Lambton Firm Puts Energy Into Efficiency

Newcastle Herald

Tuesday December 16, 1997

HUNTER Low Energy Systems of Lambton is the leading specialist distributor of energy efficient heating, cooling and hot water delivery systems in the Hunter Region.

Saving money through saving energy has been the guiding philosophy behind the development of the business.

`And we have achieved this objective for our clients without compromising on product quality or the service we provide,' said owner, Mr Steve Harmon.

Mr Harmon was senior supplies controller at Tomago smelter when he left five years ago to buy his own business.

Together with his wife, Gail, who worked in a managerial role with a national supermarket chain, they bought an existing business that sold home security systems, ducted vacuum cleaners and intercom systems.

Over the years, Mr Harmon realised that he needed to diversify to save his business so he started to add new products to his range.

`We realised that selling energy efficient products was the way to go, especially with local councils about to implement an energy-smart homes policy,' Mr Harmon said.

In July/August, this year, the company expanded, increasing its staff to seven to cope with the responsive attitude of the community.

The business now handles a number of energy efficient products including:

* Quantum hot water system, regarded as the most energy efficient heating system on the market. It can save up to 75% off a hot water bill.

The all weather energy saving hot water system, which is almost twice as efficient as solar heating, also reduces greenhouse emissions.

According to Mr Harmon, the Quantum water heater operates on the same principle as a refrigerator.

`It literally extracts energy from the atmosphere, day or night, wind, rain or shine,' he said.

`The overall result is that a Quantum unit only uses between one-sixth and one-quarter the power needed by conventional electric and gas water heaters to heat the same amount of water.'

It produces more than 1000 litres of hot water a day, even in below zero temperatures and does not need electrical or gas boosting.

* Breeze Power natural cooling ? home cooling at a fraction of the cost of air conditioning through the use of circulating fresh air.

The heart of the Breeze Power System is the large, quiet in-roof fan that creates a powerful updraught instantly setting the air inside the home in motion, causing it to flow towards the fan, through the ceiling shutter and into the roof space.

Air in the roof space is pressurised and flushed outside through eave vents.

The system costs about 3? or 4? an hour to run compared with 25? an hour for air conditioners.

* Radiant ceiling or floor heating/heating panels ? to warm any room in the house on command. Quiet, economical and allergy free.

According to Mr Harmon, the panels are about 30% cheaper to buy than conventional heaters and 50% more energy efficient.

* Jemflo water flow control system - the system eliminates pressure fluctuations and can halve water bills.