Nick Gander, founder of Energy Carbon, explains why low-carbon, far-infrared electric heating in a modular home heating perfectly complements sustainable modular construction. When it comes to housing, the UK has its work cut out. It’s estimated the country needs to be building nearly 350,000 homes every year to meet rising demand – which is a huge step up from where we are at the moment. We need more housing, more quickly – and that requires the construction sector to become a lot more productive. But if that wasn’t challenging enough, we have to achieve all that while drastically reducing the built environment’s ecological impact too – both in terms of the construction process, and buildings’ carbon footprints over their lifetime. That might sound like an impossible square to circle, especially given the rapidly shortening time we have to do it in. It’s only thirty years until 2050, by which time the UK’s committed to reaching net zero. But it’s possible we’ve been looking the solution in the face for decades and not realised it in the form of alternative heating for MMC Modular construction Modular construction is nothing new. Millions of British people, in fact, grew up in prefabricated housing built after the Second World War. But thanks to enormous advances in technology, modern modular buildings are a world away from the flimsy prefabs of the past – and offer a quicker, cheaper and much more sustainable alternative to conventional brick-built construction. Modular construction is green because it tends to produce much less waste, and also because whole buildings can be disassembled and used again if necessary. However, many modular buildings still aren’t as green as they could be – and that’s because very often how they’re heated gets overlooked. How green are the green alternatives? If you take a sustainably-constructed building, then fit it with a heating system that’s not environmentally friendly, you’ve not got a sustainable building any more. In the decade ahead, we’re likely to see a drastic reduction in the use of worst-offending power sources like coal, oil and gas, and the old-fashioned heating systems that use them. However, some alternatives that look very green on the surface aren’t anywhere near as sustainable as they seem once you start digging a little deeper. Air-source heat pump technology is often presented as the future of heating, but it’s got significant downsides – they’re very expensive, require specialist technicians to install and maintain, have short lifespans, and in some cases the refrigerant they use can itself contribute to global warming. Far-infrared A much better solution – and one that’s very in keeping with the speed and ease of modular construction – is far-infrared. Infrared radiation is produced by the sun. It’s measured in microns, with ‘near’ infrared sitting between 0.76 and 1.56 microns, ‘mid’ infrared measuring between 1.5 and 4 microns, and anything above 4 microns classed as far-infrared. Between 8 and 10 microns, to be precise, is the most beneficial to the human body – and it’s exactly this sort of infra-red radiation that the products we supply at Energy Carbon provide. Fit it … Forget it and no more radiators Traditional heating systems work on a convection system. Radiators or electric storage heaters draw cold air from the floor, and heat it so that it rises to the ceiling, where it cools, falls to the floor and the process continues in a loop – which can result in poor air quality, as dust particles rise. Convection can be slow, expensive, and, often, totally ineffective – all you have to do is open the front door, and the heat escapes, taking you right back to square one.  This mix of hot and cold air can also create moisture that causes mould and mildew, and, more importantly, health issues for occupants. Far-infrared electric heating in a modular home is different. Far-infrared does not create moisture as it is not heating the air. The radiant heat warms objects in the room instead of the air itself. The objects in turn release their own heat, and the room is kept at a far more even, comfortable temperature. With no convection roll, you get a dramatic drop in the amount of dust particles and or mould, which can alleviate allergen-induced asthma. Additionally, occupants ‘feel’ the energy themselves, much the same as they feel the warmth from the sun. This feeling of warmth allows the heating to run at around 1-2 degrees lower than conventional heating, thus saving further energy. The far-infrared solution Energy Carbon provides was originally developed by students at the University of Stuttgart. They had worked for six years trying to create an energy-efficient heating system which was effective, easy to install, and completely safe. Using industry waste materials, the students engineered a far-infrared heating system which is sustainable, had great carbon-reducing credentials, and produced radiant heat which could travel up to three and a half meters. The technology is now widely used across Germany, and over 100,000 linear metres of it have been fitted to date. What’s more, where alternatives need extra skilled trades and engineers to install and maintain, our heating products are incredibly simple to install into the walls or ceilings of a room, using existing trades and requiring no ongoing yearly maintenance. Fit it … Forget it. Find out more In short, we think far-infrared is the future of heating in modular construction – and if you’d like to learn more, get in touch with Energy Carbon today. Call 0203 507 1659 Contact us

