SMART HOMES
ANOTHER STEP TOWARDS NET ZERO ?
» JUST OVER 50 YEARS AGO , SOMEONE famously said ‘ one small step for a man , one giant leap for mankind ’ ( and the same phrase has been infamously used to open countless magazine articles ever since ). But , just as the Space Race was all-consuming - and never without controversy - in the 1950s , 60s and 70s ; the hot topic of the 2000s , 10s and 20s ( last year not withstanding ) must be Climate Change ( with two capital Cs ).
In mid-October , the lead story of many news channels was the Heat and Buildings Strategy perhaps not as exciting as Armstrong and Aldrin , but something that certainly caught the attention of home and business owners across the UK . Following on from the Renewable Heat Incentive ( RHI ); the Heat and Buildings Strategy claims to offer a grant of up to £ 5,000 to those switching to a lowercarbon heat source for their properties .
For savvy home and business owners , builders , facility managers , architects and specifiers , the grant is - yes - an incentive . But , in addition to the offered grant ; cleaner , greener energy , plus potentially lower heating bills long term have both been reward enough for many already wanting to make the switch . The more uptake there is from consumers , the more companies will be required to meet this demand ; therefore creating an incentive for the property owner or manager that ’ s kinder on the purse and kinder on the planet , but also a lucrative business opportunity for manufacturers and installers .
The crossover for fenestration and locksmithing companies is actually closer and stronger than you may have first thought . For companies that spend a lot of time ( and money ) on the design and development of energy efficient products and processes , alternative heat pumps and energy could not only add extra revenue to a business ’ s order books , but could also be the cherry on top of an eco-friendly , ultra efficient home at a much lower cost to the planet and the bill payer . Not-to-mention be a savvy installation for their own premises too .
For new developments , whether residential or commercial , alternative heat pumps and energy can be included in the ‘ bones of the building ’ and can be drawn into the plans just as safety and security choices are made . For , just as the hardware criteria of a building and its intended use are of utmost importance to the architect and specifier of a project , energy efficiency and eco responsibility is part and parcel of the plans now , and rightly so .
Subsequently , the costings of running a building long-term especially for commercial properties such as schools , hospitals , municipal buildings etc must be factored in . Likewise , for residential properties , efficient and effective heating that is also low cost and kind to the environment ticks every box for the savvy would-be resident or landlord .
For refurbishment and regeneration projects , one simple question of ‘ have you considered an Air Source Heat Pump ?’ for example , when quoting for a job is all it takes . The choice is then up to the fitter
Since 2011 , ECO Footprint Ltd has been recognised as a top supplier and installer of renewable technology in South Yorkshire including Air Source Heat Pumps , Solar Panels and Solar Batteries . Now , ECO Footprint Ltd has teamed up with Clearview Group ( home of The Locksmith Journal ) to help educate the industry on the technology behind Air Source Heat Pumps , the products and services that ECO Footprint Ltd can provide , and the lucrative business opportunities available to both larger brands in the industry and independent businesses .
www . ecofootprintlimited . com
whether they wish to pass the lead onto an accredited and approved company or carry out the install themselves ( with adequate training of course ).
It is highly unlikely that any of us will walk on the moon , but most of us agree that by taking steps towards sustainability is essential at home and at work . For householders , saving money in the long run and running a greener home is an achievable goal – with the right information and maybe a little incentive along the way . For business owners , being aware of the crossover is a lucrative leap . And for both , ‘ sooner rather than later ’ means you won ’ t get left behind .
82
NOV / DEC 2021
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