Add "Type of Controller" option under Space Heating

[glynhudson]

Add a new option called "Type of Controller" to the Add New System questionnaire.

This option should be a drop-down menu with the following options:

• Manufacturer controller
• 3rd party on/off thermostat
• Heat pump optimiser e.g Havenwise, Homely etc.
• Custom controller

To avoid duplication, we should remove "Custom Controller" from the Space Heating Control type option:

[buckwem]

Most heat pumps come with a manufacturer's controller. Currently the optimiser is a third-party component, but in the future it's likely the 'optimiser' capability will be integrated into the manufacturer's controller.

I think we could have at least six scenarios:

1. Manufacturer controller
2. Manufacturer controller + third-party optimiser
3. Manufacturer optimiser
4. Third-party optimiser
5. Third-party on/off thermostat
6. Custom controller

Is there any value in recording both the manufacturer and third-party controllers in scenario 2? Knowing whether it's scenario 2 or 4 would probably have little value. Therefore, option 2 can be removed, and the new field "Primary Controller Type" can be used to emphasise what needs to be recorded.

This leaves at least five scenarios:

1. Manufacturer controller
2. Manufacturer optimiser
3. Third-party optimiser
4. Third-party on/off thermostat
5. Custom controller

We need to define the difference between a manufacturer's controller today and an optimiser in the future. Perhaps an optimiser is a controller where "a homeowner needs to configure no more than a temperature, a time schedule, an energy contract type, and a heating and water strategy."

Where do we record the name of the controls manufacturer?

I don't see an obvious section for the controller information. With the increasing focus on control systems, perhaps it needs a new section with a name such as "Controls", or the "Metering" section becomes "Controls and Metering"

Regarding the "Space heat control type," we should not need to understand how the smart or optimised control works. Perhaps consider adding an option for "Optimised Control" while retaining the "Custom Controller" option, as it may not adhere to any of the previous methods.

I hope that's useful for the discussion.

[jeremypoulter]

@glynhudson / @TrystanLea is this still valid after the changes in 75cfc2e