In this episode, architect and Ecodan Ambassador George Clarke is in conversation with James Chaplen, Head of Product Marketing & Communications at Mitsubishi Electric and Rob Hicks, Asset Sustainability Manager at Sovereign Network Group. James introduces the latest Ecodan R290 heat pump and why it is setting new standards for performance and sustainability. He explains how the latest high-temperature products will reshape the UK residential retrofit market. Rob discusses Sovereign Network Group's 'Roadmap for Change' strategy and how the R290 will accelerate the decarbonisation of their social housing stock, helping to lift more people out of fuel poverty. 

This episode was recorded on the 21st of November 2023.

01:17 / Introducing the Ecodan R290

01:52 / What is a high-temperature heat pump?

03:40 / Retrofit opportunities for R290 

08:00 / Matching fossil fuel boiler temperatures

11:50 / R290 refrigerant benefits

16:05 / Mitsubishi Electric Ecodan

16:30 / Sovereign Network Group

18:00 / A roadmap to change 

21:35 / Comfort, carbon and cost

24:30 / Costing for decarbonisation

31:00 / Reducing fuel poverty

https://les.mitsubishielectric.co.uk/products/residential-heating/outdoor/ecodan-r290
www.sng.org.uk

In this episode, Ecodan’s Russell Dean is in conversation with Architect and Ecodan Ambassador George Clarke, and James Mealing, ex-Director at Blueflame. James discusses his 15 years of experience with renewable energy and installing air source heat pumps for social housing developments. James highlights getting the fundamentals right for a successful social housing heat pump project. The group discusses running costs compared with oil and gas boilers, the funding streams available to UK housing associations and what a long-term approach towards healthier homes will mean for tenant wellbeing.

This episode was recorded on the 6th of September 2022.

1:00 / James Mealing
4:07 / How heat pump technology has improved
8:00 / User-friendly controls
9:37 / The perfect Ecodan set-up
10:35 / Getting it right for social housing 
13:28 / Social housing providers adopting green technology
16:35 / ASHP runnings costs compared with oil and gas 
18:24 / Village hall visits for ASHP education
23:40 / Funding streams for social housing
37:13 / Mitsubishi Electric Ecodan
37:39 / Advise for housing associations 
41:15 / 24/7 homeowner helpline
43:50 / Using AI to future monitor
45:50 / Heat as a service
59:30 / Healthy homes for tenants

https://les.mitsubishielectric.co.uk/end-users/application-by-sector/housing-association

In this episode, Ecodan’s Russell Dean is in conversation with Architect and Ecodan Ambassador George Clarke, Cala Homes’ Product Design Manager, Stephen Kelso, and Martin Fahey, Head of Sustainability at Mitsubishi Electric. Stephen explains how building standards differ between England and Scotland, and how Cala is trialling new technologies, such as air source heat pumps, ahead of regulation changes. Martin and George share their views on our collective journey towards net zero carbon, the importance of embodied vs operational carbon, and discuss what sustainability will look like in the future using new eco-materials. The group discusses how closer construction industry and supplier collaboration coupled with education will play a vital role in meeting the UK's decarbonisation challenges.

This episode was recorded on the 6th of September 2022.

01:10 / Cala Homes introduction
02:37 / Building standards in Scotland
04:00 / Hybrid heat pumps as a stepping-stone
08:20 / Cala Homes and Part L Regulations
11:00 Changing the building mindset
17:00 / Zero, net or low carbon for 2050?
21:00 / The scale of change for heating
23:30 / Embodied carbon 
25:00 / Working together as an industry
30:00 / Eco-materials & bio-architecture
36:25 / Mitsubishi Electric Ecodan
36:49 / Cala Homes customers
40:00 / Graduates spearheading sustainability
47:45 / Collaboration and education
53:15 / The retrofit challenge
1:01:00 / Challenges for Cala Homes
1:03:00 / Challenges for Mitsubishi Electric

https://les.mitsubishielectric.co.uk/housing-developers

https://les.mitsubishielectric.co.uk/homeowners/our-heat-pumps

https://www.cala.co.uk/

In this episode, Russell Dean from Ecodan is in conversation with Architect and Ecodan Ambassador George Clarke, Will Allanson, Deputy Principal at Harlow College and Lance Hitchins, People and Training Manager at Mitsubishi Electric. The group discusses the transitional challenges of upskilling UK gas engineers to be able to install air source heat pumps. Lance explains the benefits of Mitsubishi Electric's new Ecodan Training Centre at Hatfield – allowing their courses to combine online group sessions with more personal, 'hands-on' teaching. Will Allanson from Harlow College talks about promoting 'carbon literacy' and 'decarbonising their college curriculum' to deliver sustainable heating education to the next generation of heating installers.

