[OpenTRV-dev] Discussions of OpenTRV trial for this Winter

[Damon Hart-Davis]

Hi

Have a look here:

https://sourceforge.net/p/opentrv/code-0/1843/tree/trunk/docs/trials/Winter-2013-2014/

Below is the latest text of the summary of the conference call this morning from that directory.

Rgds

Damon




DHD20130701

Summary of 09:30 telephone conference call today between:
Prof Ruth Rettie (RR) http://www.smartcommunities.org.uk/
Dr Kevin Burchell (KB) http://www.smartcommunities.org.uk/
Damon Hart-Davis (DHD) OpenTRV


DHD gave a brief summary of how the OpenTRV device behaves (eg FROST/WARM/BAKE modes and LEARN),
and explained that it had some additional optional anticipatory 'smarts' that could be used/disabled.

DHD is very keen to get some sort of objective metrics to DECC by end of 2013/2014 winter
to help DECC decide ASAP if worth pursuing zoned smart heating with market incentives etc, etc.

RR suggested that we wouldn't have enough people or time for a full controlled trial
getting good estimates of energy savings, partly because interacting with householders
(eg just talking to them, or collecting gas meter reading)
is slow and expensive and distorts results.

We agreed that we want to have 'normal' people in the trial,
since the aim of OpenTRV is to make energy saving (and decent comfort)
simple/easy (no complex controls/programming) for non-techie non-energy-fanatics,
with relatively little explicit interaction with their heating system.

DHD would also like to include OpenTRV and SuperHome people in the trial,
at least on the side, as OpenTRV should also work for the energy-aware
and/or energy-efficient homes.

RR suggested that we doing a small rolling trial and not expect too many hard numbers,
looking first to improve the ergonomics and to test people's reactions to OpenTRV
in a small set of homes, eg including KB's.  Do people like it?  Do they use more heating?

(This initial set/period might be DHD + KB + BG + BH + maybe one or two others.) 

This can be started before winter proper to test the controls,
but raising the programmed temperature thresholds.

Then maybe we rope in a few of the Smart Communities participants.

DHD would still like to look for a drop in kWh/HDD after OpenTRV installation,
eg in households doing monthly or weekly gas meter readings.

(We might possibly expand to another 5--10 households for the second period?)