this post was submitted on 17 Feb 2024
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UK Energy

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Five reasons to heat your home using infrared fabric (theconversation.com)
submitted 8 months ago by Emperor to c/energy
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  1. Instant heat
  2. Simple to install
  3. Affordable heat
  4. Radiant heat is healthy and safe
  5. Our homegrown future

Infrared fabric is a UK invention and it’s UK-manufactured. All we need now is for it to be UK accredited. That’s a long and expensive process, but the all important SAP Appendix Q certification is due in 2025 if not before. It already has BSEN (British Standard) approval as a large area low temperature emitter and it’s class A fire rated.

The Welsh government already funds its use in retrofit programmes following extensive trials across 270 homes. Further research is now needed to evidence the health, safety and carbon benefits that will strengthen the case even more for this form of heating.

So if you’re retrofitting an existing property as a home owner, private landlord, housing association or local authority, infrared fabric could be a low-risk, low-cost, low-carbon solution worth considering.

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[–] Squizzy@lemmy.world 7 points 8 months ago

Heat pumps are known to generate more energy than they use, up to three times as much

Mine is at 4.2 currently.

[–] echo64@lemmy.world 5 points 8 months ago

It's a cute idea, but only dealing with the heating aspect when you have a heat pump that can do both heating and cooling seems like a bad investment today.

Summers are getting unbearable. That's only going to get worse. A modern heat pump should be reversible and able to offer hot air and cold air on demand. Yes, it isn't instantly warm, but you just let it climate control. It's fine.

Also, I mean, if we could start engaging with the same kind of heating and cooling tech that the rest of the world uses that might help with some economy of scale problems too.

[–] Rade0nfighter@lemmy.world 2 points 8 months ago

I mean this is clearly an advert and whilst I’ve never heard of this concept before it sounds like a neat idea. It would feel like sunlight!

[–] RobotToaster@mander.xyz 1 points 8 months ago

Sounds like it's just some kind of thin film heater?

[–] AngstyPony 1 points 7 months ago

This is new to me. Article says "Infrared fabric is a UK invention and it’s UK-manufactured. All we need now is for it to be UK accredited. That’s a long and expensive process..." : would be an ideal opportunity for central government to fund this and other technologies. Why aren't they? This has piqued my interest.