Heat Pumps Today - November 2014

HEAT PUMPS TODAY IS NOW ENERGY CPD APPROVED READING

ESSENT IAL INFORMATION FOR INSTALLERS NOVEMBER 2014

www.heatpumps.today

HEAT RECOVERY... OUT & ABOUT...

P26 ...WITH NIBEP20 ...IN REFURBISHMENTS

PROVING THE CASE FOR HYBRID

P16 CHANGE FOR DOMESTIC RENEWABLES

P22 BEST PRACTICE FOR ASHP INSTALLATION

P28 COMPANY PROFILE NICHOLLS BOREHOLES

01 Front Cover.indd 3 21/10/2014 17:03

For more details, visit: www.aircon.panasonic.co.uk

InternetControlReady

INTERNET CONTROL

OPTIONAL

Down to-20 ºC in

heating modeOUTDOOR

TEMPERATURE

Environmentallyfriendlyrefrigerant

R410A

Highefficiency heating

Domestichot water

DHW

Easycontrolby BMS

CONNECTIVITY

Solarpanels

connection

SOLAR KIT

Boilerconnection

RETROFIT

Please contact panasonic on 01344 853182 for your local Pro Partner

7 YEAR WARRANTY WHEN INSTALLED BY A PANASONIC PRO PARTNER

7 Year Warranty: Get total peace of mind with Panasonic’s Aquarea Heat Pump when installed by a Panasonic PRO Partner Not a PRO Partner! Want to become a PRO Partner? Sign up at www.panasonicproclub.com for further details.Aquarea is part of a new generation of heating systems that use a renewable, free energy source (the air) to heat or cool the home and to produce hot water: · Extremely high effi ciency (COP of 5.08 for new 5kW Mono-Bloc unit) · Line up developed for low consumption homes (starting at 3kW) · T-CAP solution is ideal for cold areas, as it maintains the nominal capacity up to -15°C· Easy to control with your smart phone (using an optional interface) · Large range of effi cient tanks for domestic hot water storage

UK AD 7 WARRANTY PROPARTNER DIF_SIZES.indd 2 20/05/14 15.28p02_hptnov14.indd 1 22/10/2014 12:11:49

NOVEMBER 2014 03

CONTENTS

EDITOR’S LETTERPUBLISHERJuliet TravisTel: 01778 [email protected]

MANAGING EDITORWill HawkinsTel: 01778 [email protected]

EDITORIAL CO-ORDINATORDiane GilbertsonTel: 01778 [email protected]

EDITORIAL DESIGNDean Cole

ADVERTISING DESIGNDevelopment Design

ADVERTISING SALESKatrina BrowningTel: 01778 [email protected]

MULTIMEDIA SALES REPRESENTATIVEJames KnightTel: 01778 [email protected]

PRODUCTS & AWARDS ORGANISERShelley Bright Tel: 01778 391172 [email protected]

PRODUCTION Sue WardTel: 01778 [email protected]

PUBLISHED BY:Warners Group Publications Plc The Maltings, West Street, Bourne,Lincs, PE10 9PH Tel 01778 391000Fax 01778 394748 www.warnersgroup.co.uk © Copyright 2014

Printed by:Warners Midlands Plc

This publication isprinted by Warners01778 395111

Heat Pumps Today is published bi-monthly.The views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the Publishers. Every care is taken to ensure that the contents of the magazine is accurate but we assume no responsibility for any effect from errors or omissions.

FEATU

RES

Visit us @ www.heatpumps.today

Will Hawkins, Editor | [email protected]

PUSH, PUSH, PULL If there has one thing that has struck me recently in the world of heat pumps in the UK, it is the substantial knowledge gap between the experts and their customers. Domestically speaking, when you type ‘how to lower my energy bill’ into Google, the search results show energy switching services or money-saving websites. Dig a little deeper and you � nd some suggestions on these sites that heat pumps can help lower energy bills. But, there are no links to experts who can help readers take it further.

Understandably, manufacturers are investing a lot of money in training up good quality installers on their products

REGU

LARS

04

HYBRID HEAT PUMPS12 New Heat Pumps Concepts Will Catalyse

Market Growth – Delta EE14 The Future of Hybrid Heat Pumps in

the UK – Worcester Bosch16 Proving the Case for Hybrid – Daikin

HEAT RECOVERY20 Heat Recovery Systems in Refurbishments - Polypipe

AIR SOURCE HEAT PUMPS22 Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP) Installation

Best Practice – Pump House24 Trading Coal for Renewable Heat and RHI

Payments - NIBE25 Portable Air Source Heat Pump Dispels

‘Distressed Purchase’ Myth - EGE Energy28 Company Pro� le - Nicholls Boreholes

INSTALLATIONS29 Vaillant’s

Meaden Project

04 News

06 HPA Update

08 GSHPA Update

10 SIRACH Update

26 Out & About

31 Hot Shots

and services in the expectation that they will go out and generate business. A common request, however, from installers is that manufacturers help installers generate leads. How do manufacturers generate leads for their installers (if at all)? Instead of ‘pushing’ marketing to and through their installers, manufacturers will have to create interesting, useful ‘content’ online to help end customers make

informed decisions and ‘pull’ them in. The main point is that the industry needs to start

better understanding the questions (search terms) which homeowners are asking and answer them.

