Earth Notes: Smart Radiator Valves - EcoHome Lab (2020-11-12)

Slide Text Content

Contents

• What problem is being solved?
• What is the solution? Does it work? What about the rest?
• Some history
• Where we are now: SAP, GHG, ECO3
• How does it work?
• Secrets for developers

Problem: Climate Change, Space Heating

• Carbon emissions contribute to climate change
• In UK ~10%+ of all carbon emissions from domestic space heating
• Maybe 50% of that is unnecessary
• One huge source of waste: heating empty rooms, eg bedrooms during day
• Another: complex / expensive controls that fox users
• Not everyone has reliable always-on Internet

Solution: Soft Zoning, Radbot

• Treat each room/rad/TRV as a soft heating 'zone'
• Set back temperature when vacant and likely to be so for next hour or so
• Set back further when more sure, preheat when occupancy predicted
• DON'T require programming or connectivity or attention
• (Reasonable evidence that autonomous measures persist better)

• Occupancy detection is driven by light (in various ways), use of controls and other things (development continues).
• Size of temperature setback is risk-weighted.

Brief History

• ~2009 David MacKay discussions re SEWTHA
• At DECC, what was best carbon bang for buck?
• Late 2012 meeting, home heating including zoning good
• 2013 OpenTRV project
• 2018 Vestemi commercialisation to try to reach >>1bn radiators!
• Tests (Energy House) and trials (ROWR and ECO): yes, it works

Now:

• Sales, sales, sales (every Radbot can save ~0.1tCO2/y)
• Cost reduction, continuous improvement (h/w and data science)

SAP, GHG, ECO3: Alphabet Soup!

• Where would we be without TLAs and ETLAs? B^>
• Industry awards and key accreditation… SAP
• Standard Assessment Procedure for home Energy Performance Certificate
• SAP score allows use under Green Homes Grant
• Coming: Energy Company Obligation deemed scores for ECO3 programme

How Does It Work?

• Just like a mechanical TRV, simple display, dial clicks
• Plus boost button!
• Occupancy/vacancy detection
• Prediction and 'usual at this time' 7-day-ish memory
• Sensors: light, temperature, humidity, use of controls
• Outputs: motor valve control (+haptics!), LED, radio
• Some patent-pending cleverness too...

• 60% savings in bedrooms, up to 30% realistic in suitable homes

Some Secrets for Developers and Tinkerers!

• Radbot 2 exposes serial connection (4800 baud, 8n1) for CLI
• Key and ID can be set via the CLI (Command Line Interface)
• JSON stats receivable by OpenTRV stats hub and boiler controller

Summary

• 8 years in the making: in stock!
• Ready for Green Homes Grant and ECO3
• Aim is to save megatonnes of CO2, affordably and simply
• Also aim to help reduce fuel poverty
• Supports tinkering

Get in touch, buy Radbots, cut carbon!

• www.radbot.com
• github.com/opentrv

• Damon Hart-Davis