Ensuring Resident Comfort with Efficient Energy Use

Ensuring Resident Comfort with Efficient Energy Use

For care homes, maintaining perfect comfort for residents while managing energy costs isn’t just a financial challenge—it’s central to quality of care.

The good news? With the right approach, you can enhance resident comfort while reducing energy costs.

Understanding Thermal Comfort

Thermal comfort is about more than just air temperature. It involves:

• Air temperature (what thermostats measure)
• Radiant temperature (heat radiating from surfaces)
• Air movement (drafts and ventilation)
• Humidity (moisture content in the air)
• Personal factors (clothing, activity level, individual preferences)

This explains why two residents in the same room can have different comfort experiences.

The Comfort-Efficiency Connection

The traditional approach treats comfort and efficiency as opposing goals—higher temperatures for comfort versus lower temperatures for savings.

This is a false dichotomy.

Modern approaches enhance both comfort and efficiency simultaneously through:

• Zoned heating that delivers appropriate temperatures to different areas
• Radiant heating that feels warmer at lower air temperatures
• Draft elimination that improves comfort without raising temperatures
• Humidity control that enhances perceived warmth

Practical Strategies for Care Homes

Here are proven approaches that enhance resident comfort while reducing energy use:

1. Personalised comfort zones

Different residents have different temperature preferences. Where possible, provide individual control in bedrooms and create zones in communal areas with slightly different temperatures.

One care home created “warm lounges” and “cool lounges” to accommodate different preferences, improving resident satisfaction while reducing overall heating costs.

2. Draft elimination

Drafts make residents feel cold even when air temperatures are adequate.

Simple measures like door closers, draft excluders, and sealing gaps can significantly improve comfort while reducing heating requirements.

3. Radiant comfort

Radiant heat (from surfaces rather than air) creates a more comfortable environment at lower air temperatures.

Consider:

• Low-temperature radiators with larger surface areas
• Underfloor heating in renovation projects
• Infrared heating panels in specific areas

4. Smart controls

Modern heating controls can maintain more consistent temperatures, eliminating the uncomfortable swings between too hot and too cold that occur with basic systems.

These systems typically reduce energy use by 15-20% while improving comfort.

5. Ventilation balance

Good air quality is essential, but uncontrolled ventilation wastes heat.

Heat recovery ventilation systems maintain air quality while recapturing 80-90% of the heat that would otherwise be lost.

Special Considerations for Dementia Care

Residents with dementia have specific comfort needs:

• Consistent temperatures are particularly important as residents may not communicate discomfort effectively
• Visual cues help residents understand heating controls
• Higher baseline temperatures may be necessary as perception of temperature can be altered

Energy-efficient approaches can still be applied, but with these considerations in mind.

The Role of Staff Awareness

Your care team plays a crucial role in balancing comfort and efficiency:

• Train staff to recognize signs of discomfort beyond verbal complaints
• Establish clear protocols for temperature adjustment
• Encourage non-energy solutions to comfort issues (appropriate clothing, blankets, activity levels)

One care home reduced energy use by 12% through staff training alone, while improving resident comfort scores.

Technology Solutions

Several technologies specifically address the comfort-efficiency balance:

• Thermal imaging can identify cold spots and heat loss areas
• Smart thermostats with remote sensors ensure even temperatures
• Occupancy-based controls adjust settings based on room usage

The Link Utility Consultants Approach

At Link Utility Consultants, we understand the unique needs of care homes:

1. We work with you to optimise comfort and efficiency.
2. We develop tailored strategies that enhance both aspects
3. We help secure the best energy contracts to reduce costs
4. We provide ongoing support to maintain optimal conditions

Your Next Steps

Ready to enhance resident comfort while reducing energy costs?

1. Book a free review
2. Implement a phased approach to improvements
3. Monitor both comfort metrics and energy consumption
4. Adjust strategies based on resident feedback

Call Matt Oliver today on 07895 113519 or visit www.linkutility.co.uk to book your free care home comfort and efficiency review.