Drammen District Heating Scheme Picks Up Heat Pump Award

29

About our front cover: BlygoldFor further information: www.blygold.com

03 Contents.indd 3 21/10/2014 15:25

04 NOVEMBER 2014

NEWS

The Department of Energy & Climate Change pledged in early October an additional £100 million for the Green Deal Home Improvement Fund.

Designed to help people make energy saving improvements to their home, the Green Deal Fund was originally launched on June 9th 2014, but is currently closed to applications after the allocated funding was fully committed.

Applications for a new phase of the Green Deal Home Improvement Fund, will open to households before the end of November.

DECC has announced that further details including terms and conditions, rates and all measures to be covered will be issued in November.

Energy and Climate Change Secretary Edward Davey said:

“More money means more people can live in warmer, greener homes sooner. “Green Deal Home Improvement Fund vouchers went like hot cakes earlier in the year and now even more people can cut their

energy bills by making their homes more energy efficient.”

Energy and Climate Change Minister Amber Rudd said:

“We’ve already taken £50 off energy bills but we know that the best way for households to cut their bills is to use less energy.

“Over three quarters of a million homes have already had energy saving improvements installed as a result of the Energy Company Obligation and Green Deal schemes and it makes sense to help even more families install measures so that they see the benefits of lower bills and a warmer home for years to come.”

The £100 million will be addition to the £450 million originally allocated to household energy efficiency over three years, which was announced in December 2013.

ADDITIONAL £100 MILLION PLEDGED FOR GREEN DEAL FUND

NAPIT LAUNCHES INSTALLER RHI TASTER TRAINING COURSENAPIT has launched a free taster training session about the domestic Renewable Heat Incentive to help installers get to grips with the RHI and how they can participate in the scheme.

Since 9th April of the scheme, nearly 10,000 applications have been made to the scheme and around 7,500 installations have been accredited. NAPIT’s training course shows installers the processes they need to go through to apply for the RHI, installation and qualification details, as well as information about the technologies involved in the incentive.

Given that there are some 30 million homes in the UK, there is still a long way to go before the RHI becomes mainstream, but the update shows that the energy initiative is still alive. The training comes as a 35 minute long video on YouTube, fronted by Plumb Center’s Tim Pollard: http://bit.ly/1oeapre

DELTA-EE TO HOST THIRD HEAT PUMPS ROUNDTABLEResearch company, Delta Energy and Environment, is to host its third annual heat pumps and utilities roundtable on 12th February 2015 near Frankfurt, Germany.

Run in association with the European Heat Pump Association and hosted by Panasonic, the event will be held at Panasonic’s Wiesbaden congress centre where key industry figures and companies will be

debating new developments in the heat pump industry.

The agenda will include the heat pump market outlook, smart heat pumps, channels and business models, as well heat pump product innovations.

40 delegates attended the 2014 event including large utilities organisations, heat pump manufacturers and developers.

More information about the roundtable visit: http://bit.ly/1krB118

WOMEN’S SAFETY BOOTS COMPETITION RESULTThe winner of the Rockfall women’s safety boots competition in October was Anne-Marie Maguire, Trend Refrigeration Ltd, Liverpool. Congratulations to Anne-Marie who wins a pair of Rockfall VX950A boots in black.

DANFOSS LAUNCHES NEW BRAND PROFILEDanfoss, global supplier of technologies for refrigeration, air conditioning, heating, motor control and mobile machinery is launching a new global brand profile under the headline, Engineering Tomorrow.

Today Danfoss enjoys a strong business position within several important growth areas, delivering innovative products that help make a big difference for the citizens and communities of the future – in terms of sustainable infrastructure, food supply, energy efficiency, and climate-friendly solutions. With Engineering Tomorrow Danfoss will ensure that the company’s position in the market stands out.

“Engineering Tomorrow will link our foundation to the future. The engineering work is at the very heart of Danfoss. Building on this we are ready to shape the future through innovative solutions. The world presents significant growth opportunities and Danfoss is ready to seize them. We have achieved good results and have strong and positive stories to tell. Now we invest in getting this message out,” says president and CEO Niels B. Christiansen.www.danfoss.com

04-05 News.indd 4 21/10/2014 15:39

NOVEMBER 2014 05

NEWS

MITSUBISHI PIONEERS ALUMINIUM HEAT EXCHANGER

DECC ANNOUNCES £9.4 MILLION FOR LOW CARBON HEATING INITIATIVESThe government announced at the beginning of October that there is £2.4 million in funding available to 32 local authorities in England and Wales to encourage low carbon district heating initiatives via the Heat Networks Delivery Unit (HNDU).

