TRVs Help Meet Kyoto Carbon Emissions Targets

Thermostatic Radiator Valves (TRVs) have become a hit in the UK in recent years. All central heating radiators installed since 2002 must be fitted with a TRV, following the amendment to the Building Regulations that was issued that year. The 'Conservation of Fuel and Power in Dwellings' amendment to the Building Regulation calls for installation of TRVs on all newly installed domestic radiators. The market for TRV has subsequently shot up, from 3.7 million TRVs sold in 1995 to around 7.5 million TRVs sold in 2003. At recent property development rates of around 160,000 new housing starts annually, the market is likely to continue its growth.

The UK government has set itself challenging targets for the reduction of carbon emissions. Along with the Kyoto agreement, the government intends to lead the way within the western world in terms of reducing the country's greenhouse gases and environmental impact. The Kyoto protocol refers to emissions of key greenhouse gases that have to be reduced by 12.5% against 1990 levels. Not satisfied with this requirement, the UK government has set a target of 20% reduction against 1990 levels, with a long term highly challenging goal of reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 60% by 2050.

The government calls on central heating engineers to install systems that are environmentally friendly to reduce the impact of domestic heating on the nation's carbon emissions. Around a quarter of the UK's carbon emissions can be attributed to domestic energy (approximately 535 million tonnes of CO2), of which around 75% is a result of heating the home and domestic hot water.

TRVs help reduce wasted heat by allowing the user to set the desired temperature in each room separately. This way the user doesn't need to heat unused rooms just to get the right temperature in rooms that are used. TRV manufacturers have made the kits not only technically effective but also visually pleasing. Most new units now have polished stainless steel finish which looks nice and is easy to clean.

Previous models of TRVs used a wax filled system to measure the temperature in the room and adjust the heating output of the radiator. New TRVs use liquid filled systems instead. The new liquid filled system offers faster response time and better sensitivity to the temperature in the room.

Installing a TRV is a major step in reducing wasted heating energy. Nevertheless, it would be a wasted effort if the homeowner (or tenant) is not properly educated on how to use the TRVs effectively to save them money and reduce their carbon footprint. It is estimated that by installing TRVs and using them effectively a home owner can reduce their heating costs by up to 17%.

The TRV market has also benefited from the increase in sale of towel warmers (heated towel rails). Recent estimates put the market size at around 33 million per year, accounting for around 16% of the accessories market. Over one million towel rails are predicted to be sold just this year alone.