This episode was recorded on 6th Sept 2022.

01:06 / The need to upskill

02:15 / Ecodan training challenges 

03:50 / Learning plumbing and electrics 

11:30 / Decarbonising the curriculum

13:00 / Engaging with employers for jobs 

15:00 / Transitional phase for skills 

18:00 / Regional job opportunities

23:00 / A sustainable journey

28:45 / Educate for carbon literacy

34:50 / Mitsubishi Electric Ecodan

35:15 / The green economy

36:15 / The commercial benefits of Ecodan 

39:00 / The opportunities for gas installers 

44:20 / The biggest challenge for educators 

53:20 / Honesty, education & collaboration 

https://les.mitsubishielectric.co.uk/upskill-to-ecodan

https://les.mitsubishielectric.co.uk/homeowners/our-heat-pumps

https://www.harlow-college.ac.uk/

https://podcast.ecodan.uk/

In this episode, Russell Dean from Ecodan, is in conversation with architect and Ecodan Ambassador, George Clarke, and Oliver Novakovic, Technical and Innovation Director at Barratt Developments Plc. They discuss the Zed House project – a unique zero carbon concept home that showcases the future of sustainable living in the UK. Built on the University of Salford’s main campus, the Zed House is the first home in the country to be built by a major housebuilder that goes substantially beyond the UK Government's Future Homes Standard. Oliver discusses partnering on the project with Mitsubishi Electric – Ecodan to deliver sustainable heating and hot water and other innovative technologies and processes, like MMC, that will change the way that all new homes are built in the future.

01.40 / An introduction to the Barratt Zed House

04.15 / Being 'green' without trying 

05.28 / Skirting board heating

07.06 / The case for a Zero carbon home 

09.05 / Ecodan and heating the Zed House

12.30 / Getting rid of gas

14.30 / Robots building houses

20.38 / Mitsubishi Electric Ecodan

21.00 / The evolution of MMC

28.05 / Designed for manufacture 

30.45 / The educated self-builder

39.00 / Government standards and planning

45.00 / Trading energy

47.45 / A remote control for a house

51.28 / Changing coming with The Future Home Standard 

www.ecodan.co.uk

https://www.barrattdevelopments.co.uk/showcase/z-house

In this episode, Russell Dean from Ecodan, is in conversation with architect and Ecodan Ambassador, George Clarke, and Ben Freeman, founder of Dore Woodman – UK renewable heating specialists. They discuss several topics including; what it means to live 'greener', starting a renewable heating business, grants, 'heating education', retrofitting existing UK housing stock, and the overall challenges that face the heating industry in meeting the UK Government's target to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

01:00 / George Clarke's journey to sustainable living and renewable heating.
06:08 / Ben Freeman: starting a renewable heating business
12:00 / The educated renewable buyer
14:30 / Low-income households and efficient heating
15:45 / The Boiler Upgrade Scheme
17:15 / Retrofitting existing housing stock
22:10 / A long-term strategy for green buildings
24:15 / Making technology simple
27:00 / Mitsubishi Electric Ecodan
27:24 / Installer advice from Dore Woodman
31:10  / Housebuilders and changing legislation coming in 2025
33:50 / Hydrogen ready boilers?
35:00 / Heat or eat / fuel poverty
38:00 / Re-programme the industry for heat pumps
47:00 / Collaboration is the future

www.ecodan.co.uk
www.dorewoodman.co.uk

Since COP26 in Glasgow in Oct/Nov 2021, interest in renewable heating technologies from the UK media and the public has intensified. Social media has been awash with often 'polar opposite' opinions and viewpoints regarding air source heat pumps. In this episode, Russell Dean from Ecodan, architect and Ecodan Ambassador, George Clarke, and Laurent Widloecher, Product Manager at Mitsubishi Electric, discuss and 'debunk' commonly held myths associated with air source heat pumps. 

01:00 / An intro to ASHP myth-busting 

01:59 / Heat pumps are a new and unproven technology.

02:38 / Heat pumps are not powerful enough to heat my home in cold weather.

03:42 / Heat pumps take a long time to warm up a home.   

06:02 / A heat pump is more expensive to run than a fossil fuel solution. 

10:00 / Electricity is not a clean, green fuel type.

