Mickle Osvald
Expertise:
Engineering, EnergyExperience:
13 YearsAbout Mickle Osvald
Cathal and Siobhan Jennings bought a new house in west Dublin in early 2018. The house already had a heat pump which they are finding very different to a conventional boiler. “I find it very good. I needed to become familiar with the control panel, so I could understand what the various symbols were telling me but this was not difficult. It is easy to use, mainly because once the system has been set up correctly, the user is supposed to leave it alone. It is designed to stay on 24/7 and this is one of the big differences from a conventional system”, says Cathal. This was to reduce our reliance on the environmentally damaging fossil fuels. Since then, we have seen increasing demand for renewable technologies such as heat pumps and solar panels.
Heat pumps are gradually becoming more popular in Irish homes. A lot of this is down to the 2008 Building Regulations where they require all new homes to include at least one type of renewable energy source. This was to reduce our reliance on the environmentally damaging fossil fuels. Since then, we have seen increasing demand for renewable technologies such as heat pumps and solar panels.
Professional Skills
Personal Experience
If you are considering installing a heat pump in your home, you should definitely check out the grant offered by SEAI. Houses constructed after 2005 are generally well insulated and have a low heat loss. This makes them heat pump ready. If you are replacing a boiler or thinking of renovating your home, we strongly recommend you install a heat pump rather than a gas or oil dependent technologies such system pumps and solar panels.
Honors & Awards
We Care Solar is an organisation that provides efficient solar energy systems to hospitals in areas without reliable electricity. We Care Solar is not a typical solar organisation: its mission is to ensure the safety of mothers and newborns by providing health facilities with solar energy systems. This inspiring cause is why we feel We Care Solar definitely deserves to win the award. American Solar Energy Society is a non-profit organisation whose vision is to lead the transformation to 100% renewable energy and sustainable living for all life on earth. The organisation organizes events, shares information and resources about the solar industry, and leads projects that promote the use of solar energy. Their “Tiny Watts” program focuses on small applications.