Danfoss has welcomed the Government’s new Green Homes Grant scheme as an opportunity to improve the energy efficiency of thousands of households across England whilst also generating new business for heating installers. Modern heating controls are among the measures eligible for funding under the £2 billion scheme, which runs until the end of March 2021. Independent tests have demonstrated the energy-saving benefits of high efficiency electronic heating controls, such as fully programmable room thermostats and thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs), as well as the importance of proper hydronic balance for optimum efficiency and temperature control.
Subject to eligibility, homeowners and social/private landlords can apply for a Green Homes Grant voucher towards the cost of hiring tradespeople to upgrade the energy performance of their homes. In order to carry out improvements under the scheme, heating installers must be TrustMark registered, a Government-endorsed quality scheme, or be approved via the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS). As only approved and accredited companies can be commissioned, Danfoss is urging installers who haven’t already done so to sign up for the relevant accreditation.
The available measures under the scheme are split into ‘primary’ and ‘secondary’ categories. Households that have installed one of the primary measures of insulation and low carbon heat will also be able to install one or more secondary improvement, which includes heating controls such as TRVs and smart thermostats.
Properly selected and installed, TRVs offer up to 30% savings on heating consumption. They are an easy-to-fit solution for installers and have an estimated payback period of just two heating seasons for their customers. Examples include the Danfoss Eco thermostat, which works with Bluetooth technology, giving homeowners in-home control of their radiators from their smartphone using the App.
Other heating controls eligible for a Green Homes Grant are smart thermostats. Options available from Danfoss include the TPOne-S, an intuitive programmable room thermostat offering new levels of user-friendly interaction, and Danfoss Icon, specially designed for hydronic underfloor heating installations. A series of room thermostats and zone controllers, Danfoss Icon provides optimal temperature control and also features automatic hydronic balancing for maximum efficiency.
Offering the potential for increased energy savings with a ‘Delayed Start’ function, the Danfoss TP5001 and extended TPOne range of intelligent room thermostats also qualify for the scheme. Selecting ‘Delayed Start’ pauses the heating startup at the scheduled time depending on the difference between ambient and required temperature, which reduces energy consumption.
Heating buildings accounts for a significant amount of UK greenhouse gas emissions and reducing carbon dioxide from homes will be essential to reaching the ultimate goal of Net Zero by 2050, says Gareth Ash, Marketing Manager at Danfoss. Summing up the new scheme, he comments: “The Green Homes Grant is a significant investment by Government in energy efficiency and a step towards delivering low carbon housing. We believe it will provide long term benefits for those who upgrade their homes and create new work for thousands of tradespeople like heating installers – so make sure your business is ready to get on board.”
