Your heating system might be wasting money on something you cannot even see: dissolved gases in the water. We sit down with Stirling inventor Jim Bissett, founder of Biscuit Controls, to explain Hydrogenie, a retrofit device designed to remove dissolved oxygen, capture sludge, and improve how central heating systems behave in the real world. Jim breaks down the core physics in plain language, from vortex flow and negative pressure to why getting air out of the system can reduce corrosion, stabilise circulation, and support better boiler efficiency.

We also dig into the numbers and the practicalities. Jim shares reported results from testing and field installs, including domestic savings claims up to 50% depending on building heat loss, plus commercial examples that show how energy efficiency retrofits can stack. We talk about the broader “Genie” portfolio too: Kerrogenie for heating oil performance, VoltoGenie for voltage optimisation, and CircleGenie for controlling secondary hot water loop pumps that often run 24/7. A standout case study comes from our own hotel setting, where combining voltage optimisation and hot water control helped reduce annual electricity costs from roughly £44,000 to around £30,000 to £32,000.

The conversation goes beyond today’s products into what comes next, including Jim’s early work on capturing dissolved methane from slurry and digestate streams to turn waste gas into usable energy. If you care about reducing energy bills, improving boiler performance, lowering carbon emissions, and finding practical building services solutions that do not require ripping everything out, you will want to hear this one. Subscribe, share it with a facilities manager or property developer, and leave us a review with your biggest question about cutting energy waste.

A new visitor levy is on the way for Stirling, and if you run accommodation or work in tourism, the details are worth getting straight now. We’re joined by Jillian Schofield, Service Manager for Culture, Events and Tourism at Stirling Council, to explain what the Stirling Visitor Levy is, why it’s being introduced, and how it will work in practice for guests and providers.

We talk through the headline numbers in plain English: a 3% levy added on top of the accommodation rate only (not food or other extras), collected by accommodation providers and remitted through a collection platform. Jillian also sets Stirling’s plan in the wider visitor levy Scotland picture, with Edinburgh going first, Glasgow following, and other councils preparing their own schemes. Most importantly, we clarify the timeline: Stirling launches on 14 June 2027, applying to bookings made after 1 January 2027 for stays on or after that June date.

From there, we dig into what the levy is meant to fund. The proposed investment priorities include infrastructure (the biggest share), destination marketing and product development, events and culture, a Community Tourism Fund, and practical business support. We also discuss why representation matters, and how a Visitor Levy Advisory Forum is being formed to reflect Stirling city and the wider rural area, from hospitality and accommodation to heritage, attractions, and events.

If you want more updates, keep an eye on Stirling Council’s visitor levy information online, and send questions to visitorlevy@stirling.gov.uk. Subscribe, share, and leave a review, then tell us what should be the top priority for visitor levy spending in Stirling?