Category: Local Authorities

Posted on by

Coventry City Council

VIEW PDF

COVENTRY CITY COUNCIL

CASE STUDY

Large, historic buildings are notoriously difficult to heat efficiently. We take a look at how Coventry City Council are using smart heating controls to cut their carbon footprint, keep occupants comfortable and preserve the beauty of their historic buildings.

Coventry City Council started monitoring the carbon footprint of its operations in 2008, and by 2016 they’d already reduced emissions by an impressive 35%. But they’re not stopping there. They continue to make improvements, including reducing the energy consumption of their buildings.

After seeing the success of the Genius Hub installation in the council-owned Coombe Abbey Hotel, the council have been keen to explore how Genius Hub can help them continue to reduce energy consumption. So they installed Genius Hub smart heating controls in another 14 buildings of various types, including schools, care homes, pavilions and offices.

The council also trialled two heating control systems from other manufacturers, however both installations encountered serious setbacks. One system was incompatible with the council’s computer systems, so installation could only be completed after the supplier rewrote their app, which took three years. Another installation, of a wired system, encountered reliability issues as the cables kept snagging where the installers had to route cables through tight turns. Ultimately, this installation was abandoned entirely.

In this case study we’ll focus on just one of their Genius Hub installations: the council’s iconic Council House, a historic building in the centre of the city.

The Council House: a Grade 1 listed building

Constructed in 1917 and designed to accommodate 1,500 employees, the Council House is an impressive Elizabethan-style building. It consists mainly of office space, but also houses large formal rooms such as the Council Chamber, Mayor’s Parlour and various committee rooms.

When it comes to heating period buildings such as this, energy efficiency is a challenge. Many of the options available to more modern buildings aren’t compatible with preserving the beautiful façade and interior details.

However, heating controls were an area that could certainly be improved. Previously the heating was controlled by a Building Management System (BMS) that only divided the building into three large zones, making it impossible to manage the heating efficiently. Even worse, the BMS didn’t control the air conditioning system in the meeting rooms, so they were often being cooled while the heating was still on.

The council received funding from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, which enabled a package of energy efficiency improvements to be implemented in the building, including the installation of Genius Hub motion-sensing heating controls.

We interviewed Paul Bowell, the Assistant Facilities Manager, to capture his experience of the installation and use of Genius Hub.

Did you have any concerns before installation?

“Yes. This is a challenging building, both because we need to preserve the building itself, but also because of the occupants. I understand why we’re making changes to save energy, but I knew we wouldn’t be able to please everyone. I wasn’t sure whether staff would understand why rooms wouldn’t be kept warm all the time, and how we can get them on board.”

How do you find using the app?

“Brilliant, I love it. The user interface is great and really easy to use. It’s simple, it’s well laid out, and it gives me instant control over all the different buildings from one place. I use it on the phone or the computer. At my desk, I prefer to use the computer, but when I’m not on site I use my phone, which works well.”

How was the process of design and installation?

“Genius Hub did a site visit with the installation company and they designed it together, then presented this design to us with a fully costed proposal. We had quite a few questions but we had several meetings, and all our questions were answered.”

The system was designed to control each room individually, based on occupancy. Genius Hub functions automatically, enabling significant energy savings without needing occupants or staff to adjust heating controls.

In total, the system controls over 250 radiators, the ventilation system and air conditioning units. The smart radiator valves were colour-matched to the cast iron radiators, so that they blend in. As Genius Hub is a wireless system, there’s no need to run wires to every device, or all the messy drilling that would be required to do so.

“The installation crew were excellent; very professional, clean and tidy. They really took care of the building fabric, and also worked around the occupants to minimise disruption. For example, if a meeting room was being used at particular times, they’d work around this.”

How did the system perform?

“Initially a few occupants were trying to adjust the valves manually and complaining when it didn’t work as they expected, but Genius Hub helped us resolve that and the occupants are happy with it now.