Furthermore, there is £7 million available for which developers can compete for funding to develop new district heating (or heat network) technologies which might include recovering heat from industrial processes or old mines, for example.

“Improving the way we heat our buildings and helping local authorities fund innovative and more efficient ways of supplying lower carbon heat

TRULY RENEWABLE HEATING & COOLING - GSHPA TECHNICAL SEMINAR 2014

DRAMMEN DISTRICT HEATING SCHEME PICKS UP HEAT PUMP AWARDDrammen Fjernvarme, the district heating business co-owned by the Norwegian town and private enterprises, collected the ‘Public Sector Project of the Year’ award from the National Heat Pump Awards while attending the ‘Harnessing Heat from Rivers’ seminar in Glasgow in September, which it won jointly with Star Renewable Energy.

The award was in recognition of the highly successful heat pump plant which was designed and installed by Glasgow’s Star Renewable Energy for the district heating system in Drammen. The ammonia-based heat pumps are producing over 70% of the district heating company’s heat requirements each, taking heat from the local fjord at between 7 and 8

will also reduce our dependency on costly, imported gas,” said Ed Davey, Energy and Climate Change Secretary.

DECC is hoping that, by 2030, 15% of the UK’s heat demand could come from district heating, and 40% by 2050. Local authorities can apply for grants from the scheme of between £10,000 and £250,000 to help them get heat network projects off the ground.

The GSHPA will be hosting its fifth Technical Seminar at De Montfort University, Leicester on 26th November from 09:30-16:30.

The event will feature updates from both Academia and Industry on the growth of the UK’s Ground Source Heating & Cooling Industry. Speakers from DECC, leading manufacturers, suppliers and our sponsoring company as well as Academic representatives from London,De Montfort and Sweden.

Case Studies will be shared including the GSHP installation of the year (as awarded at Energy Efficiency & Renewable Awards 2014), confirming that both open (water) source and closed loop systems are effective sources of heat for the UK’s low carbon future.

Cost: £155 for non-members, £95 for members.For more information, including booking options:

http://gshpa2014ts.eventbrite.co.ukContact: Jake Salisbury Tel: 01908 56260 Email: [email protected]

More details to follow shortly and please also keep an eye on the GSHPA website for regular updates. www.gshp.org.uk

Mitsubishi Electric has pioneered the world’s first aluminium heat exchanger in its new City Multi YLM VRF range.

The heat exchanger comprises aluminium micro-channel flat tubes in place of conventional copper tubing. The company states that this delivers 26 per cent more contact with the refrigerant, 17 per cent more with the fins and 30 per cent more piping per area, leading to more efficient refrigerant distribution.

At the same time, the YLM reduces both weight and footprint and offers 10 per cent less system refrigerant volume than previous City Multi models.

Two key features of the range are the hot gas defrost technology and improved evaporating temperature controls.

Units are available to deliver from 22 - 101kW capacity to a building in both heat pump and heat recovery variants, with up to 50 indoor units connectable to the largest model.

The company views the technology as pivotal in efficient heat transfer, with the potential to shape other technologies in the future.

Already available in Japan, the City Multi YLM range was showcased at Chillventa in Germany in October, and will be available for ordering in the UK in January 2015.www.mitsubishielectric.co.uk

degrees centigrade, increasing it to 90 degrees C and then delivering it to over 220 buildings in the town. The system has a CoP of over 3.15.

Jon Ivar Bakk, managing director of Drammen Fjernvarme, was presented the award by Heat Pumps Today editor, Will Hawkins, during the seminar held at Glasgow University on 10th September.

04-05 News.indd 5 21/10/2014 15:39

HPA UPDATE

06 NOVEMBER 2014

HPA Update November 2014So what is currently happening in the world of heat pumps?

DISPARITY BETWEEN MCS & RHI ACCREDITATIONSThe HPA are grappling with some of the disparities between MCS accreditations and Domestic RHI accreditations. Heat pumps are hovering at around only 16%, i.e. only 16% of new MCS accreditations at present go onto being RHI accredited. It has been suggested that this a natural lag because applicants have up to a year to apply for RHI whereas installers must register projects with MCS within 10 days of completion certi� cate. However the rate for Biomass is nearer 39%, low but not as low as

for Heat Pumps. Perhaps owners of heat pumps are getting suf� cient bene� t without the need to apply for RHI but this still seems baf� ing. Is this the Green Deal effect i.e. potential bene� ciaries of the

scheme being put off by the bureaucracy involved in obtaining full accreditation? The HPA continue to lobby for the disconnection of Domestic RHI from Green Deal in terms of the need for a Green Deal Assessment, particularly in view of the fact this is only

determining very basic level of insulation, a task an MCS installer could easily ful� l.

