Helping the UK warm up to new gas heating technology

Why is gas heating energy efficiency important?
Environmental and economical concerns. Consumers warming up to new
ideas and getting switched on by new technology.

Ecotechnicians understand that gas heating technology will play a key role in
the future domestic heating and hot water needs of UK households. We have
already started to work with customers to install the best technology and our
work will dovetail with forecast changes in environment, government policy,
business and technology.

Most boilers are actually designed with modulating controls in mind, not the
on-off controls as required [promoted] by UK regulations. Therefore, though
most UK-installed gas boilers have the potential to be efficient, but UK
regulations do not require the installation of gas heating controls that match
the boiler’s capacities.

In Holland Opentherm modulating controls [link] are required on all gas
heating systems and in Germany outdoor sensors that respond to weather
changes are required. In both cases comfort AND fuel efficiency is achieved.

Why are existing UK gas heating systems wasteful?

A gas heating system that relies on simple ‘on-off’ temperature control (as
promoted by current UK gas heating regulations) is wasteful because:

1) Rooms have to cool off to turn the heating on, a drop of up to 2c is
necessary. The reaction is to turn the thermostat up and run everything
at a higher temperature than necessary. Modulating controls can save
up to 7% of the gas bill for every 1c, (source Theben [LINK])

2) The gas heating boiler has to fire at maximum output and temperature
to bring the temperature up to the desired level. As radiator temperatures
are set at around 75c, excess heat is then wasted through the flue.

Why are new modulating gas controls are important?

Both Opentherm and modulating controls keep rooms consistently at the
programmed level with radiators that vary in temperature. Sometimes
radiators are warm when the system is effectively off ('reduced' or 'set back'
temperature). This reduces the amount of work the gas boiler has to do later
(e.g. when the house is to be occupied). By ensuring that the boiler doesn't
have to work too hard later on it reduces inefficiency and the amount of heat
wasted through the flue. More heat can be extracted from the gas when
radiators are kept at a warm temperature, instead of fluctuating cold/hot.

These gas heating systems are fully automatic and require almost no user
intervention. They all have ‘holiday’ programmes and turn themselves off in
the warmer months. The software knows how to manage gas use efficiently...
much more so than us!

At present, UK gas heating regulations do not require standard domestic
gas heating controls to respond efficiently to room temperature changes.
UK heating controls mean the gas heating system is either all ‘ON’ or all ‘OFF’
~ resulting in widely fluctuating temperatures between extremes of warm and
cool. The ‘on or off’ controls that turn gas heating off at the desired
temperature don't immediately stop radiators giving out heat. Likewise, when
the temperature hits the floor it takes time for the room to warm up to the
desired level of warmth. The resulting over shoot (which can, according to
some manufactures including Viessman, be as high as 20%) wastes energy,
increases gas fuel bills, adds to CO2 emissions and creates an inconsistent
or uncomfortable environment to live or work in. We compare this situation
to driving a car when less fuel is used when cruising at a medium speed than
repeatedly having to brake and then accelerate.