For homeowners looking to reduce their dependence on mains services and utilities, there are a number of options available to help make homes more self-sufficient. John Irvine – Renewables Category Manager at Graham Plumbers’ Merchant – looks at the range of plumbing and heating solutions that can help.

While creating a truly self-sufficient home requires a completely original approach to the design and construction as well as a significant investment, there are ways that homeowners can reduce their property’s dependence on outside services and ultimately lower their fuel bills.

Going off-grid

For certain properties that cannot be connected to the mains gas grid, a level of self-sufficiency is required. The most common solutions in these cases are to use a fuel that can be stored on-site such as liquid petroleum gas (LPG) or oil. These fuels also provide an ideal solution when looking to create a house that is less dependent on mains utilities.

However, both heating oil and LPG are derived from fossil fuels so customers looking for a greener option may want to consider a biomass system. These boilers provide the heating and hot water for a property in the same way as a traditional boiler but have the added advantage of using a carbon-neutral fuel.

Providing the wood used for the pellets has come from an approved source, the carbon dioxide that will be released when the fuel is burned has already been offset during the growing of the tree.

Harnessing the elements

An effective way of creating a more self-sufficient home is to make best use of the resources available. For example, once installed, renewable technologies can provide free electricity, heating and hot water for the property.

One popular solution is heat pumps, which convert energy held in the air or ground into heat for use inside the property. Despite what homeowners may believe, heat pumps are capable of generating heat even in lower temperatures and integrate simply with hot water and central heating systems. To make the most of the energy generated, heat pumps can be easily paired with underfloor heating or systems with smart radiators.

Another way of reducing consumption of electricity and gas from the mains network is to make use of solar energy. Solar thermal systems use solar energy to provide up to

65% of a property’s hot water requirement. Alternatively, solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, which can be either roof-mounted or located on the ground, convert the sun’s energy into electricity to be used within a property. Solar PV systems are currently eligible under the Government’s Feed-in Tariff – encouraging investment in PV systems by offering payment for excess electricity generated.

However, for properties where the aim is to lower the dependence on mains electricity, adding a battery to the system will allow the excess energy generated to be stored for use later, rather than being sold.

Furthermore, a new type of system that has evolved over recent years is solar aerovoltaic. These systems not only deliver the benefits of solar PV but also use the sun’s energy to provide heating and cooling for the property. Photovoltaic panels are only able to use the light from the sun, with around 60% of the energy lost as heat. A solar aerovoltaic system captures this unused energy to help heat the home – even on overcast days.

In addition to heat and electricity, another area where properties can become more self-sufficient is with regards to water supply. For example, rainwater can be collected to reduce household mains water usage by up to 50%.

Using a rainwater harvesting solution, water diverted from a downpipe into a storage receptacle is then filtered through a mesh to remove any leaves and debris. This water can then be used to supply dishwashers, washing machines and to flush toilets.

Furthermore, ‘greywater’ from showers, baths and washing machines can also be recycled and used for gardening purposes by installing a diverter valve to the waste pipe that then leads to a water storage unit. This method, although less used than rainwater harvesting, can save up to a third of domestic mains water usage.

Reducing waste

Finally, an important part of making a home self-sufficient is to ensure that waste is minimised whether in the form of heat, energy or even water. As buildings continue to become better insulated and more air-tight to improve energy efficiency, full natural ventilation is no longer possible. Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR) systems are designed to bring fresh air into the home while reusing heat from within the property.

Warm, contaminated air is drawn out of rooms such as the kitchen and bathroom and then passed through a heat exchanger, warming fresh air from outside. The warmed fresh air is then circulated to the rest of the house, providing both ventilation and heat. An MVHR system can re-use as much as 95% of the heat that would normally be lost.

Similarly, Waste Water Heat Recovery (WWHR) systems attach to shower and bath waste pipes and use a heat exchanger to capture the remaining heat from the greywater. The system uses the recovered heat to increase the temperature of the incoming mains water that supplies the shower – reducing the energy needed to heat the shower to the required temperature.

Furthermore, wasted energy can be minimised by managing the heating effectively. Adding a smart or connected control to the heating system alongside smart thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) provides an easy way to establish and manage heating zones. Alongside the convenience offered by these modern heating controls, a zoned system means that rooms that are not constantly in use are only heated when needed.

Adopting a new skill set

Although outside an installer’s traditional skill set, products that contribute to creating more self-sufficient homes is an area with a real potential for growth and one that can represent a significant business opportunity. There are a number of courses available though merchants, often free of charge, to help installers expand the scope of their services – and ultimately help the business thrive.