Consumers-and-domestic-heating-controls-a-literature-review

By combining the various functions of different heating controls and smart meter data in
one interface along with remote control and automated features, these technologies also
provide the opportunity for improved energy management and increased usability.
Advanced control applications have been developed that harness GPS data, from a smart
phone, with travel time data to provide remotely and automatically control of a heating
system in response to the users lifestyle, for example to ensure the heating is turned on
when the user is coming home. The results from a US trial found this could save
substantial amounts of energy, albeit in a very small scale trial. 223 Other controls using Wi-
Fi technology have been developed that automatically adjust the heating system in
response to window opening 224 or can use occupancy sensors to reduce or raise the
temperature depending on whether or not a room is being used. 225
The roll-out of smart meters and the uptake of smartphones could act as a catalyst for
change in the market for controls, and drive an increase in competition between
manufacturers, although it is unclear whether consumer demand will be sufficient to drive
the development and reduction of costs of these services to ensure they benefit all
consumers, including the most vulnerable.
Controls with additional advanced functionality can deliver greater savings but only if
instructions are clear and users have the time and understanding to make best use of
them. 226 According to Bordass and Leaman, there is a concern that advanced controls will
have more features and more ‘intelligence’, but be less intelligible (and thus less useful) to
users. 227
It is also important that innovative consumer-focused controls also work effectively
‘behind the scenes’ to maximise the efficiency of boiler operation.
223 Gupta M, Intille S.S. & Larson K, 2009, Adding GPS-control to traditional thermostats: an
exploration of potential energy savings and design challenges, Pervasive Computing, lecture notes
in computer science, vol. 5538, pp. 95-114.
224 Source: Energy Saving Trust, 2008, Advisor Factsheet November 2008: Heating Controls
225 Ibid.
226 Energy Saving Trust a, 2010, At home with energy: A selection of insights into domestic energy
use across the UK.
227 Bill Bordass and Adrian Leaman, 2012, People, environmental control and buildings in use –
PART A Improving local control devices: How to please end-users and save energy. Presentation at
Reading University 12 January 2012 www.usablebuildings.co.uk
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