With artificial intelligence (AI) being increasingly used in many areas of society, PHPI discovers how one boiler manufacturer is incorporating it to help boost the efficiency of heating systems.
A new technology has been launched by Navien UK which uses artificial intelligence to help homeowners utilise their heating system more efficiently.
Navien’s ON AI is designed to work with the company’s ON technology, which features in its NCB ON range of Combi Crossover boilers, as well as the company’s Smart Plus and Smart Plus ON AI controllers to create a network of integrated heating controls throughout the home.
Featuring firmware-over-the-air (FOTA) capability, which allows the updating of the boiler’s built-in AI technology wirelessly, ON AI can provide homeowners with a Home Energy Management System (HEMS) report, to give them an in-depth analysis of their heating and hot water usage.
Mobile app
Through a mobile app, a number of technologies can be accessed designed to help make heating homes simpler, including Smart Diagnostics which allows homeowners to diagnose potential issues that may occur, quickly and accurately. Another tool is Smart Forecast which harnesses data from OpenWeather to respond intuitively to the current weather conditions to ensure the home remains at a comfortable temperature.
“We’ve been developing an industry-first technology that will help make users’ lives that little bit easier,” said Sean Keleher, Technical Director at Navien UK. “Technology is at the forefront of our daily lives and this revolutionary AI is the next step in helping homeowners utilise their heating system more efficiently while using less energy and ultimately cutting down energy bills.
“With diagnostics at your fingertips, boiler faults are flagged within the app and an engineer is notified immediately to identify any problems before they become more serious, which in turn will help minimise boiler downtime – a particularly important tool in winter, where maintaining and restoring heat within the home is a priority
“The technology is also useful for residents of rental properties, as they’ll be able to flag issues to their landlord before they develop, speeding up the maintenance process and again, reducing downtime.”
Away from home
ON AI also includes Geofencing which allows users to switch the boiler on or off, based on their proximity to the premises up to a radius of 5km, helping reduce hot water waiting times and preserving energy when occupants are away from home throughout the day.
Sean added: “Geofencing is a game-changer for adding even more convenience to users’ lives by providing passive heating controls based on their location. When leaving the home, the boiler will switch off once the user, and their mobile phone, is out of the designated boundary. The boiler will then switch back on when the user re-enters the radius, saving both time and energy in the process. And the app can be accessed on multiple devices, meaning each member of the household can utilise these tools to suit everyone’s day-to-day lives.”
Navien has designed the new technology to work in conjunction with its ON range of Combi Crossover boilers, including the NCB500 ON and NCB700 ON.
