News I published 15 June 2023
Greater energy savings stimulate the installation of smart products the most
It seems that everyone is currently focused on energy savings, and rightfully so. On one hand, the increasingly urgent climate issues fuel the search for sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels. At the same time, the Russian war in Ukraine has highlighted important geopolitical reasons to reduce dependence on gas and oil. The result is painfully evident in the energy bill, leading to a desire to save on or utilize alternative energy sources.
This trend of reducing energy consumption and moving away from fossil fuels is clearly visible in the installation industry. For example, among European installers, we see a significant increase in the installation of heat pump systems. However, there are other smart ways to reduce energy consumption and costs. As the European Mechanical Installation Monitor by USP Marketing Consultancy shows, installers are increasingly installing smart products to save energy.
Smart thermostats and zoned heating and cooling systems are popular
In six European countries, we asked HVAC installers and plumbers involved in the installation of smart products which smart products they have already installed. Nearly nine out of ten have installed smart heating system components, such as smart thermostats. Smart products for zoned heating or cooling come in second place. These two categories are also the products that installers have seen the highest demand for.
Smart thermostats provide more insight and control over energy consumption and can save a significant amount of energy based on timing. These thermostats offer a more efficient way to keep your home comfortable when you need it, while also ensuring you don’t waste energy on comfort when you’re not home to enjoy it. Zoned heating goes a step further by regulating which rooms in your home are made comfortable based on usage.
Saving energy is the primary reason for installing smart products
Therefore, smart thermostats and zoned heating have the potential to reduce energy consumption by increasing efficiency. The energy-saving features of smart products and systems are significant drivers for end-users to have them installed. Smart installation products can also provide more comfort, control, and overview, but according to the installers, their customers primarily ask for smart products because of their energy-saving potential.
Four out of ten installers even cited higher energy savings as the main driving force for customers to ask for smart solutions. To put that in context, increasing comfort, the second most common reason, was only mentioned by a quarter of the installers, followed by other motivations such as control and monitoring. Customers usually have energy savings in mind when they ask installers for smart solutions.
Customer demand is the primary driver for smart solutions
There are many reasons for installers to recommend and install smart products. Installers may believe that smart buildings are the future or find that smart products are easy to install and connect. They may also recommend smart products because they see clear benefits for end-users. However, the main reason why installers install smart products is the high demand from their customers.
Half of the installers involved in the installation of smart products named customer demand as the main reason to be involved. And as mentioned earlier, in these times of rising energy prices, end-users often have energy savings in mind when they ask for smart solutions. For a more detailed overview of the experience and attitude of installers regarding the installation of smart products in six European countries, we refer you to the European Mechanical Installation Monitor by USP Marketing Consultancy.
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