In some rooms, Genius Hub has improved the comfort, because previously the radiators at the end of each pipe run wouldn’t get warm. After installing Genius Hub, the heat is only being used where it’s needed, so it is better distributed around the building. So now those radiators are working really well, and we’ve been able to remove the additional electric heaters we’d previously been forced to install.”

The client estimates the savings in the first winter to be over 60%, compared to the building’s energy usage before the Genius Hub was installed.

Would you recommend Genius Hub?

“Yes, definitely! Despite the challenges of this building, Genius Hub has worked very well, so I’d definitely recommend it.”

Posted on by

Mansfield Baptist Church

VIEW PDF

ARTICLE BY MATTHEW BILLINGTON – JIGSAW INFRARED HEATING

MANSFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH

| CASE STUDY

NOTTINGHAM

Did you know there is no need to turn the heating on at lunchtime on a Saturday to ensure everyone is warm enough on a Sunday morning? Sometimes even longer! This appears to be a common problem for most religious buildings. Jigsaw and Genius Hub are approached frequently to help on ways to heat older buildings. The most requests we get are for support for churches. These are some of the more challenging buildings to work on due to the age, construction, wiring and delicacy needed to when planning and installing.

We are usually asked one simple question. Will Infrared work for our church? The answer is, YES! But, the challenge for Jigsaw staff is to find the best way of warming the building quickly, efficiently and with controls which make is easier for members of the church to use.

INITIAL ENQUIRY
The Jigsaw team recently completed a three week installation at Mansfield Baptist Church, Nottingham. We were originally approached along with five other companies to offer our solution for heating multiple rooms of various sizes. Ones of their main issues was that there are so many rooms that each would require different infrared solutions to work. The previous convection/gas system was taking too long to warm the rooms up. Some rooms never reached temperature in some large areas. This caused the congregation to feel uncomfortable in the colder months.

THE AREA FOR INSTALLATION ON THE FIRST PHASE:

  • Reception
  • Managers Office
  • Central Corridor
  • Nave (10m+ High Vaulted ceiling)
  • Balcony
  • Vestry Office
  • Parent and Baby Room
  • 3 x Large Meetings Rooms
  • 3 x Bathrooms
Jigsaw-2

HEATER SELECTION
The team on their first visit knew that the Mid Range of Infrared heaters would be required for the larger spaces. Jigsaw’s Made in Britain Infrared Panels would be used in the others. Their expertise were put in to use for calculating the requirements of the rooms, the heaters needed, control systems and the installation processes.

Jigsaw-1

COMFORTABLE WORKING ENVIRONMENT
Once an initial estimation had been made, the custodians of the church visited one of our previous church installations in the Midlands. This gave them the sense of what the IR heat feels like and how it can quickly warm the space up. This gave the group the confidence in their investment. Two demonstration heaters were loaned to the church to aid their decision. With Infrared you need to feel it,  know what it does and how far it reaches.

For the full case study, the installation process and the results – please check here!

Modernize your home with Jigsaw Infrared Panels

The efficient, greener and comfortable heating system. Made in the UK. Install in homes, businesses and commercial properties. Making your home feel warm.
Click Here
Posted on by

Southend on Sea

VIEW PDF
© Love Southend / Avenue Baptist Church

Avenue Baptist Church

CASE STUDY

SOUTHEND-ON-SEA

Avenue Baptist Church in Southend-on-Sea is a busy church providing vital services to the local community, from playgroups for young families, to football clubs for the youth, to meals for the vulnerable and elderly, Avenue Baptist Church caters for all in the local community.

The church has the environment in their sights as well, and the leadership team feel passionately about reducing their carbon footprint, improving their environmental credentials and reducing energy costs, allowing them to channel the money saved into front line services.

With an antiquated and expensive to run gas heating system connected to wet radiators heating tall rooms, this meant that the cost of keeping the church warm for the various activities was mounting up. Using traditional radiators was not right for the tall rooms where all of the heat (hot air) would rise up to the top of the building leaving those using the rooms cold and the cost of heating astronomically high.

