The revolutionary Baxi Ecogen dual energy system has picked up two awards in the Homebuilding & Renovating Product Excellence Awards 2011.

The Baxi Ecogen overcame stiff competition in both the Green Award and Heating and Plumbing categories to emerge as Britain’s most innovative and environmentally friendly central heating boiler.

Baxi’s double success in the Homebuilding & Renovating Product Excellence Awards 2011 builds upon similar wins at the PlanExpo Awards in December 2010 and the Rushlight Awards in January. The Ecogen is described by Baxi as a dual energy system that is a “micro-combined heat and power (micro-CHP) wall hung gas boiler, which generates both electricity and heat from the same source”.

In addition to providing efficient central heating, the Baxi Ecogen is capable of generating up to 1kW of electricity that can be used in the home or sold back to the National Grid under the Government’s Feed-in Tariff (FIT) system.

Editor-in-chief of the Homebuilding & Renovating Magazine, Michael Holmes, who also presents the Channel 5 programme, ‘I Own Britain’s Best Home’, said: “The Baxi Ecogen harnesses well established micro generation technology into a neat conventional size domestic boiler, offering households a way to generate their own clean electricity whilst heating their home and hot water. As it qualifies for the Government’s Feed-in Tariff the Baxi Ecogen could pay for itself within just a few years!”

The judges at the Homebuilding & Renovating Product Excellence Awards 2011 remarked: “[The Baxi Ecogen] deserved to win both [category awards] because, whilst this [boiler] has obvious eco credentials, it deserves to be taken seriously as a mainstream heating and plumbing solution.”

Meanwhile, Baxi’s head of sales in low carbon technologies, Graham Parkes, said: “This tremendous result is further testament to the fact that the Baxi Ecogen dual energy system is such a unique and innovative product.”

The Baxi Ecogen can be used in homes throughout Britain to deliver more cost-effective and environmentally friendly heating, whilst also offering a potential source of income from FITs. Coupled with cavity wall insulation, double glazing and other eco-friendly measures, the Baxi Ecogen can significantly improve domestic energy efficiency.

The stylish Baxi Bioflo is a new kind of biomass boiler.

The product has been designed for properties where a connection to mains gas is not available.

The boiler is free-standing with a clean and modern design and comes in an attractive granite look or a lighter pearl finish. Its compact size means it can be installed in the living area of homes as well as in more traditional locations, such as outhouses.

Pellets are manually fed into the Baxi Bioflo and can be stored in the 34kg capacity rear compartment. Once an even combustion is achieved, the Baxi Bioflo automatically switches to an efficient modulation mode. This offers a varying central heating output between 12kW – 3.8kW according to demand.

Baxi Bioflo is MCS (Microgeneration Certification Scheme) certified.  This means that homes where it is installed will qualify for the forthcoming Renewable Heat Incentive scheme, as long as it is fitted by an MCS accredited installer. It’s also simple to operate and can provide clean, carbon neutral heating and hot water all year round.

Baxi’s head of low carbon sales, Graham Parkes, said: “Biomass fuels, such as the wood pellets burned in Baxi Bioflo, are classed as carbon neutral, because they absorb as much carbon when they are growing as they do when they are burned.  Use of local, managed fuel sources means biomass can maintain a truly carbon neutral and sustainable balance.”

Baxi has created a new brochure to help installers explain the various biomass options available and to help their customers decide which model is suitable for them.  It outlines the specification and benefits of all Baxi biomass boilers, as well as providing information on legislation, Building Regulations, support and frequently asked questions.

British Gas has added the Baxi Ecogen Micro-CHP (Combined Heat and Power) to its range of boilers to maintain the UK’s leading gas and electricity supplier’s investment into new green technologies.

The energy supplier has recently added a solar pv and solar water heating panel package to its vast array of offers, and now it has partnered with boiler manufacturer Baxi to offer the highly regarded Ecogen to consumers.

The British Gas Baxi Ecogen micro-CHP is a revolutionary wall-hung combined heat and power appliance that can provide efficient gas central heating and hot water like any other boiler, but also generates electricity for use in your home.

With a micro-CHP system fitted you can provide your home with heating and hot water generated at a low cost as well as two thirds of your home’s electricity requirements according to field trials untaken by Baxi.

By using this electricity to power your household appliances it means you can buy less electricity from your energy supplier, potentially sell back any unused electricity, lower your electricity bills and reduce you carbon footprint.

