant news; • Encourage customers to leave positive feedback; • Get behind important causes; • Network with other professionals and exchange tips. If your plumbing and heating business has yet to gain an online social presence, it is not too late to get started. You can sign up for a social media account for free and begin engaging with your audience immediately.
he announcement of The Future Homes Standard in March
resulted in some shock headlines declaring that gas boilers would be banned from 2025. This came hot on the heels of a Committee on Climate Change report in which the government reiterated its commitment to reducing carbon emissions.
It stated that it would end fossil fuel heating systems in all “new” houses by 2025 but, it did not call for an all-out ban on gas boilers. However, as a nation we are witnessing a general shift towards sustainability – something outlined in The Clean Growth Grand Challenge which aims to support UK industry towards clean economic growth. And it is rare today for a new build
project not to incorporate a succession of environmentally friendly elements - including an efficient heating system.
The heat is on
Of course, when you are building a new property your options are huge. You can install low or zero carbon technologies such as solar thermal panels or photovoltaic tiles on the roof, incorporate heat pumps to create heat from water, ground or the air and explore a wealth of technology available which can be planned and budgeted for. Utilising renewables in existing homes
is more of a challenge – with siting and cost the main barriers to adoption. Studies suggest 75% of the total
residential heat demand in the UK could be met by heat pumps. But sadly, they currently make up less than 1% of annual heating system sales. Heat pumps usually must be located outside a property and have plenty of space around them for maximum air flow. They can be a little pricey to purchase and have installed. Labour can also be a problem.
Installation of heat pumps requires a special F Gas certification, and this isn’t commonplace for all heating engineers.
34 July 2019 Finding a solution
This is why hybrid products have an important role to play if we are to succeed in the mission to reduce carbon emissions. Products like the Murelle
Revolution 30 integrate the heat pump and boiler in one cased unit hung on the wall like a conventional boiler. This removes siting issues
commonly associated with heat pumps. They don’t need to be installed by an F
Gas-certified installer either. And any initial outlay can pay dividends in the long run, with the significant energy savings integrated products can deliver. On average, for every 1kWh of energy
input, an air source heat pump can produce 4kWh of output – a COP of 4 achieving an efficiency of 400%.
A green future
We’ve known for a long time that domestic heating is a major source of the UK’s greenhouse emissions. However, there are approximately 28 million residential dwellings in the UK and 85% of these are connected to the mains gas network. As an industry, we have been working
towards low carbon heating solutions for more than a decade. If we are to succeed in meeting
government targets and making a real difference to our planet, we need to encourage greater uptake of hybrid renewables products and shouldn’t discount gas as a viable energy source. We need a combined approach that starts with improving the performance of our homes, followed by heating systems that use the most affordable and practical low carbon energy source for the needs of the property. Further recognition of emerging new technologies by government-led incentives will go a long way towards increasing their adoption within existing housing stock as well as in new build. The year 2025 is only six years away.
Just how the government proposes to roll out its Future Homes Standard is not yet clear as consultation is scheduled for later this year. I hope it will include manufacturers to ensure a realistic view of the technologies that can really help.
www.heatingandventilating.net
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