With the Future Homes Standard calling for heating demands to be met using low carbon sources such as direct electric heating to help meet net zero emissions targets, one company has heeded the call and brought the perfect solution to the UK. Dynamic South Coast start-up Energy Carbon won the exclusive UK contract to supply cutting-edge, infra-red heating technology from Germany. Developed by experts from the University of Stuttgart, working alongside one of Germany’s largest industrial corporations renowned for high-tech solutions, Far-Infrared is a robust, long-lasting and ultra-thin fleece that can be easily plastered into a ceiling or placed behind plasterboard to provide homes with low-cost infra-red heating, which starts to work just seconds after being switched on. Energy Carbon founder and Director Nick Gander explained: “For years, we have been hugely passionate about the potential for infra-red and our German partners have designed Far-Infrared, thanks to years of intensive research and development, that is the answer to energy efficient heating solutions for homes both now and in the future. “Heating accounts for more greenhouse gas emissions than any other source – 37% of the UK’s total – and if every heating system in the country was replaced with infra-red, that figure would be dramatically reduced.” With the Government suggesting that in 2025 new homes should produce 75-80% less carbon than those built to current standards, Energy Carbon is excited to be able to bring this fast, cost-effective, and energy-efficient heating solution to housebuilders. But the company is also looking to serve the retrofit market by setting up a distribution network across the UK, and it has welcomed its first distributor on board – West Midlands-based Jigsaw Heating Solutions. “We’re delighted to bring Jigsaw Heating Solutions on board, and they have already installed Far-Infrared into a full-sized house,” said Nick. “Its potential is huge, and we are looking forward to other interested companies joining us and extending our distributor network. “The retrofit market is going to have a massive role to play in making homes more energy efficient as the country looks to hit carbon emissions targets and Energy Carbon is going to play a significant part in that.” Jigsaw Heating Solutions MD Matthew Billington commented: “We’ve watched the market for infra-red grow in recent years as housebuilders and the public have started to wake up to its huge benefits. When we saw the ingenious design and outstanding quality of what Energy Carbon provide, we had to add it to our range.” To find out how more about the product or joining Energy Carbon’s distributor network, telephone 0203 507 1659 Contact us

A dynamic South Coast start-up has won the exclusive contract to distribute cutting-edge German heating technology to the UK. Energy Carbon supplies fast, cost-effective, and energy-efficient heating technology developed over six years by experts from the University of Stuttgart, working alongside one of Germany’s largest industrial corporations, renowned for their high-tech solutions. By harnessing the power of infra-red, the innovative products Energy Carbon provide heat to the objects in a room rather than the empty space, meaning homeowners can switch it on and quickly be feeling the benefits. Heating fleece just 0.4mm thick can be easily plastered into the ceiling, or placed directly behind plasterboard, to provide the same sort of healthy, infra-red heat that babies receive in incubators – all while remaining totally invisible to the building’s occupants. “For years, we’ve been hugely passionate about the potential of infra-red,” comments founder and Director Nick Gander.“As societies, we’re on a mission to drastically cut the amount of carbon we produce between now and 2050. “Heating accounts for more greenhouse gas emissions than any other source – 37% of the UK’s total – and if every heating system in the country was replaced with infra-red, that figure would be dramatically reduced. “In the beginning, infra-red technology wasn’t without its problems. It could delaminate and fail, or develop unsafe hot spots. But over years of intensive research and development, our German partners have solved those issues. “In January of this year, we were extremely excited to be able to bring this exciting, cost-competitive heating technology to housebuilders around the UK – but of course, coronavirus disrupted those plans. “Now, though, the situation has stabilised, and we’re forging ahead. “We know there’s no one single ‘magic bullet’ solution to low-carbon heating – the eco-friendly homes of the future will inevitably use a variety of different heating technologies. “But we believe that infra-red heating will play a critical role in making Britain’s homes more energy-efficient than ever before. “We’re already seeing huge interest in the product we provide, and if you’d be interested in learning more, we’d be delighted to hear from you! Give us a call on 0203 507 1659 for more information Contact us