Ordinary heating operation, no matter how advanced the system to manage it, generally relies on programming the heating to turn on at specific times at a certain temperature. This can be refined with a Building Energy Management System such as HeatingSave, which saves energy and money by using a powerful AI algorithm to calculate the ideal time at which to fire up the boiler to reach the set temperature. Among its many other features is a heating diary to ensure that areas are only heated or cooled when they are being used, which can be integrated with booking software like Hallmaster, for even easier use.
However, handling emergency customer issues or a temperature problem with an individual radiator can be problematic. This is especially difficult if you need to be on site to make required changes.
Remotely controllable heating solves this problem. Building managers, facilities teams, and site owners can monitor and manage their heating from anywhere with an internet connection, without needing to be physically on site.
Managing the heating system from a computer or smartphone, such as via the HeatingSave app, provides the option of checking reports, quickly responding to alerts, and making impromptu adjustments as required.
Who benefits from remote heating control?
Remote controlled heating is useful for businesses of all sizes and configurations, as well as for individuals in their homes.
For sites with multiple uses, such as village and church halls, remote controlled heating reduces the need for keyholders and volunteers to physically visit the site to address heating concerns. If a booked session is cancelled, rescheduled or moved to a different part of the site (such as a larger or smaller room), the heating can be adjusted accordingly — without needing to manually adjust it in person.
Facilities managers for large sites, such as hospitals or multi-site organisations, can manage the heating for the entire network from one place. Removing the need to visit sites in person to adjust a radiator temperature or switch off unused equipment saves time for other tasks. Additionally, real-time alerts provide necessary information about any problems without relying on reports from on-site staff, allowing swift and appropriate action to be taken by the facilities teams.
Schools can also benefit from remote controlled heating in situations where the school is closed unexpectedly, for example due to severe weather conditions. This would allow staff to turn off or turn down heating or cooling without needing to travel to the school themselves (which would be particularly useful, for example, in dangerously icy conditions in winter). Similarly, if any outside activities are moved inside (or vice versa) the heating can be conveniently adjusted from one easy to use app, without needing to manually adjust any thermostats or radiator valves.
The ability to remotely control heating can also help to manage room temperatures in hotels or holiday parks. If a booking is cancelled unexpectedly the heating for that room or cabin can be changed remotely, without needing to take the time to change each one in person. Likewise, if a guest requires a change in accommodation, the temperature setting can be changed immediately, without needing to wait for staff to make the change on site. Individual rooms or cabins can be set at a specific temperature for general comfort and energy efficiency, but if a guest reports that they are too hot or too cold the site manager can increase or decrease the temperature accordingly. Alternatively, a QR code can be placed in the room to allow the guest to amend the temperature themselves during their stay.
Travelling personnel, such as sales or operations teams frequently out on the road or managers attending different sites, may require their offices to be heated only sporadically. This may mean even an advanced heating diary might not suffice, thanks to the lack of fixed schedules and frequent irregular changes. Providing these staff access to the remote heating app would allow them to turn on the heating in their office location whenever they were going to be there, ensure it warms up (or cools down) as necessary prior to their arrival.
In addition, for both business and home use, a delayed arrival to the property may mean the heating will turn on unnecessarily early, while arriving unexpectedly early could lead to going into a cold building. With remote controlled heating, it's easy to quickly adjust the heating times to adjust your needs and ensure the property is at the temperature needed upon arrival — while still leaving the set programme intact for further regular use.
The HeatingSave app manages more than heating
The HeatingSave Building Energy Management System doesn't just control heating systems — it can also manage air conditioning systems, lighting and electrical appliances too.
This means the benefits of remote controlled heating as noted above can all be applied to any number of electrical appliances as well. Use the HeatingSave app to check for equipment left on over the weekend, or appliances left running after a booking has ended. Any lights or other electrical equipment connected to the HeatingSave BEMS can be remotely switched on or off as required, leading to further energy savings — and therefore reducing energy bills even further.
This also allows managers to easily monitor the energy use of a site. Being able to easily see when, where and how much energy is used can help deliver more accurate budgeting, and it can all be done through one comprehensive desktop dashboard or smartphone app. It can also help to see any problems with the system or whether there are any anomalies in heating use, leading to quicker resolution and appropriate adjustments.
In addition, the HeatingSave occupancy sensors are primarily used to determine if a room should be heated — but they are also a simple and effective way of detecting intruders. The HeatingSave app can provide real-time alerts for any suspicious activity from the sensors, in addition to any other important concerns such as fires, floods or malfunctions.
Easily manage your site from anywhere with remote controlled heating
Remote controlled heating provides a convenient and easy way to have greater control over your heating, cooling and other electricals, even if you aren't on site. With the HeatingSave Building Energy Management System, you can ensure your heating is always kept at the temperature that you need, whenever you need it, and wherever you are. Thanks to remote controlled heating you will save not only time, but money, with HeatingSave users typically saving between 25% — 50% on their heating bills.
Talk to our expert team today for your own personalised demo and find out for yourself.