It looks and works like any conventional boiler. However, the system uses a special Stirling engine that is heated by burning gas. The unit responds to a heat demand of up to 6kW by igniting the engine gas burner. The heat causes helium inside the engine to expand, pushing a piston up and down between a copper coil to generate up to 1kW of electricity – like an alternator in a car.

It looks like a standard boiler, so it can be easily mounted in a kitchen, garage or utility as a direct replacement for a previous unit.

The Baxi Ecogen offers its maximum cost efficiency when you use electricity as its being generated by the system, for example doing your washing in the evening when the heating is on.

The Ecogen comes with a built-in energy meter so you can see how much electricity is being produced and comes with a range of controls to control room and hot water temperature to further reduce the cost of your bills.

According to British Gas, 1.5 million boilers are replaced in the UK each year. And it’s estimated that by 2015, micro-CHP units will represent 30 per cent of these replacements, so it’s a viable technology for the future.

More information: British Gas Baxi Ecogen Boiler

Baxi Group, which is one of the leading providers of domestic central heating systems, has urged a wider application of the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT) Scheme to include whole home efficiency solutions that deliver carbon savings whilst helping to alleviate fuel poverty.

Simon Osborne

The CERT Scheme was introduced under the previous Labour Government in April 2008. CERT is essentially an energy and carbon saving scheme that applies only to the household sector. Under the CERT Scheme, energy suppliers are tied to a three-year (up to March 2011) obligation to meet household carbon saving targets. Such targets are relatively ambitious, yet suppliers can meet their objectives by promoting tried and trusted energy saving measures, including loft insulation, cavity wall insulation, eco-friendly lighting, energy-efficient central heating and so on. Earlier this month, Baxi called for a greater emphasis on whole home efficiency through the CERT Scheme.

The issue of fuel poverty is one that was given much attention at the beginning of the year, when Britain was gripped by one of its coldest winters on record; unfortunately, numerous households throughout the country continue to spend a substantial portion of their income on fuel bills, which could be reduced by up to £225 per year if energy saving measures are implemented.

Baxi Group’s Channel Specification Manager, Simon Osborne, said: “CERT is an important mechanism for delivering efficiency improvements in the home.

“Clearly, installing high efficiency appliances in leaky, poorly insulated dwellings is not the right approach.

“However, energy efficient boilers and microgeneration appliances in particular, should be playing a greater role as part of a co-ordinated CERT response which cuts carbon emissions within the whole building envelope.”

Mr Osborne added that it is also important for the Government and energy suppliers to address the targeting of the scheme by including more vulnerable households.

Mr Osborne concluded: “At present, the priority groups most likely to be affected by issues of fuel poverty are not receiving sufficient support through CERT”.

In the three-month period ending June 2010, CERT had delivered savings of 149 Mt CO2 – 81 per cent of its 185 Mt CO2 target; however, only 43 per cent of these savings were derived from target priority groups.

Baxi has improved its range of heat only boilers with the introduction of the Baxi Solo HE A, which is unlike other central heating boilers in that it is designed to be fitted flush with standard kitchen wall cupboards. Having reduced the depth of the Solo HE A, Baxi is hoping to appeal to the portion of the market that wishes to combine convenience with high energy efficiency.

Not only is the Baxi Solo HE A more streamlined than most other wall-standing boilers, the unit exceeds the minimum efficiency levels required for SEDBUK 2005 at over 90 per cent. Operating an energy efficient boiler is estimated to save the average household around £235 each year according to the Energy Saving Trust.

The Baxi Solo HE A is available in 12, 15, 18, 24 and 30 kW outputs and is compatible with Baxi Solarflo domestic solar thermal systems and Megaflo Solar hot water storage cylinders.

Solar devices have become popular in homes across the UK recently as homeowners attempt to save on fuel costs whilst reducing their carbon footprint. At the commercial level, solar panels are set to become even more popular after the Government announced that a ban on local councils selling energy to the National Grid is to be lifted.

Commencing the 18th of August this year, councils across the United Kingdom will be able to generate and sell renewable solar energy to the grid, according to the energy secretary, Chris Huhne.

The Department of Energy & Climate Change has estimated that the lifting of the ban could generate up to £100 million per year in revenue for local authorities across the UK.

After announcing the decision, Mr Huhne said: “This is a vital step to making community renewable projects commercially viable, to bring in long-term income to benefit local areas and to secure local acceptance for low carbon energy projects”.

Whereas the percentage of green electricity produced by local authorities in England is estimated at being no higher than 0.01 at present, Germany boasts figures that are more than one hundred times higher.

The heating boiler is an essential fixture in most homes throughout the UK; although, recent new builds have employed designs that are sufficiently energy efficient as to eliminate the need for boilers.

