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DOMESTIC BOILERS


The rise in remote monitoring


Martyn Bridges, director of technical communication and product management at Worcester Bosch, discusses how remote boiler monitoring will benefit social housing customers


W


ith the increase in remote technology, we recognise the need for our social housing customers to be able to monitor the condition of their housing stock, including accurate management of the heating system for residents’ welfare. Although the boiler is the leading domestic heating solution, there is a need for a range of other monitoring solutions from environmental monitoring to emergency light compliance testing.


Remote boiler monitoring is a rising tool that will help customers quickly and easily identify problems with the boiler and be able to solve these without the hassle of waiting around for engineers to come and inspect the property.


Making the move to digital


Over the past 20 years, the Benchmark Scheme has come a long way. It’s now recognised by various government departments and even by estate agents and solicitors as a document to ask for when a house purchase is being conducted. The digital version of the scheme was released in March of this year, via an app available on your smartphone, which both installers and homeowners should download.


There is convenience for social housing customers too. Through the app you can electronically document the commissioning of the boiler, fill out the fields within the checklist and submit digitally with ease.


This is where a subtle difference can be seen, as the paper version always stayed with the homeowner, however the digital version is more transparent, with both homeowner and manufacturer able to access relevant documentation which is now held on a Benchmark Database.


Recent discussions with the governmental department concerning decarbonisation have also recognised the benefits of the Benchmark checklist and how the Government is supportive of it. This relates particularly to points which affect the efficiency of the system, flushing and balancing, system cleansing and use of controls.


Vericon monitoring


Our partnership with Vericon systems has been a step towards providing our social housing customers with the tools to be able to monitor their boilers virtually.


The system allows communication with a wide range of boiler manufactures’ appliances. It also acts as a gateway for other devices which can highlight potential issues or prevent future faults completely.


Virtual monitoring gives social housing customers flexibility to monitor their boiler from anywhere, making it an affordable and reliable compliance and safety tool. Additional benefits include heating temperature settings, low pressure warnings and interrupted gas supply sensing.


What’s to come?


Due to the success of these digital schemes and the impression they have made, relevant government departments have been considering recommending them as a vehicle to approve any potential future funding that might be available for heating technologies. Presently there is the Renewable Heat Incentive and grant funding available for certain technologies, such as heat pumps or solar thermal. Moving forward, it is increasingly likely that initiatives like Vericon and Benchmark will set the precedent for future remote monitoring systems. The move to digital and remote monitoring is vital to ensure social housing customers have the ease and flexibility of controlling their own boiler settings and being able to react, without the wait times and costs that installer checks bring.


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September 2021 37


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