Bustard Heating
Funding Source
EI funded Innovation Voucher
Profile of Company:
‘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 an ancillary 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 end user. 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.
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.
“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, Bustard Heating
.