Notwithstanding this, it remains standard practice to install boilers in new and existing homes to meet basic heating and hot water requirements. Following changes to the Building Regulations in 2005, however, all new boiler installations and replacements had to use high efficiency boilers.

Often referred to as condensing boilers, the high efficiency units proved to be problematic for existing Baxi Bermuda customers; indeed, until recently, Baxi Bermuda installations and replacements could not always conform to the new regulations

The Baxi Bermuda was introduced to the UK market in 1966 and quickly gained favour with customers, who were impressed by the boiler’s unique selling point: it was designed to be installed into an existing fire place, thereby saving space within the home.

The relatively good performance and reliability of Baxi Bermuda back boilers facilitated their popularity in all types of household – not merely those that required more space-saving; however, following the changes to the Building Regulations, it became apparent to many homeowners that replacing old back boiler units would be no simple – or inexpensive – procedure. In its pursuit of simplicity, the original Baxi Bermuda back boiler ended up complicating matters for many people.

Fortunately, Baxi has developed a solution to the problem faced by homeowners with old Bermuda installations. Having recently developed and launched its Baxi Bermuda BBU HE, which is the only condensing model available in the UK, homeowners in need of replacement back boilers need not worry about switching to conventional high efficiency boilers.

Because the Baxi Bermuda BBU HE is an A-rated, high efficiency condensing boiler, no special planning permission or paperwork is required to install such a unit in accordance with current Building Regulations.

Furthermore, the state-of-the-art back boiler includes a Valor Dimension electric fire as standard – a product that features patented hologram technology to create the illusion of a real coal fire. The Valor Dimension fire can produce a cosy 2kW of heat or it can act as a focal point without any heat output at all.

The Low Carbon Buildings Programme (LCBP) was introduced in April 2006 as a means of providing funds for the installation of microgeneration equipment for homeowners and not-for-profit organisations.

Since the scheme was launched, the LCBP has issued around 20,000 grants, which will no doubt help the UK meet its low carbon targets. Unfortunately, the LCBP was scrapped when the Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties took power; as part of public spending cuts worth approximately £6 billion, the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) announced on the 24th May that the LCBP, which cost £34 million, will close together with other initiatives devised by the previous government. Although the low and zero carbon industry (LZC) has criticised the Government’s closure of the LCBP, Baxi Group prefers to focus on the decision’s silver lining.

Specification Channel Manager at Baxi Boilers, Simon Osborne, said: “On the surface, the termination of the LCBP appears to be bad news for the LZC heating sector. However, in the Queen’s Speech the Government announced the introduction of new Green Loans for those who want to save energy. These offer a more financially sustainable option than the LCBP and will, in our view, do more to grow investment in LZC technologies, especially for those on low incomes. Loans will be paid back through a pay-as-you-go scheme, which, unlike the LCBP, does not require the homeowner to finance the LZC technology up front”.

Mr Osborne praised the introduction of the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS), which is supported by the Department of Energy and Climate Change and covers all microgeneration products and services. MCS is an independent scheme using consistent standards to evaluate and certify microgeneration products and installers. Mr Osborne noted: “It [MCS] will effectively pass the ownership of being green from the eligible few under the LCBP to everyone. That has to be a positive step forward”. Homeowners may actually end up with greater access to low carbon central heating options following the closure of the LCBP. The Baxi Ecogen is currently the only micro-combined heat and power (Micro-CHP) appliance to achieve MCS certification; however, the Green Loans are expected to improve competition in this field in future.

Baxi Group has teamed up with central heating and property maintenance contractor, PH Jones, to supply new energy efficient boilers to selected properties.

Baxi Group and PH Jones will work alongside ALMO (Arms Length Management Organisation) Stevenage Homes to improve energy efficiency in various properties on behalf of Stevenage Borough Council. The project aims to bring all rented properties belonging to Stevenage Homes up to the Decent Homes Standard by 2013, which is by no means a minor task. As such, Baxi Group required the services of a reliable and experienced national firm to carry out much of the work – and PH Jones would appear to fit the bill.

PH Jones provides maintenance services, repairs and ad-hoc central heating installations to some 7,500 properties for Stevenage Homes, so the company’s partnership with Baxi Group was virtually ready-made. Derek Corbishley, the Social Housing Maintenance Director for PH Jones, said: “We are delighted to have become Baxi Group’s agent for this project. They have provided us with all the parts, tools and technical information to install new boilers and to ensure a first-time fix on boiler maintenance jobs. We can, therefore, work quickly and effectively in residents’ homes with minimum inconvenience to them”.