The church brought in some heating professionals and it was recommended to them that the solution was to swap to Far Infrared panels. These heating panels being Infrared mean that they heat the people and the objects in the room and not the air. Because they don’t heat the air this saves a lot of energy as in tall rooms the hot air simply rises up into the high ceilings and is no use to anyone up there!

The environmental credentials of these Far Infrared heating panels comes from the upwards of 50% reduction in energy required to heat the building to the same comfort levels, and purchasing the electricity from a green and renewable electricity tariff. Also, they now have little in the way of maintenance costs for the church for at least the next 15 years. Some similar sites also offset some of the electricity used for the heating by installing solar PV, and feeding it back into the grid in the summer months making the site as a whole carbon neutral.

The church came to Genius Hub to provide the control of these new electric heating panels. Genius Hub not only offer zoned control of each room from an app, but also occupancy detection, so any zone can easily be set up so it only comes on when people are using the room. This is done with a little occupancy sensor in the room and this automatically turns the heating off when the room is left, giving peace of mind to the Deacons (management) of the church that energy will not be wasted heating empty rooms and saving the church a lot of money.

After the installation of the panels and the Genius Hub we interviewed Dr. Terence Lewis (project manager), about why he went down the Far Infrared route and why he chose smart controls. This is what he had to say:

Why smart heating controls?
Having used smart heating controls previously it was clearly the only way forward. I believe it is the future, offering maximum savings for minimum cost.

Why did you choose Genius Hub?
We chose Genius Hub because they came highly recommended by the specifiers of the Far Infrared panels. I was not concerned about this “new” technology because I did a lot of research before I started. There is a lot of information and proof now that this sort of technology is both reliable and future proof.

How did you design the system?
Designing the new heating system was easy, I designed it with the help of the Infrared heating provider, who did a thorough design of the lighting and also the heating. First impressions of Genius Hub impressed me, especially with its ease of use and flexibility. It can control the church’s new electric heating and we will be able to expand it to control the underfloor and radiators in the rest of the church if budgets allow.

How much can Genius Hub save on your bill?
We’re aiming for an excess of 45% savings on the energy bills because we are combining the Far Infrared technology with the better control and LED lighting. We know that Genius Hub alone can save upwards of 30% so that, with swapping the old wet radiators to Far Infrared heaters the savings will all stack up quickly.

What do you like about Infrared heating?
An important consideration is we are very motivated to look after God’s planet, reducing the toxic emissions from the old gas boilers and moving to green electricity is all part of looking after the planet, as well as the cost savings being a benefit.

Was there anything you were concerned about?
No. Because I did a lot of research before I started.

How was the installation?
We were pleased that the installation was done by local contractors (which is the recommendation of Genius Hub) and though they had not installed the Genius Hub before, the engineer from Genius Hub visited the site during the installation and checked that it was all being installed in line with their strict guidelines.

Would you recommend Genius Hub?
Yes – definitely.

Have you benefited in any other way?
Yes we now have a more comfortable environment for the church congregation and the wider communities who use our facility.

Conclusion
Really, I’m already looking forward to next winter when we can give the system a really good trial and demonstrate the predicted savings and reduced carbon footprint!’

Posted on by

John Street Hostel

VIEW PDF
M&V REPORT PDF

JOHN STREET HOSTEL

CASE STUDY

CARLISLE, CUMBRIA

John Street Hostel is run by Carlisle City Council and provides emergency accommodation for up to 20 homeless men in individual bedrooms. In 2015, the hostel was severely flood-damaged by Storm Desmond, requiring the complete renovation of the ground floor, and the hostel finally re-opened in the spring of 2018.

The Manager, Peter Rhodes, explained that prior to the renovation the hostel did have a Building Energy Management System (BEMS) but this didn’t provide room-by-room control of the heating. As a result, especially in the colder months, some rooms would be overheated whilst others were left too cold. The necessary refurbishment following the storm provided an opportunity to install a completely new system that would offer much better control – and the Genius Hub was chosen.

