UK: Daikin UK is to integrate its Altherma heat pumps with Hive, one of the UK’s leading smart thermostat providers.
Described as the first step in a long-term collaboration to make net zero easier, Daikin insists that the move will make heat pumps simpler to understand.
The collaboration will see Daikin Altherma 3 heat pumps integrated with Hive energy management technology to provide customers with greater visibility and control of their heating system. This includes allowing homeowners to personalise heating schedules, track spending and set budgets, whilst also optimising their heat pump for use when electricity is cheaper and greener because there is low demand on the grid.
Customers will be able to control the usage of their heat pump via the Hive app, which is a whole home smart hub for connectivity across heating, lighting, batteries and electric vehicle chargers.
Both businesses will be trialing the integration later this year and have plans to roll out the product offering widely once the trial is complete.
“Combining a smart controller, like Hive, with a low carbon heat pump not only gives people more control, it can also help them get the perfect temperature and save them even more money at the same time,” said Daikin UK’s residential new business director.
“This collaboration could help tens of thousands of people decarbonise their domestic heating, reducing their carbon footprint and help address climate change,” he added.
In addition to helping customers optimise their heat pump usage to make them more affordable, Hive and British Gas will shortly be launching a heat pump tariff to lower running costs and encourage the installation of heat pumps throughout the UK