Ambion Heating CEO Oliver Baker shows Simon Lightwood MP the infrared heating system at their Wakefield factory
Ambion Heating, a Wakefield low carbon heating business that’s pioneered a revolutionary low-carbon panel heating system for social housing, combining infrared with a unique control system, is celebrating a successful Yorkshire pilot that saw electric heating bills cut by three quarters.
Housing association Yorkshire Housing commissioned Ambion’s system last year to replace normal electric panels heaters in two mid-rise blocks of 30 flats at Alabury House in York as part of a pilot project.
Approximately, a third of all housing and half of the UK’s social housing may not be suitable for heat pumps as they are flats and terraced housing, meaning they could lose out on low-carbon and cheaper heating.
Ambion’s low-carbon system uses infrared heating panels and a revolutionary dynamic pulsing smart control system which together reduce heating costs and maintain a consistent temperature in homes by heating the walls and not the air.
The Yorkshire Housing pilot tested the system over 4 months from January to April this year and found that the electricity energy usage saving compared to the old electric panels was 73.8%.
It also discovered the average monthly electric heating bill for a two-bed flat was just £45.78.
Yorkshire Housing are so pleased with the results and feedback from tenants they’re rolling out the infrared heating systems at other properties.
The results were praised by Wakefield MP Simon Lightwood who toured the facility at infrared heating technology, which is helping people access affordable, low carbon heating.
Ambion Heating CEO Oliver Baker demonstrated the firm’s innovation to Mr Lightwood and outlined how the Wakefield firm can play a vital role in helping to transition social housing stock across the UK to low carbon heating – a key factor in helping the government reach its net zero targets.
The company is hoping to be part of the new Government’s Warm Homes Plan, which is funding £6.6b of grants and low interest loans to support investment in insulation as well as solar panels, batteries and low carbon heating systems.
Currently, the government’s subsidy programmes mainly support heat pump installations, which are suitable for detached and semi-detached homes. But flats and terraced housing are less suitable for installing heat pumps.
Ambion Heating’s technology addresses this problem by offering the best low carbon heating system for smaller homes and multi-occupancy buildings.
Unlike heat pumps and normal gas or electric radiators which heat the air, Ambion’s low-carbon system uses infrared to heat the walls of the flat or house, so it retains the heat for longer and improves the air quality by reducing circulating dust and humidity, combatting the health threats from condensation, damp and mould.
Its IP-owned low-carbon heating panels and smart control system maintain a consistent temperature energy savings. This helps people on lower incomes access cheaper low carbon heating.
A central touch-screen control panel provides a comprehensive breakdown of energy usage and costs, which gives residents transparency and control over spending, which helps to combat fuel poverty.
The data is transmitted to Ambion’s team in Wakefield which can then provide free on-line technical support and reports as required.
Installation is quick, easy and hassle-free, with no pipework or radiators needed, can be installed by any qualified electrician, and the cost of installation is half that of a heat pump.
It also offers the best low-carbon heating system for integration with on-site renewable energy generation, a key solution in helping upgrade social homes to a minimum energy performance of EPC Band C – a government target for 2030.
Ambion has over 1,500 low-carbon heating systems in the field, including successful pilots with housing associations and councils like Fife Council, Slough Borough Council, Halton Homes, Merthyr Tydfil Housing Association, Linc Cymru Social Housing and Yorkshire Housing.
The system is also being trialled by Bellway Homes at the University of Salford’s Energy House 2.0 and the results will be published in August
To meet the urgent decarbonisation requirements of social homes where heat pumps are not appropriate, Oliver Baker outlined to Mr Lightwood the need for an accelerated deployment of alternative electric low carbon heating technologies like infrared to plug the gap.
Ambion Heating CEO, Oliver Baker said: “We’re really pleased with the results of the Yorkshire Housing pilot. We were confident the system would be able to get an energy saving of 40% or more but cutting electricity usage for the York pilot’s residents by nearly three quarters is great to see.
“We were delighted to welcome Simon Lightwood MP to our facility. This visit gave us the opportunity to demonstrate our cutting-edge infrared heating and control system, which has the potential to revolutionise heating in social housing across the UK and create more jobs in Wakefield.
“By helping homes where heat pumps are not a viable solution, our technology could have a crucial role in the UK’s mission to achieving its net zero targets as well as cutting energy bills and reducing the risks of damp.”
Simon Lightwood MP said after his visit: “Ambion Heating is a great example of green innovation. I was really impressed to see how their low-carbon heating technology offers a practical and efficient solution for decarbonising homes that are unsuitable for heat pumps.
“Ambion Heating is a fantastic Wakefield business and innovation of this type is a significant step forward in ensuring that no household is left behind in the transition to low carbon heating.”
Yorkshire Housing’s Head of Asset Strategy, Bob Spedding, said: “Ambion’s low-carbon heating has many advantages – it’s affordable, easy to install, cuts energy consumption for our customers and also helps reduce condensation, damp and mould.
“It’s also great for us to have real operational data to see how our homes performing.
“We own and manage nearly 20,000 homes across Yorkshire and it’s our aim to reach net zero by 2050. To do this, we’re open-minded and keen to explore all new technologies that will reduce the carbon footprint of our properties and make them warmer, healthier and more affordable for our customers.”
Yorkshire Housing aims to get all its housing stock up to an EPC Band C by 2030 and hopes to be net zero by 2050.
Eddie Figura, a tenant at the Yorkshire Housing pilot at Alabury House said of her new Ambion heating system: “I’d recommend it, definitely. I do feel the difference and the temperature is quite comfortable. I love it.”
Fellow resident Susan Cromer added: “I found them very economical really. They’re at a steady heat. The new heaters are quite classy. The old heaters were very small and you didn’t get a lot of heat out of them.”
You can watch Ambion Heating’s case study video with Yorkshire Housing here.