What were your first impressions of the Genius Hub?
Peter Rhodes: “The user-interface seemed quite daunting at first, just because of the level of control we now had. Before we only had a time clock for the boiler and now we had one for every room, and I felt quite apprehensive about this, but as I got used to it I realised that, once set, we could just leave it alone to look after itself. This was excellent, as we didn’t want a system that we had to keep adjusting all the time,”

How was the installation?
Peter Rhodes: “The installation was completely non-intrusive and caused no disruption at all. Much of the equipment was installed in the loft space so there was little reason to go into any of the guest’s rooms.”

What have you liked about the Genius Hub system?
Peter Rhodes: “The flexibility and ease of use of the system is important, but a major plus has got to be the cost savings as it all comes out of our budget to run the hostel.”

Have you benefited in any other way?
Peter Rhodes: “Having each of the rooms individually controllable has been very much appreciated by our residents. We can check on the temperatures in the individual rooms and it is excellent that the system manages itself and we only need to tweak it from time to time.”

Monitoring and Verification Report

ABSTRACT:
The purpose of this report is to analyse the gas data provided by the Carlisle City Council for before and after the installation of the Genius Hub system to determine the energy saved as a result (to within the greatest degree of accuracy as possible). This report found an average saving of 50% since the installation of the Genius Hub system in October 2018, at the time of writing. Note that the predicted energy savings on this site given the level of existing control (BEMS & modern TRVs on all radiators) was 25%. The 50% saving on the energy bills achieved has given the whole project a 2.1 year payback.

PROJECT INCENTIVES:
John St. Homeless Hostel is frequently in high demand and has a high turnover of residents. The building has 20 ensuite bedrooms, as well as a dining hall, communal area and staff offices. Carlisle City Council (CCC) recognised the Genius Hub system as a low cost & effective energy saving measure that could be easily retrofitted with little or no disruption to the occupants of the building. The aim of this pilot project was to help the council cut energy costs while maintaining comfort levels.

PERIOD OF DATA:
The relevant dates for this installation are:

  • 12/09/18 – Initial Installation
  • 24/10/18 – Tweaking Visit (Genius system optimized by an on-site engineer based on feedback from staff)
  • 9/04/18 – Analysis of energy data from site (the winter’s heating usage)

Gas data for Oct 2017 – Aug 2018 has been compared with the data for Sept 2018 – March 2018. The kWh/Degree Day​ ºC has been used as a way of comparing concurrent weeks in a calendar year while taking into account fluctuations in external temperature. Like ‘miles per gallon’, but where the type of road and driving conditions have been standardised.

BEFORE INSTALLATION:
When the external temperature drops the building is under heated and when it is warmer
outside the building overheats. 

The R2 value is a measure of how tightly the data points fit the trendline. This can also be thought of as a measure of the proportionality between two variables. An R2 value of >0.95 is deemed an exceptionally accurate data set. Graph showing the energy consumption prior to installation of the Genius Hub system; 01/10/2017 – 12/09/17.

  • The ‘Average Weekly Consumption / External Degree Days’ for 01/10/17 – 18/03/18 = 14.19 kWh/ºC.
  • The ‘Average Weekly Consumption / External Degree Days’ for 01/10/17 – 09/09/18 = 18.54 kWh/ºC.

AFTER INSTALLATION:

  • Period 1 after installation (01/09/2018 – 31/10/2018)
    The ‘Average Weekly Consumption / External Degree Days’ = 0.78 kWh/ºC
    Building used 6% of the energy than the average for the first 2 months post- installation, i.e. a 94% saving.
  • Period 2 after installation (31/10/2018 – 06/12/2018)
    The ‘Average Weekly Consumption / External Degree Days’ = 6.27 kWh/ºC
    Building used 34% of the energy than the average for the following 2 months, i.e. a 66% saving.
  • Period 3 after installation (06/12/2018 – 28/12/2018)
    The ‘Average Weekly Consumption / External Degree Days’ = 21.50 kWh/ºC
    Building used 152% of the energy than the average for the following 3 weeks, i.e. an increase of 52%.
  • Period 4 after installation (28/12/2018 – 13/02/2019)
    The ‘Average Weekly Consumption / External Degree Days’ = 3.89 kWh/ºC
    Building used 27% of the energy than the average for the following 2 months. i.e. a 73% saving.
  • Period 5 after installation (13/02/2019 – 18/03/2019)
    The ‘Average Weekly Consumption / External Degree Days’ = 13.15 kWh/ºC
    Building used 93% of the energy than the average for the following month, i.e. a 7% saving.

