From heat pumps, solar integration and evolving regulations, today’s heating systems are becoming smarter and more efficient. Nick Paul, Head of Product Management at Dimplex, shares his insights into the technologies and trends shaping the future of home heating.
With the Future Homes Standard in mind, do you think it has changed the way in which developers will need to consider heating systems before starting a development?
Yes, I think they’re going to have to think about it a lot sooner, before they even put pen to paper. They have to consider not only heating, but also ventilation systems. It’s a case of looking at, especially due to the Future Homes Standard, at the air tightness within dwellings, and interwoven with that is controls as well.
Developers will need to look at it as an all-in-one approach rather than in isolation which they may have been able to do in the past. For example, with air tightness, that will tend towards a direct mechanical extract vent solution for ventilation or MVHR to get the fresh air into the home. However, developers will also have to take into account heating and smart controls as well as potentially hooking it up to PV and battery storage.
What are the defining characteristics of a truly future ready heating system for the next generation of UK residential developments?
A hot water heat pump would be able to serve a four, or even, five bedroom home, in comparison to a smaller home where electric space heating may be enough. What I would say, is that with any heating systems that are deployed, they will have to hook up to time of use tariffs.
What should developers be considering when looking to add long-term value to their developments?
I think smart controls are key. They play an important role in future proofing buildings by enabling homeowners to take advantage of flexible energy tariffs and optimise how heat is stored, whether in hot water cylinders or thermal batteries.
Grid flexibility becomes important. Wet based heating systems, supported by water cylinders, allow heat and energy to be stored efficiently. Similarly, thermal storage and batteries provide the ability to store energy when it is most cost effective or readily available, then use it much later thanks to their highly responsive performance.
What advice would you give developers who are unsure how to choose the right combination of heating and ventilation systems for their developments?
I would say to come and talk to us. We’re putting together a ventilation training programme for installers that is coming very, very shortly.
We do a lot of training for clients so they can get an understanding of how the products work, what they are and how they should be applied.
Developers should be looking at ventilation and heating as one ecosystem rather than separate entities. Going back to the Future Homes Standards, in terms of the needs for ventilation, the thermal characteristics of the property, the airtightness and control of it should be looked at as one heating system. So, in essence, MVHR heating, hot water and fabric should all be treated as one.
What do you think is going to have the greatest impact in terms of heating and ventilation technology on the house building sector over the next couple years?
A combination of improved ventilation, smart controls and energy storage is likely to have the greatest impact on the house building sector. As homes become increasingly airtight, ensuring a consistent supply of fresh air will be essential, particularly in apartments, where MVHR would be a good solution where appropriate.
Smart controls will also play a crucial role. App based systems can give homeowners greater control over their heating and ventilation, while installers need reliable controls that allow products to be configured correctly. Alongside this, ongoing innovation around grid flexibility will become increasingly important. Overall, smart controls and energy storage, whether through hot water cylinders or thermal storage, will have a key role to play in improving efficiency and supporting the future of low carbon homes.
How can developers design a system in new builds that is going to achieve sustainability, affordability and ease of installation without compromising cost and homeowner comfort?
The developers will need to align the home to get it under one control ecosystem. In designing the system, what they will have to do is standardise the specification of their particular developments. This will also depend on the tier of the home to be able to standardise it rather than bespoke it.
Of course, will installation comes cost, however, it would be advisable to look for products which offer ease of installation. For example, pre-wired and pre-plumb cylinders as they save incredible amounts of time to install as they’re all factory fitted.
Does Dimplex offer any form of aftercare once the development is complete for either the housebuilder or homeowner?
Yes, we have a call centre based in Southampton to be able to help our professional customers.
We also provide training courses and programmes for electrical contractors and gas engineers for products such as our hot water heat pumps. We also provide training for our thermal storage and panel heater products on how to install them, how to use the controls, and ultimately, what ‘perfect’ looks like.
They will then take that knowledge from us, and pass it onto their fitting teams, but also to their end users as well. We also take calls from end users so if there ever is an issue with one of our products, they can ring us and we can talk them through the problem. Our UK call centre is a really big part of what we do.
What are the significant challenges that developers are currently facing when planning heating systems for their low carbon homes?
I think one of the main challenges that sadly still exists is the skills gap. One of the things that we at Dimplex are trying to do to help is provide training for relevant products.
Another challenge is due to the move towards heat pumps, and even solar PV as well, there needs to be space allocated for these products which can be a challenge in certain applications. Where previously, the building design only needed to account for a combi boiler, there is now a need to take space back in many homes to make space for hot water provision.