10:37 / Air source heat pumps are noisy.

13:11 / Planning permission is required before you can install an air source heat pump.

14:41 / Heat pumps take up too much space outside and inside.

16:47 / Mitsubishi Electric Ecodan.

17:12 / Heat pumps are only suitable for new build homes.

19:29 / Heat pumps only work with underfloor heating.

21:13 / Heat pumps are high maintenance.

21:48 / Heat pumps have a short life span.

23:34 / Heat pumps are expensive.

26:17 / Heat pumps are complicated to programme and use. 

26:58 / Renewable heating incentives are difficult to apply for. 

28:16 / The UK government is forcing people to scrap their working gas boilers.

29:41 / Heat pumps are imported products and not manufactured in the UK.

30:06 / The national grid will not be able to cope with the mass market uptake of electric cars and heat pumps.  

34:45 / Air Source Heat Pumps are not practical for apartments.

www.ecodan.co.uk

In this episode, Max Halliwell from Ecodan talks to Chris Ricketts from Elmhurst Energy. Elmhurst Energy Systems is the UK's largest accreditation scheme, covering EPCs on domestic properties, new-build compliance, U-Value calculations and inspections. Chris shares his insight from his consultancy work for UK Government on The Future Homes Standard – the landmark Building Regulations update set to improve the energy efficiency of all new homes. Max and Chris discuss, the journey to UK NetZero carbon, the challenges the industry will face, to up-skill the current fossil-fuels installer base to fit the number of heat pumps needed – an expected timeframe for change and what the new Building Regulations will mean to developers.
 
01:55 / An intro to Chris and Elmhurst Energy
04:12 / The roadmap to NetZero in 2050
05:00 / Up-skilling installers to meet demand 
08:00 / Heat pumps – a crucial technology
09:55 / The Future Homes Standard from 2025
11:40 / Part L Regulations
14:00 / Our energy grid is low-carbon now
17:30 / Measuring energy use in buildings
22:20 / Timelines for 2025
26:40 / SAP 10.2
33:00 / Mitsubishi Electric Ecodan
33:30 / Change impact for developers
35:30 / What will the new industry standards be?
40:35 / A line in the sand has been drawn

www.ecodan.co.uk

In this episode, Max Halliwell from Ecodan talks to David Cooke, one of the UK's most experienced Ecodan installers. David has been installing Ecodan air source heat pumps for more than 10 years and has completed over 630 installs, mainly domestic, off-gas, retro-fit, new and self-build projects in North Norfolk. He shares his journey; switching from fossil fuels to sustainable heating, how the consumer market and technology has changed over the years and what makes a successful business partnership with the right heat pump manufacturer.    

01:36 / Over 10 years of Ecodan installs

03:40 / Giving up on oil boilers

05:00 / Ground source vs air source heat pumps

07:30 / Partnering with Mitsubishi Electric

09:30 / Sizing a heat pump correctly

14:40 / Low-temperature capacity

16:25 / Mitsubishi Electric Ecodan

17:00 / A typical install process

19:45 / Room-by-room heat loss calculations 

20:45 / Commissioning the Ecodan with SD cards

22:32 / The Ecodan MelCloud App 

23:40 / Remote maintenance to prevent false call-outs

26:23 / Grant funding for heat pumps

32:54 / Partnering with Ecodan for a successful heat pump business

34:33 / Advice for installers looking to switch from fossil fuels to heat pumps.

www.ecodan.co.uk

In this episode, Max Halliwell from Ecodan talks to Georgina Burnett, Property and DIY Interiors Presenter. They discuss Georgina's passion for sustainable home renovation and her experience of choosing a Mitsubishi Electric, QUHZ Ecodan Air Source Heat Pump for her self build project. Georgina tells the story starting from her desire to be more energy-efficient, researching the sustainable home-heating technology available, selecting the right manufacturer and product, through to installation and user experience.
 
00:45 / Welcome intro
02:25 / Making your home a safe haven
03:55 / A passion for home renovation
06:00 / Starting a self build project
07:00 / The right sustainable technology
09:00 / An ultra-quiet solution
10:00 / Cylinder and heat pump placement
11:40 / Mitsubishi Electric Ecodan
12:05 / Easy install process
13:10 / Championing the technology
17:15 / Underfloor heating vs radiators 
23:00 / Living with Ecodan
26:00 / Remote control heating
27:15 /  Switching to a renewable energy supplier
28:30 / Renewable Heating Grants
30:15 / No more gas boilers by 2025

www.ecodan.co.uk