Boiler Plus legislation came into effect April 2018, the new legislation means that all new gas combi boiler replacement installations in England must be installed with either a weather, load compensation control, a new flue gas heat recovery unit or a smart thermostat.
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/heat-in-buildings-the-future-of-heat
The new legislation means that an installation of a new gas boiler must achieve an ErP efficiency of 92% or more.
All gas and oil boiler require time and temperature controls installed at the same time, if not already present and working.
Combi boilers must have one of the four additional energy efficiency measures to be installed at the same time:
- Weather compensation control
- Load compensation control
- Flue gas heat recovery unit with a time and temperature control
- Smart thermostat with automation and optimisation
Load Compensation- This feature adjusts the temperature of the heat going to your radiators. When your home is cold the temperature going to your radiators will be high, but as the room warms up and less heat is needed, this feature will lower the temperature supplied to your radiators so that comfort is maintained but energy use is reduced.
Weather Compensation- This feature works by monitoring the weather outside using an outdoor sensor. With this information the control adjusts the temperature of the hot water going to your radiators. If the temperature outside drops then your radiators will run hotter. However, if the outside temperature is milder then the feature will tell the boiler to supply less heat, boosting energy efficiency and lowering your bills.
Flue Gas Heat Recovery - Flue Gas Heat Recovery involves recycling the heat from the flue gases to preheat the cold water in the system. This means reduced times to get your home heated and less demand on your boiler.
Smart Thermostat- Smart Thermostats are internet enabled and allow greater control of the central heating system via a tablet or smartphone. They also have additional features which allow you to optimise your heating according to the weather outside , they also record how much energy you use, improving energy usage and efficiency.