From the data provided, this report finds an average saving of 50% for the time period being monitored. It is likely that this figure will not be entirely accurate as the data provided is not of especially high resolution – however lengths have been taken in the calculations above to mitigate any discrepancies and take a worst case approach.

This report was put together by an industry specialist, using the widely accepted monitoring and verification processes and the guidelines set out by the International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol (IPMVP). It was then independently verified by a 3rd party to confirm it’s accuracy and impartiality.

Book your free Genius Hub survey here!

Take a look at other case studies and how our customers are saving 30% off their heating bills.
Click Here
Posted on by

Tomorrow’s FM November 2019 – Degrees of Difference​

VIEW PDF
Bedford

Tomorrow's FM November 2019 - Degrees of Difference

Bedford College had issues with the cost and control of its heating and cooling systems – even after a major refurbishment of one of its buildings.
Their mechanical and electrical design consultant Panda CES approached Genius Hub to consider these concerns and offer some intelligent solutions.

THE SITUATION
Bedford College is the largest Further Education College in the South East Midlands, with multiple campuses catering for students and apprentices from age 16 onwards. In 2012, it retrofitted its Brundtland Building (named after a leading Norwegian environmentalist) as a showcase for applying alternative energy technologies and energy efficiency techniques in existing buildings. Despite new gas boilers and a building energy management system (BEMS), they still had some issues around heating
and cooling, along with high energy costs.

The building contains workshops, teaching rooms and administration offices and suffered from many of the problems found in similar buildings of this nature: Large workshops are used for bricklaying, carpentry and electrical installation training were particularly difficult to heat, and draughty windows caused further heat loss. Fan blowers were used, with the heat coming from the new gas boilers. These were noisy and inefficient and didn’t direct the heat to where it was needed as the warm air would quickly rise to the ceiling.

The classrooms had problems with over-heating on warm days and under-heating on cold days. Some of the classrooms and offices had split-system air-conditioning units. These were often running at the same time as the radiators and wasting a lot of energy. 

Furthermore, as there was no timing control, the air conditioning units were also being left on overnight. If staff stayed late or classes were run in the evenings or weekends, the only option was to have the whole building on. 

THE RIGHT KNOWHOW
Intelligent, occupancy-based room sensors plus modern double panel radiators with smart TRVs (thermostatic radiator valves) have been added to each room. This allows pre-heating of the rooms before they are occupied and then keeps them at a pre-set temperature while being used. 

As soon as a room becomes unoccupied, they automatically revert to a set-back temperature, saving energy and reducing costs. And if staff stay late or an event is running in the evenings or at weekends, only those rooms needed will be heated – not the entire building.

ll of the fan blowers for the workshops have been replaced with wet overhead radiant panels which radiate their heat downwards to the occupants in the room. These are also controlled on occupancy of the room. Existing air-conditioning units are now centrally controlled, so they cannot run at the same time as the heating or if there is no-one in the room.

THE ADVANTAGES
The installation of intelligent controls for the heating and cooling systems is expected to result in considerable cost-savings, as well as an enhanced learning and work environment within this showcase building. In this installation Bedford College chose Genius Hub as the controls supplier as all of the Genius Hub equipment is wireless, so with minimal disruption (as it is generally retrofitted to existing systems), installation normally takes just a few days and without impacting the normal operation of a building.

