Horstmann Controls Warm Front room 'stat contract

Horstmann Controls Limited has won the contract to supply its ThermoPlus programmable room thermostat for heating systems installed under the Defra funded national Warm Front scheme.

Horstmann Controls Limited, the UK's leading independent designer and manufacturer of residential heating control equipment has won the contract to supply its ThermoPlus programmable room thermostat for heating systems installed under the Defra funded national Warm Front scheme.

The innovative ThermoPlus room 'stat range was developed by Horstmann following research carried out by the National Energy Action charity (NEA) which identified problems with time and temperature controls fitted to Warm Front heating systems.

NEA discovered that users found existing thermostats difficult or complicated to use, and as such, they were not achieving optimum efficiency from the heating system.

Horstmann Controls solution was to develop a completely new design concept for a programmable room thermostat using its 'AS' Technology approach.

The resulting controller was installed in 30 homes of householders who were having heating systems installed for the first time.

The trial took place early in 2005 and feed back from specifiers, householders and installers resulted in the ThermoPlus being developed and now manufactured in production quantities in Horstmann Controls' South Bristol factory.

ThermoPlus incorporates 5 pre-installed heating programmes and the design has incorporated features such as colour coded LED warm and cool display, automatic winter and summer time change as well as Braille markings and frost protection.

The features make the unit easy for the installer to set programmes to suit the lifestyle of the house holder and easy for the householder to efficiently control comfort levels in their home.

It gives the accuracy and range of programmes available with digital devices together with the simplicity of mechanical units.

The product is now available from Horstmann and will be installed in many households having heating systems installed under the Warm Front initiative Tim Acton, commercial manager at Horstmann Controls comments; "We are delighted that our solution to the problem was deemed the best by the assessment panel".

"For some time Horstmann designer's have been looking at simplifying the ease-of-use features of room thermostats and programmers and the ThermoPlus project acted as a catalyst for our thinking." Similarly, Arthur Scott, technical manager at NEA is enthusiastic.

"Many Warm Front heating installations are for the over 60's who often have physical or visual impairments and therefore to ensure they get the very best out of the heating installation, its programmer must be easy to use by all".

"Certainly, the Horstmann solution more than meets that criteria and will make life easier for many thousands of users.".

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