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stoves over the past few years which produce about 90% less emissions than open fi res. There’s concern people will opt for open fi res because they hear wood burners are polluting, but actually an open fi re is the worst thing.  modern wood burning stove will produce more heat so it’s more effi cient, cost less to run, and produce less smoke and emissions. e regard wood burning as traditional, but there’s nothing traditional about the appliances we’re producing now, from the materials used and the way they inect air into the fi rebox, to the way the controls and fl ue systems operate. The wood carbon cycle is also very short. ith coal and gas you’re talking hundreds of millions of years in the ground, but wood is not a static resource. Trees are constantly growing, and fi rewood isn’t chopping down big mature trees, it utilises arisings and trees blown down in strong winds, so it’s complimentary to forestry. This is a tens of years carbon cycle rather than hundreds of millions, so sustainability on wood burning is actually very strong. Technology is also constantly moving forward and improving on emissions even further.


WHAT ARE THE CURRENT TRENDS IN THE HOME HEATING MARKET & HOW ARE MANUFACTURERS ADAPTING TO THEM? edia walls with built-in electric fi res beneath a television are very popular additions. ith electric fi res we’ve got L screens and refl ective systems which make fuel beds look very real. e also have beds made from real


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wood with L fl ame effects which are incredibly realistic, easy to control and very low energy. There’s also still a tendency for self- builders to want a real fl ame, and free standing wood burners with metal fl ue systems are very popular options and easy to incorporate into proects. e’ve just introduced a double sided stove with glass doors on both sides that can sit in the middle of a living space which is another approach. e’re constantly working on fi rebox development to produce plenty of heat and minimise emissions. e’re working on air systems that introduce air into the fi rebox that combust secondary gases. e also have a catalytic stove which contains a catalytic converter that can reduce emissions even further, and are looking at systems that can capture particulates in the exhaust of the stove.


WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES FOR THE SECONDARY HEATING INDUSTRY & HOW ARE MANUFACTURERS ADDRESSING THEM? t the top is the government perhaps not recognising secondary heating, there’s a challenge there and we try to educate them on how secondary heating is a really good solution and can actually reduce carbon emissions overall by reducing reliance on primary heating systems. Trade associations like Stove ndustry ssociation S and eating and ot ater ndustry ouncil  are constantly engaging with them. lso the misinformation about pollution from wood burners is greatly


exaggerated. There are two areas we see developing on wood burning – emissions reduction and control systems which will operate the stove in a more effi cient and less polluting way. f you look at the bigger picture, secondary heating has a very positive role to play.


IF I’M BUILDING A PASSIVE HOUSE, COULD I USE A STOVE AS MY ONLY HEATING SOURCE?


bsolutely – passive houses and wood burners are uite complimentary. ur appliances take their air supply from outside so you don’t have to suck air out the room.  modern closed stove that can take air from outside creates a sealed system. t’s often overlooked because it’s specialist, but speak to manufacturers or retailers – we’re not daunted by passive design.


WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE SELF- BUILDERS WHEN SELECTING A SECONDARY HEATING SYSTEM?


t depends on priorities. f you want a higher heat output, look no further than a wood burner, but they do have a degree of maintenance – you need a wood supply, for example. For appearance, if you don’t need a huge boost of heat, electric is the way to go. LED fuel consumption is pennies a day, and actually electric can be entirely self-suffi cient if you’ve got enough solar and storage.


To listen to the full podcast and hear more of what Peter has to say, visit insights.netmagmedia.co.uk


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