Controls and their role as the link between people and the appliances are essential to achieving behaviour change in homes, offices and buildings. This was the key message from Dr. Michelle Shipworth from University College London, an advisor to UK Government on energy matters, who presented research data on energy efficiency and behavioural change.

This is of vital importance as Europe considers the best way to reduce the 60% of energy demand that comes from the way building occupants consume energy.

In particular it was made clear that for the European Union to hit its energy efficiency targets it needs to implement policies to drive greater energy demand reduction, which means a need to improve the standard of heating and hot water controls in Europe’s 300 million homes.

Gerhard Glinzerer, Chairman of eu.bac homes, introduced the new organisation, putting forward the potential for control of homes, which account for 26% of all energy consumed in Europe. By having good controls in every home, over 200TWh can be saved – the equivalent used to heat 13 million homes, or all homes in Benelux.

Andrzej Krämer, eu.bac board member, provided a case study on how simple control technologies, combined with user feedback, reduced energy consumption – even in an historical building – by more than a fifth.

Colin Timmins, eu.bac Director Residential Controls closed the session with a four point plan for EU policy makers.

1. Recognition of need for controls

2. Defining ‘system’ correctly

3. Development of assessment tool

4. Helping householders make smart decisions

This stimulated a lively Q&A session.

The launch event was held to recognise the coming together of residential and building automation controls, presenting a single voice within Europe by eu.bac.

Contact: Frédéric Melchior (Director Governmental Relations)

Phone: +32 2 706 82 02 / +32 474 91 59 11

Fax: +32 2 706 82 10

Email: frederic.melchior@eubac.org

07-02-2012