DOMESTIC RHI: FIRST 10,000 ACCREDITATIONSOfgem have issued a report (29th Sept 2014) of the � rst 10,000 Domestic RHI accreditations. This shows a signi� cant difference from Legacy (pre April 2014) and New installs in the percentage market share particularly for heat pumps and biomass. Heat pumps total market share has dropped from 52% to 36%, whilst biomass has increased from 17% to 44%. Since the Green Deal assessment is common to both technologies perhaps it is the perceived complexities of the heating system evaluation and use of the Domestic Heat Emitter guide which is the in� uence. For sure the procurement of a heat pump system is a lot more involved and hence time consuming. At quotation stage this means either a lot more work or lots of caveats. The HPA continue to work with MCS and DECC to evaluate this and try to redress the balance.

DECC RHI CALCULATORThe DECC RHI calculator was launched recently and immediately we are looking at re� nements, in particular an ability to adjust the � oor area. Otherwise for ‘average’ size dwellings the calculator gives a reasonable assessment of the likely RHI income determined by an EPC. Of course it would be ideal to have an EPC but at this stage and one maybe available if the property has been let or purchased in the last few years however it is unlikely a potential purchaser of a system would wish to invest in an EPC before establishing the basic economics.

THE FUTURE IS ERP: SCOP NOT COPThe heat pump industry are gearing up for the forthcoming ErP Energy in Use directive from the EU. This requires all heat pump equipment to display energy consumption labels by 26th September 2014. The good news as there is a desire by the various facets of the industry to align in particular MCS, RHI & ECA (Enhanced Capital Allowance provision via the Energy Technology List). There are a number of details that need to be chosen and ideally harmoinised such as the climate data to be used, the bi-valent point

(point at which heat pump needs another direct fuel assistance ) and the design (heat load) point. Which of the 3 Climate zones to use as designated by the EN standard (Strasbourg = average climate, Athens = warm) could prove tricky for DECC in determining RHI quali� cation (UK is split crudely into the two zones) but much easier for MCS as this is a quality standard and thus it is the standardisation that is slightly more important than the overall result.

Are these factors signi� cant? Yes they are. This can make a signi� cant difference in the result which we’ll consider in the next issue.

WSHPThe HPA and GSHPA are working with DECC to promote the use of water source heat pumps, particularly open source. This is a result of an initiative from the Secretary of State following a large project being opened on the Thames at Kingston. As part of this initiative DECC are proposing to develop a more accurate heat map, detailing both the demand for and availability of, water source heat. We see this as an opportunity to further promote heat pumps in general and also to tackle some of the barriers that exist for all types of heat pump (e.g. DNO approvals) not just WSHP.

‘We see this as an opportunity to

further promote heat pumps in

general...’

‘The HPA continue to

lobby for the disconnection of Domestic

RHI from Green Deal...’

06 HPA Update.indd 6 21/10/2014 15:52

JUST ADD AIR.The new NIBE F2040 air source heat pump range offers the installer a ‘World

of Possibilities’ with preselected packs designed to be installed in new build and

retro-fit properties. The new packs consist of prepackaged hot water units, hot

water cylinders, solar thermal combinations and all controlled by an advanced

intelligent controller with easy to use colour display and featuring NIBE Uplink.

Read more about our air source heat pumps at www.nibe.co.uk

• New air source heat pump for residential & commercial buildings

• Produced in three sizes 8kW, 12kW & 16 kW

• Both heating & cooling functions

• Compact design

• Inverter Controlled compressor

• Built in condensate water tray

• An advanced new generation control-ler with easy to use controls and colour display

• Compatible with NIBE Uplink to connect to the internet for complete control anywhere

• HA-WH5-Megacoil available in 5 sizes including solar versions with 25 year guarantee

• NIBE F2040 together with SMO 20/40 and HA-WH5-Megacoil gives you a complete solution for heating/cooling and domestic hot water

AIR SOURCE HEAT PUMP

NIBE™ F2040 | OUTDOOR MODULE

NIBE Energy Systems Ltd . Tel 0845 095 1200 . www.nibe.co.uk

NIBE™ SMO20/40 & NIBE™ HA-WH5-MEGACOIL | INDOOR MODULE

NEWNNEWWWWWWWWWWW

Plumb Center PreSentS

mItSubISHI eleCtrIC AIr SOurCe HeAt

PumPS

plumbcenter.co.uk

Coming soon to a branch near you. Register your interest today – email: [email protected]

P3303 MITSUBUSHI HALF PAGE AW.indd 1 12/08/2014 09:50

p07_hptnov14.indd 1 22/10/2014 12:17:01

THOUGHTS FROM THE

08 NOVEMBER 2014

GSHPA UPDATE<title> Thoughts from the GSHP association <insert logo> as in previous issue

Renewable Heating & Renewable Cooling: Ground Source and Water Source Heat Pump Systems

<insert image> generic image of lake or river

Large rivers running through many of the UK’s cities carry a considerable amount of readily accessible energy present as low grade heat. This heat, upgraded through the use of a ground source heat pump (GSHP), can be distributed to individual properties, public sector buildings and even district heating networks to deliver warmth to thousands of people.

