Crown House is in the heart of Brighton with easy access to the main Brighton University campus. The property provides a total of 183 beds which includes a range of studio accommodation.
The renovation of the 57,000 sq ft property has enhanced its ESG credentials and built on its BREEAM Excellent rating.
Prefect Controls’ intelligent thermostat range, ecoStat, was specified to control the electric heating system.
In the first year since installation there has been a £279 per bed reduction in energy consumption, saving £51,021 in total, which equals a 36% total energy consumption reduction. The return on investment is calculated to be 1 year, 7 months.
The previous panel heaters that had on-board controls were unsuitable for a property where the room occupant is not directly responsible for paying the energy bill.
Although the domestic style heaters were programmable, there was nothing to stop residents turning the control to maximum and keeping the heat input at this level throughout their tenancy.
ecoStat, from Prefect Controls, is a range of cost-effective intelligent thermostats that ensure energy is not used in rooms when it is not needed, making savings on average of 30%.
The controls are 100% tamper-proof and can only be programmed with the dedicated infrared handset.
Landlords set a default or Setback temperature which maintains a comfortable environment. If the occupant requires more heat, they simply press the ‘up’ button, this puts the thermostat into Boost mode, which has a timeframe allocated - usually 45 minutes, after which it reverts to Setback mode.
The occupancy sensor detects when the room has been vacated and reduces energy input. Likewise, if windows are opened, heat input is reduced.
Longer periods of inoccupancy will see Frost protection mode engage. The heat source is turned off and is only activated again if temperatures fall below 5°C and there is potential for condensation or damp.
It is estimated that more than 200,000 heat sources, both electric and ‘wet’ systems within the UK student accommodation estate, are controlled by ecoStat.
The sturdy manufacture, robust electronics design and efficiency of installation ensures reliable performance in the most challenging environments, including student accommodation, PBSA, Built-to-Rent, Co-Living, hotels, holiday lets, AirBnBs, Homes of multiple occupancy (HMOs) and hostels.
Designed and manufactured in the UK, ecoStat is the preferred device for cost-effective management of energy consumption in multi-occupancy dwellings.
