Smart Controls
Smart doesn’t have to be complicated
Andy Mansfield, Marketing and Communications Manager at Honeywell, discusses the latest ‘smart’ innovations and explains why the wholesaler’s voice is a key piece in the puzzle when it comes to smart connectivity.
devices increases, so do the opportunities for electrical wholesalers to capitalise on this exciting market by catering to the demand for all things ‘smart’. The types of smart control on the market range from premium,
R
connected devices to entry-level, programmable thermostats that require minimum homeowner intervention. This, in turn, means that home automation is no longer limited to more affluent homeowners, as there is now a smart thermostat to suit every application and budget. This not only opens a new market for electricians, but also for wholesalers, giving them the tools to broaden their customer base. Now is the time for wholesalers to mark their territory as the stockist of
choice for all things smart. Wholesalers play a key role in advising customers on which products best meet installers’ as well as end users’ needs. Therefore, wholesalers should ensure that their staff are on hand to offer the wealth and breadth of knowledge regarding the latest developments in smart technology such as TPI, OpenTherm and Geofencing.
TPI
Room thermostats featuring time proportional integral (TPI) technology use a sophisticated algorithm to provide close control of room temperature to ensure the boiler is fired just long enough to achieve the desired temperature, and not a second longer. What’s more, the calculation is based on previously ‘learnt’ characteristics of the room in which the controller is placed, meaning efficiencies increase (up to a certain point) the longer the thermostat is in place. Recent tests commissioned by BEAMA, conducted at the University of
Salford’s Energy House, demonstrated that installing a TPI thermostat with a conventional heating system allows the boiler to stay in condensing mode for longer. Using such a thermostat, together with thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs), was shown to provide a 53% reduction in energy costs; that’s a further 13% reduction compared to a conventional room thermostat.
OpenTherm OpenTherm technology is a communication protocol between a compatible boiler and thermostat. It allows the amount of heat provided by the boiler to be altered to match the varying demand signal, by reducing the flow temperature as much as possible as it leaves the boiler. This modulation improves boiler efficiency by running at lower flow temperatures for longer periods of time.
www.ewnews.co.uk
esearch indicates that smart thermostats are growing in popularity, with almost 30% of UK customers expected to purchase one over the next five years. As appetite for these
While a thermostat does not necessarily have to be connected to the
internet to be deemed ‘smart’, connected thermostats do offer additional benefits for homeowners, such as remote accessibility and geo-fencing.
Location-based temperature control, or ‘Geo-fencing’ Geo-fencing is a feature on mobile devices that uses the global positioning system (GPS) or radio frequency identification (RFID) to define geographical locations. Translated into thermostat-speak, this means that smart controls can now provide remote control of the boiler by turning the heating on or off depending on the location of the homeowner. Clever isn’t it?
Investing in training With such a wide range of makes and models of smart heating controls available on the market, all at different price points, with different functionalities, wholesalers can benefit from investing in training for their staff. Knowing their Lyric T6 from their T4 means that they would be able to recommend the best heating control to suit each specific application and homeowner. Most manufacturers offer free training as well as paid-for courses – arming electricians and wholesalers alike with the right tools and training for every industry challenge. For example, Honeywell offers various online training courses for electricians, which wholesalers can also sign up for, to enable participants to upskill and upsell products successfully. As well as training, Honeywell has
Knowing your Lyric T6 (pictured) from your T4 will enable you to recommend the best heating control for specific applications and homeowners.
recently launched videos that show the consumer how these controls work. They
also provide electricians with information on the installation process, as well as the right answers to home owners’ questions. So, while manufacturers are the word on everyone’s lips, wholesalers play
a key role in advising and keeping electricians ahead of the market. Smart doesn’t have to mean complicated, and with the smart revolution here, it’s an exciting time to be in the industry.
http://getconnected.honeywell.com/en/
Sources:
https://www.raconteur.net/ wp-content/uploads/2015/04/
Smart-Home-Adoptions-Rate.jpg
http://www.beama.org.uk/news/high-efficiency- room-thermostats.html#sthash.Jcw2ldqk.c2PK41nV.dpuf
June 2017 electrical wholesaler | 41
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