Long before DECC’s publication of their high-level water source heat map in August 2014, the GSHPA has been working with companies across the UK (and beyond) to make best use of a range of ground heat sources. The ground, from shallow trenches (>0.8-1.5m deep) to deep vertical boreholes, offers a vast amount of renewable heat for ‘closed loop’ and ‘open loop’ GSHP systems.

GSHP systems utilising surface water, such as lakes or rivers, can prove to be an economical way of accessing heat, as excavation (ground works) costs are kept to a minimum.

‘WATER SOURCE’ HEAT PUMPSAn open-loop water source system pumps water directly from a body of water to access the useable heat – bodies of water can be surface water (rivers, streams, lakes and canals) or groundwater (water contained within aquifers).

In suitable conditions, an open loop application can be the most economical type of GSHP system. The ground, and the groundwater contained within it, has an average temperature of between 8-120C moving north to south across the UK. Groundwater temperature, in contrast to surface water, does not vary during the course of the year. This is a great advantage for open loop, and indeed closed loop, borehole systems.

Surface waters offer an easily accessible ‘open-loop’ source, although the temperature of a river, lake or canal � uctuates considerably through the course of the year resulting in an impact on the seasonal ef� ciency of a heat pump.

For a heat pump system to work effectively, there needs to be as stable a temperature on both the source side (collector circuit) and the emitter side (distribution/heating circuit). This is one of the reasons that a GSHP has the highest coef� cient of performance (or seasonal performance factor) when compared with other renewable (and fossil) heating technologies.

WATER SOURCE IN PRACTICEThere are increasing numbers of systems being installed that make use of water – both open and closed loop – ranging from just a few kW heat demand to several MW.

Green Apple Award winning development: Open-Loop ground source heat pumps, through water supply boreholes, provide the drinking water, grey water, heating and hot water to a recent development in Buckinghamshire. The groundwater supply from the chalk aquifer made it an easy decision when choosing between closed and open-loop systems.

Plas Newydd Mansion powered by Sea Energy: The � rst of 5 schemes to be installed as part of the National Trust’s £3.5 million Renewable Energy Investment Programme, the Menai Straits have been selected as the heat source for this 300 year old listed building in Anglesey.

The 300kW marine source heat pump is expected to save the National Trust around £40,000 a year in operating costsInnovation leads to sea water heat pump for RNLI: With over 235 lifeboat stations around UK and Republic of Ireland, the team at the RNLI is always looking

for sustainable solutions. Several GSHP systems have been installed, including Exmouth, but where this is not an option, such as Lizard Point in Cornwall a seawater source heat pump was selected.

Taking water from the sea, which is � ltered to remove debris, including seaweed, plate heat exchangers are used to deliver heat to the lifeboat station under� oor heating system.

Community heating via the River Thames: Opened in summer 2014, the Kingston Heights mixed use development offers heating and hot water to 137 apartments and will provide the same to a 142 bedroom hotel with conference facilities later this year, to include cooling through an open-loop system.

The system will provide over 2MW of thermal energy for the development all year round, drawing on up to 13 million litres of water a day from the River Thames. The heat is extracted from the water by high-ef� ciency heat exchangers after passing through a two-stage � ltration process and is returned to the river with a temperature change of no more than 30C.

These are just a few examples of excellent water source systems recently installed across the UK, of which there are many others.

A LOW CARBON, ELECTRICALLY DRIVEN FUTUREWe, as the ground source industry: the contractors, consultants, designers, drillers and speci� ers are supporting this journey, working together to share knowledge and expertise. The GSHPA’s Technical Seminar: Renewable Heating & Renewable Cooling, hosted by De Montfort University on 26th November, will be an ideal time to hear updates and get more involved. Information, including an agenda, booking, exhibiting and sponsorship opportunities is available at: http://www.gshp.org.uk/De_Montfort_Seminar_2014.html.

Large rivers running through many of the UK’s cities carry a considerable amount of readily accessible energy present as

low grade heat. This heat, upgraded through the use of a ground source heat pump (GSHP), can be distributed to individual properties, public sector buildings and even district heating networks to deliver warmth to thousands of people.

Long before DECC’s publication of their high-level water source heat map in August 2014, the GSHPA has been working with companies across the UK (and beyond) to make best use of a range of ground heat sources. The ground, from shallow trenches (>0.8-1.5m deep) to deep vertical boreholes, offers a vast amount of renewable heat for ‘closed loop’ and ‘open loop’ GSHP systems.

GSHP systems utilising surface water, such as lakes or rivers, can prove to be an economical way of accessing heat, as excavation (ground works) costs are kept to a minimum.

‘WATER SOURCE’ HEAT PUMPSAn open-loop water source system pumps water directly from a body of water to access the useable heat – bodies of water can be surface water (rivers, streams, lakes

and canals) or groundwater (water contained within aquifers).

