Getting smarter
We had a new combi boiler installed last month when our old one chucked it after 13 years of service.
Being a bit of a gadget man, I ordered a smart controller and it has spent the last four weeks learning about my family’s habits and movements.
The controller is in the downstairs hallway, which is the major crossroads in my house. It has a motion sensor, meaning it knows when people are moving around. More importantly, it learns when people are not moving and adjusts its heating schedule accordingly.
It has learned what temperature we like in the morning and how long it takes to heat our house so knows exactly when to turn on the boiler. All of this is designed to reduce energy use. That, coupled with the better performance of new boilers, should mean lower energy bills.
Last Friday the UK had the first 24-hour period since the Industrial Revolution began where coal played no part in our energy production. We’re not yet at the stage where green energy can replace fossil fuels and nuclear but we’re getting there.
Being smart about how we use energy is equally as important as being responsible about how we generate electricity. My boiler’s smart controller is doing its part and I’m finding it fascinating to see it creating a mini-energy revolution in my house. watching it on TV, but then I saw the amazing sight of the runner who interrupted his race to help the guy struggling to cross the finish line and realised I’d be like that after the first half-mile.