PH Jones will have a range of Baxi boilers at their disposal when setting about the task of upgrading homes in Stevenage. The Baxi Solo HE, Baxi Duo-tec Combi HE and the Baxi Megaflo System HE are all expected to feature in the project and will be chosen according to the type of property being upgraded. It is thought the versatile Baxi Solo HE will be used in the majority of properties, whilst other boiler types will be reserved for specialist installations. The project leader of Stevenage Homes, Paul O’Donnell, has stressed the importance of Baxi’s partnership with PH Jones whilst reiterating the need for upgraded properties. Mr O’Donnell said: “Replacing old inefficient boilers with new high efficiency models helps to lower their fuel use and save them [the tenants] money”. The Decent Homes Standard was introduced by the UK Government in 2000 as a way older homes could enjoy modern standards in respect to heating, facilities and energy efficiency.

As part of its “Football’s coming to my Home” road show, Baxi is offering installers at merchants throughout England the chance to win £500 every day.

The Baxi Golden Boot Challenge follows a simple yet effective promotional format: installers are invited to spend 45 seconds kicking a ball at a giant Baxi Duo-tec Combi boiler that has a hole cut out of it to form the goal. The installer who scores the most goals on the day at any given merchant will be rewarded with £500 in cash.

Unsurprisingly, the challenge has been warmly received by installers, who relish the opportunity to win half a grand whilst kicking a football in good fun. The Baxi Golden Boot Challenge, however, is not merely a bit of fun; indeed, it offers installers the opportunity to learn more about Baxi’s flagship boiler.

The Baxi Duo-tec Combi boiler is one of the most energy efficient condensing boilers on the market, having been awarded the highest SEDBUK Band ‘A’ rating for efficiency. According to Baxi, the Duo-tec Combi far exceeds Government legislation that requires all new boilers to convert at least 86 per cent of the fuel it burns into heat; in fact, the Duo-tec Combi has a conversion rate of more than 90 per cent, which is not only good news for the environment but also helps households save money by reducing annual fuel bills. In 2008, the Duo-tec Combi won the CORGI Boiler of the Year award, which is certainly no mean feat; however, Baxi is aware that many installers have overlooked the boiler, so the road show is intended to go some way towards rectifying this issue.

The Baxi Golden Boot Challenge has so far proved to be successful in advertising the virtues of the Duo-tec Combi. Installer Shaun Mangan, of M and M Gas Services Limited, recently won the £500 challenge at his local merchant. Mr Mangan said: “I’m really chuffed and have got lots of ideas on how to spend the money. I am also interested in finding out what else Baxi has to offer, as I don’t currently fit them”.

Baxi has received the Green Innovation Award earlier this month for the Baxi Ecogen micro-CHP, or micro-Combined Heat and Power, system.

The Award was presented on behalf of Sustainability Now as part of a virtual event, designed to be a cost-effective and low-carbon affair. The Ecogen fought off eight other innovative products up for the award which were all recognised as technologies that could make a difference and help the construction sector meet its sustainability goal.

But Baxi was handed the coveted award ahead of the competition with professionals from architecture, engineering, quantity surveying, project management and construction sectors all attending the online exhibition.

The Ecogen looks and operates very similarly to a conventional boiler. The only difference is the Ecogen uses a special Stirling engine which works in a similar way to a car generator – when the engine gas burner is ignited the heat causes helium inside the engine to expand which then pushed a piston up and down between a copper coil to generate up to 1kW of electricity.

This electricity produced can then be used to power home appliances, with it being most efficient when it uses electricity as it is generated – for example using a dishwasher in the evenings when the heating is on and the boiler is operating.

The Baxi Ecogen micro-CHP can be installed as a direct replacement for your old boiler, can be located in the same place and it even qualifies for the Clean Energy Cashback Scheme otherwise known as the feed-in tariff.

Sarah Brook, Marketing Director for Baxi Group, represented the firm at the virtual exhibition and conference. She said: “We are delighted to have received this prestigious accolade, especially in the face of such tough competition.

“We are convinced that micro-CHP is set to make a huge impact on the domestic heating industry, and are very proud of Baxi Ecogen, the first wall-hung micro-CHP appliance available on the market which can be specified by local authorities, housing associations and private developers.

“It will help them meet Level 3 of the Code of Sustainable Homes, tackle fuel poverty issues more effectively and significantly cut carbon emissions. Developed and manufactured in the UK, Baxi Ecogen is a unique, world-class technology for the 21^st Century home.”