In suitable conditions, an open loop application can be the most economical type of GSHP system. The ground, and the groundwater contained within it, has an average temperature of between 8-120C moving north to south across the UK. Groundwater temperature, in contrast to surface water, does not vary during the course of the year. This is a great advantage for open loop, and indeed closed loop, borehole systems.

Surface waters offer an easily accessible ‘open-loop’ source, although the temperature of a river, lake or canal � uctuates considerably through the course of the year resulting in an impact on the seasonal ef� ciency of a heat pump.

For a heat pump system to work effectively, there needs to be as stable a temperature on both the source side (collector circuit) and the emitter side (distribution/heating circuit). This is one of the reasons that a GSHP has the highest coef� cient of performance (or seasonal performance factor) when compared with other renewable (and fossil) heating technologies.

WATER SOURCE IN PRACTICEThere are increasing numbers of systems being installed that make

use of water – both open and closed loop – ranging from just a few kW heat demand to several MW.

Green Apple Award winning development: Open-Loop ground source heat pumps, through water supply boreholes, provide the drinking water, grey water, heating and hot water to a recent development in Buckinghamshire. The groundwater supply from the chalk aquifer made it an easy decision when choosing between closed and open-loop systems.

Plas Newydd Mansion powered by Sea Energy: The � rst of 5 schemes to be installed as part of the National Trust’s £3.5 million Renewable Energy Investment Programme, the Menai Straits have been selected as the heat source for this 300 year old listed building in Anglesey.

The 300kW marine source heat pump is expected to save the National Trust around £40,000 a year in operating costs

Innovation leads to sea water heat pump for RNLI: With over 235 lifeboat stations around UK and Republic of Ireland, the team at the RNLI is always looking for sustainable solutions. Several GSHP systems have been installed, including Exmouth, but where this is not an option, such as Lizard Point in Cornwall a seawater source heat pump was selected.

Taking water from the sea, which is � ltered to remove debris, including seaweed, plate heat exchangers are used to deliver heat to the lifeboat station under� oor heating system.

Community heating via the River Thames: Opened in summer 2014, the Kingston Heights mixed use development offers heating and hot water to 137 apartments and will provide the same to a 142 bedroom hotel with conference facilities later this year, to include cooling through an open-loop system.

The system will provide over 2MW of thermal energy for the development all year round, drawing on up to 13 million litres of water a day from the River Thames. The heat is extracted from the water by high-ef� ciency heat exchangers after passing through a two-stage � ltration process and is returned to the river with a temperature change of no more than 30C.

These are just a few examples of excellent water source systems recently installed across the UK, of which there are many others.

A LOW CARBON, ELECTRICALLY DRIVEN FUTUREWe, as the ground source industry: the contractors, consultants, designers, drillers and speci� ers are supporting this journey, working together to share knowledge and expertise. The GSHPA’s Technical Seminar: Renewable Heating & Renewable Cooling, hosted by De Montfort University on 26th November, will be an ideal time to hear updates and get more involved. Information, including an agenda, booking, exhibiting and sponsorship opportunities is available at: www.gshp.org.uk/De_Montfort_Seminar_2014.html.

Renewable Heating & Renewable Cooling: Ground Source and Water Source Heat Pump Systems

08 GSHPA Update.indd 8 21/10/2014 15:53

Heating Hot water Renewables Because thinks ahead.

vaillantuk

vaillantuk

vaillantuk

We’re increasing our

air to water heat pump range and our fl exibility

Energy effi cient, easy to operate, quick to install.Switching to a Vaillant air to water heat pump is worth it.

The aroTHERM range has now got even greater. The addition of the new 5kW to 15kW outputs means you can now offer even more affordability and fl exibility across a variety of projects. As with our existing range, both of the new additions are created with cutting-edge technology, are suitable for new and existing properties and can work as part of a stand-alone or hybrid system. The range carries the Quiet Mark accreditation, making it one of the most understated miracles of engineering we’ve ever produced. What’s more, your customers will benefi t from impressive fuel savings, and RHI payments. That’s a rewarding package for everyone.

To learn more visit www.vaillant.co.uk/aroTHERM

The great feeling of making the right choice.

Potential fuel saving

+ RHI payment

£17,860*

*Calculation correct at time of going to press using Vaillant’s Renewables Calculator.*Calculation correct at time of going to press using Vaillant’s Renewables Calculator.

p09_hptnov14.indd 1 22/10/2014 12:21:05

10 NOVEMBER 2014

SIRACH

THE NETWORK FOR SUSTAINABLE INNOVATION IN REFRIGERATION AIR CONDITIONING AND HEAT RECOVERY

The Autumn SIRACH networking meeting took place on 2nd September and focused on innovations in air

conditioning and heat pumps. The meeting was hosted by Mitsubishi Electric at their plant in Livingston, Scotland. The meeting included a series of talks on innovation in the heat pump and air conditioning market, facilitated networking session and a tour of the Livingston factory. The focus was on AC and heat pumps because this is a very topical subject, with large growth predictions as we work towards the Government targets of zero carbon heating and cooling targets for buildings.

