SOS HEATER
Warming homes, empowering lives.
MISSION
We are a social impact initiative based in Portugal, tackling energy poverty and facilitating energy transition.
Energy poverty is a pressing social issue that affects health and well-being globally, forcing people to endure sustained cold temperatures and increased rates of winter illness and mortality.
In the EU alone, 42 million people can’t afford to properly heat their homes. The issue is more prevalent in countries with milder winters, where central heating and thermal insulation of buildings are less common.
Beyond the health impacts, sustained cold indoor temperatures can impair people’s ability to rest, work, or study, exacerbating existing inequalities.
The environmental impact of heating is also a concern, as it contributes significantly to global energy consumption.
Affordable and energy-efficient heating solutions are essential to facilitating energy transition and promoting health, well-being, and equality.
ACTION
We are developing a low-energy heater that fights energy poverty and protects the environment.
The SOS Heater is a portable heating solution that provides thermal comfort with a low wattage of 250W, making it affordable to use and compatible with low-power and off-grid setups.
We host do-it-yourself heater construction workshops to grow the community of early users, engage participants in the development, and increase awareness of the social challenge of energy poverty.
With participative methodology, we are exploring the power of community-crafted solutions to improve lives.
ROADMAP
Co-creating a world where a warm home is neither a luxury nor a burden on the environment.
What we have done:
• Design and production of the first heater prototype
• Testing the technology in controlled environments
• Branding, website, and social media
• Growing the community of early users through project presentations and DIY workshops (Blab Colectivo Maker, Maker Faire Lisboa, Gentler Futures Festival)
• Testing the technology in real-life scenarios (75 heaters)
• Improvements based on feedback from early users
• Challenge for product-design students (FBAUL)
Currently doing:
• Incubation/Acceleration of the project in programs for social impact (Relança-te by Fundação Ageas, EDP Hope Fund)
• Developing a commercial-grade version of the heater
Where we are going:
• Certification of the heater for domestic use
• Crowdfunding campaign to produce the first batch
• Heater construction workshops and energy-efficiency trainings for underserved communities
• Distributed local manufacturing by independent hubs
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