Methods and systems and apparatus to support reduced energy and water usage

A heating installation comprising an energy store including a thermal storage medium for storing thermal energy, and a heat pump having a defrost cycle, the heating installation including a hot water supply system arranged to supply instantaneous heated water and space heating to a building, and one or more processors to control the heating installation, the one or more processors being configured to:

• control the supply of heat from the heat pump to the thermal storage medium to store thermal energy for heating water and to a heating circuit for providing space heating;
• estimate a likelihood of a defrost cycle being performed by the heat pump;
• and in anticipation of an impending defrost cycle, control operation of the heating installation to store additional thermal energy by at least one of:
• heating the thermal storage medium to a higher level than a level set for anticipated water heating demand alone and/or
• heating the building and/or circulating heating fluid to a higher level than a level set for desired building heating;
• to compensate for an absence of heat from the heat pump during the impending defrost cycle, wherein the one or more processors is configured to cause the heat pump to use energy from the thermal storage medium in performing the defrost cycle,
• wherein the one or more processors are configured to cause the storing of additional energy in anticipation of an impending defrost cycle only if the one or more processors of the heating installation determines that the building is occupied.