OPENING PRESENTATION FROM THE HOSTS MITSUBISHI ELECTRICPresentations included a Welcome and company overview, followed by “Heat pumps - the pivotal technology” by Carl Dickinson, Mitsubishi. Mitsubishi Electric is a supplier of energy ef� cient air conditioning equipment that will cool, heat, ventilate and control buildings. Carl highlighted some key facts on the Mitsubishi Facility at Livingston: Land Area: Factory 72,560 m2; Employees No.: 592 (April 2014) Turnover: GBP 94M (FY 2013). His presentation also focussed on heat pump technology and introduced a main focus for the meeting of heat pumps linked into heat networks – again a key part of the government’s heat strategy.

THE TRANSITION TO LOW CARBON HEATINGBoth Iain Shepherd of National Grid and Lukas Bergmann of Delta EE addressed future challenges in the transition to a low carbon heating sector: Overcoming the barriers of customer acceptance and tackling grid constraints. A key limitation being the grid capacity with signi� cant investment needed to increase grid capacity to 24GW. There will also be a need to use so-called hybrid heat pumps that include a small integrated gas boiler to deal with peak load scenarios.

TECHNOLOGY-FOCUSSED PRESENTATIONSThere were two speci� c technology-focussed presentations: Andrew Poon King (pictured), University of Glasgow, presented on the very topical subject of river source heat pumps. His presentation on heating the University of Glasgow with river water source heat pumps identi� ed that it was possible to reduce the University’s energy billing £4.6million over 20 years. Mark Worall from Nottingham University presented on a fuel cell tri-generation system for domestic buildings. Whilst in the early stages of development, the target performance was to produce a 1.5 kW low-cost durable tri-generation prototype, with 675 W electrical output and 675W of heating or cooling output. Other goals include a lifetime > 40,000 hours and a capital cost targets of <400 €/kWe.

For more information on the presentations and to download the

presentations from SIRACH meetings please visit www.sirach.org.uk

SIRACH NETWORKING CAROLE BOND, CARBON DATA RESOURCESFollowing on from some of the previous speakers’ presentations, the networking session focussed a little more deeply on barriers and enablers to the diffusion of innovative, low carbon technologies in the refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump sectors .

Carole introduced a matrix tool (known as the ‘complementarities matrix’ after Ken Wilbur), which enables barriers and enablers to the

adoption of innovation to be better identi� ed, understood and worked with, whether they occur in a personal, organisational or societal context.

The matrix illustrates that when attitudes and activities in all four quadrants are working in concert, a virtuous circle of change can be achieved. This is the key aim and also the challenge. A simpli� ed version of the matrix is shown below.

Attendees were invited to discuss with each other examples of barriers and enablers that they have themselves encountered, identifying their underlying source using the matrix and then share and develop their understanding with other groups in the room.

COMPLEMENTARITIES MATRIX:

PERSONINDIVIDUAL SUBJECTIVE FACTORSPersonal values, worldview, assumptions

JOBINDIVIDUAL OBJECTIVE FACTORS Role, skills, knowledge, experience, relationships

COMPANYCOLLECTIVE SUBJECTIVE FACTORSGroup cultures, shared mindsets, shared norms

SECTORCOLLECTIVE OBJECTIVE FACTORSPolitical, economic, social, technological, legal, environmental

The next SIRACH meeting takes place on 22nd October at the Abbey Pumping Station part of Leicester’s Museum of Science and Technology. SIRACH will be exploring the topic of heating and cooling innovation in commercial applications with a tour of the innovative Sainsbury’s supermarket at Thurmaston Leicestershire.

Also meeting at Climate Centre 5th February 2015 at Leamington Spa.

For more information on these meetings or to be included on the SIRACH mailing list please contact: www.sirach.org.uk ■

Innovation in Air Conditioning and Heat Pumps SIRACH AUTUMN 2014 MEETING

10 SIRACH.indd 10 21/10/2014 15:56

NEXT YEAR’SDATE FOR

YOUR DIARY

NATIONAL HEAT PUMP

18.06.15

Visit the websiteto book and enter!

Vies

sman

n Li

mite

d •

Telfo

rd •

Tel

epho

ne 0

1952

675

000

You Can With VitocalAward Winning Heat Pumps From Viessmann

The Vitocal 242-S split heat pump with Vitotronic 200

controller integrates 3 renewable technologies into 1, for

new build and modernisation applications.

