ECOBuilder-Specifiers Journal spring2018

upon with industry and now it becomes law.
That’s a great achievement for HHIC – and
apologies for blowing our own trumpet at this
point
Market reaction
We believe that a natural consequence of the
new requirements set out in this consultation
will be a greater range of heating system
products for consumers to choose from.
By mandating certain controls, such as
programmable timers and thermostats, the
market for these products will inevitably be
widened whilst consumer awareness of them
and their benefits will also inevitably increase.
This will, in turn, lead the market to develop
new products and improve existing ones to
cater for the increased demand. The range of
products available for controlling domestic
heating systems is already rapidly developing,
as evidenced by the significant increase in the
number of smart home systems available in
recent years. These changes will compliment
and accelerate this trend by making consumers
more aware of the many options for enhancing
the efficiency of their system that are available
to them.
But do consumers engage effectively with
things like ‘smart controls’?
Every consumer is different in the way they
use their system and its additions, to control
their heating. Many that are conscious of the
efficiency of their system will make full use
of additions which require their input such as
timers, thermostats, TRVs. Others will not make
active use of theirs, especially when they are
installed in a fixed location out of sight, such as
in an airing cupboard or garage. A lack of usage
is particularly prevalent when consumers move
into a new property that has controls they are
not familiar with, or when controls are installed
in their home but not properly explained to
them.
FEATURE ARTICLE: THE HEATING AND HOT WATER INDUSTRY COUNCIL
efficiency from the new system they are having
installed. Furthermore, modern controls are
far more intuitive now than they ever have
been, and the latest innovations such as smart
home automation devices are enabling users to
interact with their heating system in new and
extensive ways.
We know from talking to installers that many
already fit the technology specified in Boiler
Plus, as standard, so ‘challenges’ should be
minimal. Consumer education is a continual
challenge faced by the industry as whole.
We believe that a further natural consequence
of the new requirements will be a greater range
of heating system products for consumers to
choose from. By mandating certain controls,
such as programmable timers and thermostats,
the market for these products will inevitably be
widened whilst consumer awareness of them
and their benefits will also inevitably increase.
The new legislation only affects new
combination boiler installations. It does,
however, focus attention on the efficiency of
boilers and heating systems, which can only be
a good thing.
The UK needs to modernise old heating
appliances. This means replacing the 9 million
inefficient boilers currently operating in UK
homes, with more modern condensing ones
that use less energy, thus reducing household
energy bills and greenhouse gas emissions.
Some would say; if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.
Well, if it could be better, then it’s as good as.
Boiler Plus will act as a catalyst for improving
the UK’s energy efficiency.
However, these changes will mean far more
conversations between installers and their
clients about the requirements set out in
this consultation and the options that are
available to meet them. This will clearly increase
consumers’ awareness of what controls are
and how they can be used to get maximum
SPECIFIERS JOURNAL - SPRING 2018
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