The PEM Technology Gateway is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the 
ERDF Northern & Western Regional Programme 2021-2027

Bustard Heating 

Bustard heating

‘Optimisation and product development for an autonomous mobile heat control device.’

Bustard Heating is an SME based in Donegal that provides a range of heating and plumbing services to the domestic and commercial building markets.

Problem to be solved

As anancillary to their core heating and plumbing business, the company install a range of renewable energy and heat saving products. One such product is their “Mobile Heat Switch” used to autonomously control heating and hot water systems
by SMS phone text activation. 

The company were keen to optimise their heat switch product by developing further end user functions and to introduce a manual / time clock control interface to their device. They were also keen to optimise the reconfiguration of the products interface components, dimensions and aesthetics to make it a more viable product of choice in the market place.

How Gateway Delivered solution for Industry: 

Through an Enterprise Ireland Innovation Voucher the PEM Gateway in IT Sligo undertook an investigation to optimise the existing mobile heat switch device by re-designing the control box interface so that a manual time-clock activation device could be integrated, offering the end user both remote & manual setting functions. This included a 3D printed component to realise the design modifications and to test compatibility with the existing heat switch device.
The Gateway also investigated other options beyond GSM/SMS by developing a prototype arduino
board and programme to perform existing functions as well as additional diagnostics for the enduser. 

PEM also reduced the packaging profile of the device by reducing the scale and dimensions of the product through re-design of its housing and internal components.

women using a computer for a machine
image of students studying together in library

Impact for the company

The engagement with IT Sligo enabled the company to act on feedback received from their client base by re-designing and creating a number of additional functions for their mobile heat switch product. Solutions for optimising the design, functionality and user interface / control functions were progressed to prototype development stage as part of this project. It is hoped that with customer feedback, these adjustments can be progressed to a further stage of product development.

Testimonials

“Operating in a progressive and fast changing building services market it is important that we act on end user feedback to optimise our products. The R&D input supported by the innovation voucher initiative was invaluable in helping us realise necessary and further potential for our heat switch device.”
Trevor Bustard

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