Thinking Outside The Box
March 13, 2019
Air Conditioning & Air Source Heat Pump Installation & Maintenance, Mitsubishi Electric Approved Installer
Big positive changes are due for the house building market if Mitsubishi Electric has anything to do with it. A panel of industry experts met in December 2018, in order to discuss the issue of entrenched views and traditions which hold back the construction industry. The conference, called Transforming The Housing Technology Mindset, focussed on attitudes and the need for change regarding sustainability. Numerous attendees included architects, housing associations, specifiers and heating engineers. Talks were given by industry experts such as architect and TV presenter George Clarke, founder of Buildoffsite Nick Whitehouse and experts from Mitsubishi Electric.
There was a discussion about the significant lack of change and development throughout the building industry, and the contrast between that and other industries. Technologies, methods and processes have remained virtually dormant within building for centuries, mostly due to government indecision and apathy. It was agreed that fresh approaches and fundamentally new ways of thinking are required particularly within the domestic construction market.
George Clarke, ambassador for Ecodan said, “When you look at almost all other aspects of our life, the pace of change and revolution has been exceptional. A government report released in 1997 recommended sweeping changes to the way homes are built and heated. When you consider this report was released a year before Google was founded, you only need to look at the technological revolution that followed this to see how far behind the housing industry really is. Unfortunately, the housing technology market has made very little progress since 1997. We need systematic change at a global, national, local and personal level to get houses to the standard they should be at. It’s time for the housing revolution.”
Modular house building is an accepted way to increase quality, delivery speeds [by 50%], lower costs [by 33%] and lower carbon emissions by half. There is also no argument that renewable energy sources like heat pumps are the way forward within the area of home heating. Martin Fahey, Head of Sustainability at Mitsubishi Electric said. “Heating is one way in which we can take a step towards making a difference. We need a mix of low carbon heating solutions and better thermal efficiency of buildings. Embracing innovative and renewable heat sources, like air source heat pumps, we can become prosumers – both producers and consumers of energy.”
