By choosing the Control HQ smart heating system, this outdoor pursuits centre has successfully modernised an outdated heating setup without major reconstruction. The system provides fine control, impressive energy savings, and measurable environmental benefits, proving that smart retrofitting can be an affordable path to a low-carbon future.
In a recent interview, Director Rupert Tabley highlighted how implementing the Control HQ has transformed the outdoor pursuits centre’s energy management.
A: We first heard about the Control HQ system through the charitable organisation Severn Wye Energy Agency. One of their Senior Energy Specialists, Neil Towler, had seen the system in action at a number of other sites, and the feedback from those installations was really favourable.
He mentioned how well it had performed elsewhere, and that gave us the confidence to take a closer look. Around the same time, we attended a local “Journey to Net Zero” event, where several businesses spoke about their experiences in reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions. The Control HQ system came up again there, which reinforced our decision to explore it further.
It quickly became clear that this was a proven solution for organisations like ours that wanted to save energy and make meaningful environmental improvements without needing to completely replace their heating system.
A: Our heating system was very old — a one-pipe system that was extremely difficult to control efficiently. We were initially quoted around £1 million to replace the whole system and create some basic heating zones. However, that still wouldn’t have allowed us to control each room individually, which was what we really needed.
We looked into other options, but the cost of fully replacing everything was just out of the question. Retrofitting something smart onto the existing system was the only affordable and realistic option for us.
The Control HQ system offered exactly that. For around £25,000, we were able to retrofit intelligent control onto the old infrastructure, giving us full zoned and room-by-room management. It has effectively future-proofed the building without the need for major mechanical work.
What’s also great is that the system is completely modular, so if we decide to expand or add room sensors that detect occupancy in the rooms later, for even greater automation and energy savings, we can. We weren’t forced to buy everything up front, which made the investment much easier to justify.
A: The system came highly recommended, and when we compared it to other smart heating options, Control HQ stood out for both price and features.
The customer service was another big factor. The team were excellent — professional, knowledgeable, and genuinely interested in helping us get the right solution. They didn’t just want to sell us equipment and move on; they supported us through the whole process from design to installation.
We also spoke to a few of their existing customers, and everyone we talked to confirmed that the system delivered both energy savings and reliability. That gave us a lot of reassurance that it would work for our site too.
A: One of the first things we needed to do was upgrade all our radiator valves, as the old manual types weren’t compatible with a smart system. That was an additional cost, but it made sense as part of a long-term investment.
We looked closely at the overall price and payback period, even factoring in the new valves, and it all stacked up well. The ability to retrofit onto our existing system meant we could keep our original pipework and boilers, which massively reduced the total project cost.
Another key factor was ease of use. We knew several members of staff would need to operate the system day-to-day, so it had to be intuitive. The app has turned out to be just that — very straightforward and easy to navigate, even for people who aren’t especially tech-savvy.
A: Our main concern was whether we’d invest the money and not see a real difference. We were worried that the radiators might not work as effectively with the new valves, or that the savings wouldn’t be as big as we hoped.
However, it was obvious quite quickly that the heating was running for much shorter periods than before, and we weren’t wasting energy by accidentally leaving systems on. Previously, we’d often discover the heating had been left running all weekend — sometimes not noticing until three weeks later. Now, with the Control HQ app, we can all check and control the heating from our phones or the tablet by the entrance, so that simply doesn’t happen anymore.
We’re expecting to see a noticeable drop in our winter energy bills, and we’ll be monitoring the data closely over the coming season.
A: We worked with a representative from Control HQ who helped us design the system specifically for our property. It was a really easy process — the representative was knowledgeable about both our type of heating system and energy efficiency in general. They helped us understand not only how to set up the system but also how it would fit into our long-term sustainability plans.
A: Our first impressions were very positive. The app itself felt a little clunky at first — mainly because we were learning and installing everything ourselves — but the functionality was excellent. Once we understood it properly, it became a really powerful tool.
The built-in “Doctor” system diagnostics was especially useful. Early on, it didn’t always give us advice we could understand, but now it’s brilliant. If there’s an issue, it tells you exactly where the problem is. Knowing that support is built into the app, free of charge, gives us a lot of reassurance.
A: We installed most of it ourselves. The system arrived clearly labelled with all the correct room names, so there was no confusion. Everything worked out of the box, and we could tell it had been preconfigured for our site.
We were given clear instructions on how to install the valves and position the HUBs, and even when we ran into issues — like needing an internet connection in a remote building — the Control HQ engineer helped us find an easy solution. He recommended a wireless bridge to extend the network rather than running a long cable, which saved us both time and money.
There were a few small conflicts between the old heating controls and the new system, but those were quickly sorted once we removed the old programmer as advised.
Overall, the installation was much easier than expected for a site of our size and complexity.
To find out more about Braeside Education Centre: https://www.braeside-education.co.uk/
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