PHAM NEWS | DECEMBER/JANUARY 2026 18 Energy SavingAwards


Domestic Installation of the Year Winner: A.C. Wilgar Ltd. for Orpington home


A.C. Wilgar Ltd. installed a fully integrated renewable and smart energy system at the home of its CEO, Billy Wilgar, to demonstrate the potential of cutting-edge domestic low-carbon technology. The system combines a 14kW Bosch air source heat pump, 22 solar PV panels with Tesla inverter and 27kW battery storage, a Bosch 12.2kW multi- split air conditioning system, a 300-litre ASHP-compatible unvented cylinder, EV charging, and a Drayton Wiser 2nd generation hub with 16 wireless room thermostats for precise zoned heating control. Surplus solar energy is


intelligently diverted via a Myenergi Eddi diverter and Harvi sensors to heat water, charge electric vehicles, power the ASHP and air conditioning, and meet standard household loads. Zoning allows individual room temperatures to be managed efficiently, ensuring energy is used only where and when needed.


This integration of multiple


technologies transforms the home into a live test and demonstration site, highlighting both financial and environmental


Highly Commended: Viessmann Climate Solutions UK for Vitocal 150-A in Shropshire


Viessmann transformed a Grade II listed farmhouse in Shropshire into a low-carbon, energy-efficient home using a 16kW Vitocal 150-A air source heat pump with a 250-litre DHW cylinder. The installation replaced an inefficient oil-fired system, providing consistent warmth while reducing carbon emissions and eliminating fossil fuel reliance. The project combined


Judge’s comment: “What sets this installation apart is not the individual technologies themselves, but how they are combined, optimised and showcased in the home.”


benefits. Currently, 58% of household energy demand is met by on-site solar generation, reducing the combined gas and electricity direct debit from £700 to £300 per month. Carbon emissions are estimated to have dropped by four tonnes per year – equivalent to the emissions from 14,000 miles driven by a petrol car.


The project’s innovation lies not only in the combination of ASHP, PV, battery storage, and intelligent controls but also in its role as a showcase for customers and industry peers, demonstrating the practical application of modern, fully optimised renewable systems in a real domestic environment with reduced reliance on the grid.


Commercial Installation of the Year


Winner: SmarterDM Smarter Panel System fitted in Travelodge Hotel bedrooms at over 350 sites


SmarterDM by Dimplex, working in partnership with Travelodge’s energy consultants SMS Ltd, developed an integrated system to address the large amount of energy wasted through guest- controlled heating across the hotel group’s estate. Heating and cooling are Travelodge’s dominant energy loads, and with many rooms unoccupied for long periods during the day, the goal was to maintain guest comfort while preventing heaters from running unnecessarily. The solution uses upgraded Dimplex PLXE panel heaters paired with SmarterDM environmental sensors that monitor occupancy, temperature and humidity. These data points allow the system to automatically turn heaters down or off when rooms are empty and to cap extreme guest-selected temperatures, ensuring comfort without excessive energy use. All devices communicate via a dedicated LoRa wireless network, independent of hotel WiFi, feeding into a cloud portal that enables room-by-room monitoring, scheduling and reporting.


A major advantage is retrofit compatibility: existing PLXE


heritage restoration with modern energy efficiency. Careful thermal improvements – including breathable cork- and lime-based insulating render, upgraded pipework and radiators, and secondary glazing – ensured the building could support a low-temperature heat pump. All works were sensitively carried out to preserve original floorboards, beams and masonry, enhancing the property’s character while improving comfort. The Vitocal 150-A, designed


for renovation projects, achieved an average COP of 5.3, outperforming comparable ASHPs in similar settings. Its compact size, intuitive controls and integrated DHW system eliminated the need


for additional backup. This installation demonstrates that even historic buildings can achieve modern energy efficiency without compromising heritage, providing a replicable model for low-carbon renovations in challenging properties.


Highly Commended: Zumtobel for Aberdeen Sports Village, Scotland


Judge’s comment: “This installation has resulted in significant reductions in energy use and had a huge impact when rolled out across the UK.”


heaters can be upgraded in situ, avoiding waste and allowing installations to take as little as 10 minutes per room. Entire hotels can therefore be brought under control in a single day with no operational disruption. Once activated, savings begin immediately, consistently delivering more than 40% reductions in bedroom heating electricity consumption. SMS Ltd independently


verified these savings using historic sub-metered data, which led to the system’s rollout across the Travelodge estate. The installation now delivers annual reductions exceeding 19 GWh – around £5 million per year – while significantly cutting carbon emissions. Its proven performance is driving adoption among other hotel groups and student accommodation providers.


Aberdeen Sports Village (ASV) was looking to progress toward its carbon-neutral 2030 goal by replacing ageing T16 fluorescent lighting with high-efficiency LED solutions across the indoor football pitch, athletics facilities and sports halls. Zumtobel delivered a holistic upgrade that reduced energy use, lowered maintenance, and enhanced the user experience while future- proofing the estate. The installation features


Craft II high-bay luminaires, i.e. Craft II Plus for the football pitch and running track, and Craft II Performance for the sports halls, paired with Resclite Pro emergency lighting. LEDs provide the same or better illumination with a lower connected load, and their long service life reduces re-lamp cycles and energy overheads. Optics and outputs were


tailored to each space, avoiding unnecessary over-lighting and improving efficiency. The project is distinctive for its platform approach, using Craft II’s self-cooling and self- cleaning design to maintain performance in demanding sports environments while creating a consistent lighting system across multiple venues. Combined with careful planning and a 10-year guarantee, the upgrade supports predictable lifecycle management. Quantitatively, energy savings


are substantial: 57.6% in the sports hall, 7.4% in the athletics facility, and 69.8% on the football pitch. Ten-year projected savings exceed £860,000, with ROIs from immediate to 1.77 years, delivering a technically robust, energy-efficient solution that aligns with ASV’s sustainability mission.


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