College staff and the maintenance team now take a hands-off approach to adjusting temperatures in the rooms, and any heating issues which arise can usually be dealt with through the Genius Hub app, which runs on a smartphone or computer web browser. The Genius Hub records all room occupancy and temperature data, giving admin staff valuable information on room usage levels. Exercising the pump and all the radiator valves regularly during the summer, to prevent seizing and sludge build-up, is now trivial and completed automatically. The Genius Hub system typically has a two to five-year payback period.

Book your free Genius Hub survey here!

Take a look at other case studies and how our customers are saving 30% off their heating bills.
Click Here
Posted on by

Church of God

VIEW PDF
IMG_6016

CHURCH OF GOD

CASE STUDY

BRISTOL

The Church of God of Prophecy in Bristol previously had a gas heating system that was unreliable and inadequate to heat their building. It would have cost around £60,000 to replace it and that was considered prohibitively expensive. Because of the high ceilings in the main chapel, most of the heat simply went up to the roof. So, they were looking for a different type of heating and decided that infrared (IR) panel heating would be more effective, as this would warm the people and the fabric of the building, and not the air. 

Because of the intermittent use of the various rooms – main hall, activity room, Sunday school, creche and food bank – they decided that a zone heating control system would be much more appropriate for their needs. This would also give them the benefit of being able to manage the heating away from the church.  So if the schedule changed, no-one would have to go back to the church to reprogram the heating.

Pastor Raymond Viera told us about their experience:

How did you hear about Genius Hub?
“Through one of our members, Gary. We knew he was a plumber and we asked him to come up with something better and he recommended a combined system of infrared heating and the Genius Hub.”

Why smart heating controls?
“You can control it remotely, and you can set zones. This was crucial to our long-term objective of saving money and improving our green credentials.”

Why did you choose Genius Hub?
“We left the research to Gary to find the right system for us.  Cost savings and the green issues are the most important factors for us.”

Main consideration before purchasing?
“We found that it would have cost us £58k to replace the gas boiler and install new radiators.  Whereas it cost £15k to remove the existing system and £38k for the IR system, which brings reduced running costs along with it.

The money that we save on the gas we will use to pay off the system.”

Was there anything you were concerned about?
“It was a very hard decision to move away from a wet system. At the time of the installation, I was sceptical about the IR heating and whether it would work or not, to keep people warm enough. But the heating is so comfortable now, it is like the Caribbean on a warm and breezy day; nice and warm, not oppressive like we used to have with the gas boiler and radiators.”

How did you design the system?
“The design was all done by the installer.  Aesthetically, I am concerned about the larger IR panels, it would have been better if they were white.”

What were your first impressions of Genius Hub?
“As we went through the training, we became aware of the flexibility and technical expertise that went into the design of the system. “

How was the installation?
“The installer was very courteous. Typical workman he was not!”

What do you like about the system?
“What we’ve seen today surpasses what we thought we’d be getting. Now we can have the heating on in the office and not involve the whole building. Before, I had to turn on the whole church! The remote control is a major feature for us. Prior to the installation, we would have had to turn on the heating 5 hours before we needed to use the room. Now it calculates for us how much in advance we need to turn the heating on before the congregation arrives.”

Have you benefited in any other way?
“Yes, the benefits we were looking for – cost savings, reduction in carbon footprint and the ease of use for members who are using it. Zone heating control is key and this was the key feature for the users. 

People using the building find it easy to understand that the wall thermostat boosts the heating for 5 hours and then it just goes back to where it was before, and so it cannot be left accidentally on high.”

How have you found using the app?
“I am pretty pleased with the app. I am impressed how the team took to it straightaway. You can see that they are really au fait with it. It was easy setting it up and changing the temperatures. 

We have linked some of the zones together, this was easy on the app and makes the scheduling easier.  

It is just so easy-to-use, we only had to call up Tech Support once, and they were really helpful and quickly sorted out the problem we had.”

