Serious about sustainability

Mitsubishi Electric Ecodan

Serious about sustainability is a podcast series brought to you by Mitsubishi Electric's Ecodan – air source heat pump. Through a series of guest interviews including architect and Ecodan Ambassador, George Clarke, the podcast series covers a range of topics, from the perspective of UK homeowners, self-builders, contractors, and housing associations. The show promotes greater awareness of renewable, heat pump technology, helping to build a sustainable, zero-carbon future for home heating.

  1. 11/16/2022

    Ep18 Sustainable Homes: Building the Future

    In this episode, Ecodan’s Russell Dean is in conversation with Architect and Ecodan Ambassador George Clarke, Cala Homes’ Product Design Manager, Stephen Kelso, and Martin Fahey, Head of Sustainability at Mitsubishi Electric. Stephen explains how building standards differ between England and Scotland, and how Cala is trialling new technologies, such as air source heat pumps, ahead of regulation changes. Martin and George share their views on our collective journey towards net zero carbon, the importance of embodied vs operational carbon, and discuss what sustainability will look like in the future using new eco-materials. The group discusses how closer construction industry and supplier collaboration coupled with education will play a vital role in meeting the UK's decarbonisation challenges. This episode was recorded on the 6th of September 2022. 01:10 / Cala Homes introduction02:37 / Building standards in Scotland04:00 / Hybrid heat pumps as a stepping-stone08:20 / Cala Homes and Part L Regulations11:00 Changing the building mindset17:00 / Zero, net or low carbon for 2050?21:00 / The scale of change for heating23:30 / Embodied carbon 25:00 / Working together as an industry30:00 / Eco-materials & bio-architecture36:25 / Mitsubishi Electric Ecodan36:49 / Cala Homes customers40:00 / Graduates spearheading sustainability47:45 / Collaboration and education53:15 / The retrofit challenge1:01:00 / Challenges for Cala Homes1:03:00 / Challenges for Mitsubishi Electric https://les.mitsubishielectric.co.uk/housing-developers https://les.mitsubishielectric.co.uk/homeowners/our-heat-pumps https://www.cala.co.uk/

    1h 6m
  2. 10/17/2022

    Ep17 Upskill to Ecodan

    In this episode, Russell Dean from Ecodan is in conversation with Architect and Ecodan Ambassador George Clarke, Will Allanson, Deputy Principal at Harlow College and Lance Hitchins, People and Training Manager at Mitsubishi Electric. The group discusses the transitional challenges of upskilling UK gas engineers to be able to install air source heat pumps. Lance explains the benefits of Mitsubishi Electric's new Ecodan Training Centre at Hatfield – allowing their courses to combine online group sessions with more personal, 'hands-on' teaching. Will Allanson from Harlow College talks about promoting 'carbon literacy' and 'decarbonising their college curriculum' to deliver sustainable heating education to the next generation of heating installers. This episode was recorded on 6th Sept 2022. 01:06 / The need to upskill 02:15 / Ecodan training challenges  03:50 / Learning plumbing and electrics  11:30 / Decarbonising the curriculum 13:00 / Engaging with employers for jobs  15:00 / Transitional phase for skills  18:00 / Regional job opportunities 23:00 / A sustainable journey 28:45 / Educate for carbon literacy 34:50 / Mitsubishi Electric Ecodan 35:15 / The green economy 36:15 / The commercial benefits of Ecodan  39:00 / The opportunities for gas installers  44:20 / The biggest challenge for educators  53:20 / Honesty, education & collaboration  https://les.mitsubishielectric.co.uk/upskill-to-ecodan https://les.mitsubishielectric.co.uk/homeowners/our-heat-pumps https://www.harlow-college.ac.uk/ https://podcast.ecodan.uk/

    55 min
  3. 04/09/2022

    Ep14 Air Source Heat Pump Myths

    Since COP26 in Glasgow in Oct/Nov 2021, interest in renewable heating technologies from the UK media and the public has intensified. Social media has been awash with often 'polar opposite' opinions and viewpoints regarding air source heat pumps. In this episode, Russell Dean from Ecodan, architect and Ecodan Ambassador, George Clarke, and Laurent Widloecher, Product Manager at Mitsubishi Electric, discuss and 'debunk' commonly held myths associated with air source heat pumps.  01:00 / An intro to ASHP myth-busting  01:59 / Heat pumps are a new and unproven technology. 02:38 / Heat pumps are not powerful enough to heat my home in cold weather. 03:42 / Heat pumps take a long time to warm up a home.    06:02 / A heat pump is more expensive to run than a fossil fuel solution.  10:00 / Electricity is not a clean, green fuel type. 10:37 / Air source heat pumps are noisy. 13:11 / Planning permission is required before you can install an air source heat pump. 14:41 / Heat pumps take up too much space outside and inside. 16:47 / Mitsubishi Electric Ecodan. 17:12 / Heat pumps are only suitable for new build homes. 19:29 / Heat pumps only work with underfloor heating. 21:13 / Heat pumps are high maintenance. 21:48 / Heat pumps have a short life span. 23:34 / Heat pumps are expensive. 26:17 / Heat pumps are complicated to programme and use.  26:58 / Renewable heating incentives are difficult to apply for.  28:16 / The UK government is forcing people to scrap their working gas boilers. 29:41 / Heat pumps are imported products and not manufactured in the UK. 30:06 / The national grid will not be able to cope with the mass market uptake of electric cars and heat pumps.   34:45 / Air Source Heat Pumps are not practical for apartments. www.ecodan.co.uk

    36 min

About

Serious about sustainability is a podcast series brought to you by Mitsubishi Electric's Ecodan – air source heat pump. Through a series of guest interviews including architect and Ecodan Ambassador, George Clarke, the podcast series covers a range of topics, from the perspective of UK homeowners, self-builders, contractors, and housing associations. The show promotes greater awareness of renewable, heat pump technology, helping to build a sustainable, zero-carbon future for home heating.