Thanks for the insights. Infrared seems ideal for sorting cold spots or where a low-cost/easy-fit solution is needed. The one I have is controlled via the Smart Life app and has a hard on/off on the powerline.
The thing I would like to see is home batteries. What would be really cool is if we could get an open source battery controller that gave users the options to charge/discharge based on energy prices but also (this is the more difficult bit perhaps) a modular battery design.
Imagine if everyone had even a 1kWh battery at home, the 6pm energy peak would be a thing of the past! and 1kWh probably isn’t that expensive. Then, you could plug and play more storage as you needed/wanted, and the battery controller would recognise it and utilise it too
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Could we maybe have some webinars that look at typical problems of typical housing types?- I find that alot of things are focussed around old housing, solid walls etc- but my 1970s house could still do with alot of improving- there seems to be alot of discussion around CWI and whether it should be done, what should be used, and what if its not performing well?- do houses with CWI need external insulation ulitmately as well, and how do the costs for this stack up in terms of efficiency etc?- probably ties in with Matthew Larbys suggestions above.
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Retrofitting timber frame houses, both old and new. A lot of houses built by the bigger contractors are timber with a brick skirt and suffer from wind wash behind dot and dab plasterboard walls. Is ‘stitching’ a line of fire retardant foam along (drilled) edges the only fix?
Historic properties are smaller in number but tend to be freezing in the winter… what is the best place to put the airtightness barrier? Do you have to use one or is insulation dependent? The SPAB website has some good content, though doesn’t seem to do many webinars.
This is a problem with other construction methods too, and with adding rooms/extensions.
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How to fit internal wall insulation on solid walls - a room by room approach for the householder,
with a look at breathable and non breathable walls alongside utilising and pairing membranes and insulation types accordingly.
Managing sheepwool insulation and installation - how can sheepwool be installed in an environment to prevent exposure to to moisture , while still allowing it to ‘breath’ and prevent mould growth.
A closer look at window ranges - energy efficiency ratings, installation , frame types and glazing. Additionally, can the inside of a hollow PVC frame be easily insulated without affecting the locking mechanisms on openers etc.
The lessons being learned from the rollout of the LADS grants and how are they helping householders decarbonise.
What are installation limitations householders are facing and what does the householder need to consider before specific installations.
I think it is time we looked at when to use secondary glazing, positioning and how to assess performance, cost, disruption, waste and benefit. The expense of new replacement windows fitted badly should also be factored in.
AKA fitted normally.