Posted on by

Scottish Borders Council

VIEW PDF
M&V REPORT PDF

SCOTTISH BORDERS COUNCIL

CASE STUDY

SCOTLAND

Scottish Borders Council is one of 32 council areas in Scotland. The Council is responsible for the provision of all local government services to approximately 115,000 people, living in around 1,800 square miles of South East Scotland. The Council headquarters are located in Newtown St Boswells and comprise open-plan office spaces, small cellular offices, council chambers

Jack Caldwell, Energy and Buildings Officer, is engaged to source and implement energy efficiency measures within budget throughout the Scottish Borders estate, with a view to reducing their carbon footprint.

Why did they choose Genius Hub?
Heating controls were needed to address the infrequent and unpredictable use of the rooms. There had been a number of complaints about the cellular offices being over and under-heated, and in addition, some offices were only being used for part of the day. The conference rooms had no heating controls at all.

Jack explained that the system would have to be integrated with existing infrastructure and it was important that it should be managed and maintained on-site and in-house. Additionally, the cost of the system had to be justified by the savings that would be achieved.

 

What was the main concern?
Genius Hub was seen as a new technology. Although the Council was aware of the system working within similar buildings, it had not previously used it in any of their estate.

What did they like about the system?
The Genius Hub system has occupancy detection which provides a new level of control based on the occupancy of the rooms.

Jack tells us that he did have discussions with other companies, but he felt that their solutions were cumbersome and very expensive. Other building control companies for example, offered a one- off bespoke system but that made it really expensive and needed engineers to be on-site to program it.

He adds, “The whole Genius Hub setup was done off-site and then the installation was really fast and easy.”

 

What were your first impressions of the Genius Hub?
Genius Hub is a comprehensive retrofit solution for creating energy efficiencies, reducing energy costs and reducing carbon footprint. The system is designed to work with existing systems seamlessly. Jack told us he was impressed that Genius Hub did not hide the fact that this was a new sector for them. Jack went on to say, “Wet radiators, electric heating, MVHR (Mechanical Ventilation and Heat Recovery) – in fact I don’t think there is much they (Genius Hub) can’t do!”

Jack recognised that not only were Genius Hub market leaders, but they were providing a unique solution.

The M&V (Monitoring and Verification) that Genius Hub offered meant that any tweaks needed were identified and constantly updated. This report found an average saving of 21% over the course of one year, since the installation of the Genius Hub system in April 2018. An additional 12% + 9% saving (totalling 42%) could be potentially achieved by controlling the boilers and pumps together, where as currently the Genius Hub is only controlling the main circulation pumps and the individual rooms.

How was the installation?
Jack explains to us, “New technologies can make people nervous, especially when there may be changes to how systems are managed. At no point during the installation process were our maintenance team nervous, as it was all very clearly explained and the interaction with our boilers and existing systems was very straightforward.”

The whole Genius Hub installation process was underpinned with clear, concise communication.

Jack continues, “The worst thing to happen during the install is when everyone goes… what do we do? Genius Hub went straight to the solution – which is just what we want. The installation teams themselves were excellent. Tidying up after themselves and at all times remaining quiet and respectful of the people around them.”

“Not everything went to plan, but this was not a bad thing. It showed us how Genius Hub dealt with problems and we were impressed and gained further confidence that we can give Genius Hub any building and they will be able to deal with it.”

What were your staffs impressions of the Genius Hub?
Genius Hub is user-friendly and keeps things simple. Staff find using and interacting with Genius Hub good and it is easy to use.

Jack concludes by saying, “To be honest – the fact that we’ve had very little feedback is a good thing.”

He continues, “People can be quick to pick up negatives, and for me as the energy manager always looking for ways to save energy across our estate, no comment is a good thing… so, the fact that it is saving us on our heating costs and no one has noticed is a really good thing in my view.”

In conclusion, installation of Genius Hub has been a successful pilot project, which has led to it being rolled out.

Book your free Genius Hub survey here!

Take a look at other case studies and how our customers are saving 30% off their heating bills.
Click Here