• Vitotronic 200 controller enables solar PV and solar

thermal integration

• Solar thermal function for DHW heating

• Output range 3 - 10.6 kW

• High COP values up to 4.6

• Solar kits available that include all items required for

an installation. For both evacuated tubes and flat plates

• The Vitocal 200 range also includes Vitocal 222-S DHW

storage and Vitocal 200-S heat pumps

Winner of the retrofit project of the year 2014 - H&V News Awards

Winner of the domestic air source installation of the year 2014 - National Heat Pump Awards

Available now, for more information please see our website or email us at, [email protected]

www.viessmann.co.uk

ww

w.n

atio

nal-

heat

-pum

ps-a

war

ds.c

o.uk

p11_hptnov14.indd 1 22/10/2014 12:18:47

12 NOVEMBER 2014

HYBRID HEAT PUMPS

Heat pumps are struggling, to date, to have a meaningful role in the UK heating market. They account for less than 1%

of annual heating equipment sales and have thus far refused to budge much above the 20,000 per year mark (compare that to 1.5 million gas boilers / year).

selling a hybrid (Vaillant – � rst to the UK market via the Glow Worm brand, Viessmann, Bosch, BDR Thermea and Ariston), and Daikin were the � rst heat pump company to launch in the UK (and Europe). Energy suppliers are interested as they see hybrids providing more mass market appeal than ‘conventional’ heat pumps, and in the long-term, can provide much needed demand side � exibility by being able to switch from electricity to gas at peak times. Delta-ee’s UK heating market forecast (developed using our Pathways® modelling tool) shows hybrid sales, under our reference scenario, considerably exceeding ‘conventional’ heat pump sales and breaking well above the 100,000 units per year mark.

SMART HEAT PUMPS We expect smart heat pumps to be a driving force for the sector in the medium term. ‘Smart’ is driven by an issue much wider than just heat pumps – it is electricity system requirement for demand-side � exibility. Some countries in Europe (e.g. Germany, Denmark) are already facing immediate needs to increase demand side � exibility – and in the UK the drivers will come much stronger in the next � ve years. Heat pumps are increasingly recognised as having a part to play in providing this � exibility, and demonstration projects such as the Customer Led Network Revolution in the north of England are testing just this. The heat pump industry is already responding, for example, developing

NEW HEAT PUMPS CONCEPTS WILL CATALYSE MARKET GROWTH

Dr Lindsay Sugden, Senior Analyst at Delta-ee, highlights � ve new heat pump concepts which are helping to improve prospects for heat pumps in the market place

We highlight � ve new (or relatively new) heat pump concepts which are helping to change this. ‘Conventional’ air source and ground source products will, backed by supportive policy, grow through to 2020. But, as the diagram opposite shows, new (or relatively new) heat pump concepts will help to open up the market. We regularly

forecast future market developments at Delta-ee from bottom-up forecasts for the UK microgeneration market in the next 4 years, through to longer term scenarios for the heating market to 2025; the diagram opposite illustrates one possible future.

HYBRIDS The 2nd generation heat pump/boiler systems are now emerging having learned from the 1st generation – showing strong potential to open up the retro� t and on-gas grid sector to electric heat pumps. Our Heat Pump Research Service has uncovered a wide variety of approaches to hybrids. All of Europe’s top 5 boiler companies are

“Energy suppliers are interested as they see hybrids providing more mass market appeal than ‘conventional’ heat pumps”

12-13 Delta-ee.indd 12 21/10/2014 16:27

NOVEMBER 2014 13

HYBRID HEAT PUMPS

control strategies to maximise � exibility, accept dynamic tariffs, or have intelligent integration with energy storage. We believe ‘smart’ will trigger increasing engagement from energy companies in heat pumps as they seek to exploit the value (and share part of it with customers). Or, if time of use tariffs emerge with the smart meter roll-out, customers can access all this bene� t themselves (as is possible in Sweden today).

GAS HEAT PUMPS At the commercial scale, these are a well-proven technology, of which there are over 12,000 installs in Europe (absorption) and hundreds of thousands installed in Asia (gas engine). Both types are available in the UK and have been installed in a wide range of sectors such as schools, hotels, of� ce buildings and care homes, both on the gas grid and off (using LPG). Further, residential scale gas heat pumps are already on the European market in small numbers (adsorption) and are soon to be on the European market (absorption), with many companies having a keen eye on the UK opportunity. Gas heat pumps

look like another promising way onto the gas grid for heat pumps.

DOMESTIC HOT WATER HEAT PUMPS The only sector of the European heat pump market which has seen consistent growth recently. In the UK, the market will be far from the hundreds of thousands per year we will see in France, but nevertheless, we see opportunities in the off-gas grid market. For example, ef� ciencies of existing oil boilers can be poor when used in the summer for water heating – this creates an interesting opportunity for relatively low cost domestic hot water heat pumps to boost the ef� ciencies.

INDUSTRIAL AND LARGER-SCALE HEAT PUMPS A tiny sector in the UK today compared to its potential. When Delta-ee presented at the International Energy Agency Heat Pump Conference in Montreal earlier this year, the conference sessions with the highest “excitement” factor amongst delegates were the sessions

on advancements in industrial heat pumps. This sector has signi� cant untapped potential in the UK – energy can be captured from a wide range of sources such as river water or

industrial waste heat, as well as more conventional air or ground source, and can be used for meeting heating needs of buildings, or even providing district heating.

2009 2013 2020... & beyond

Spee

d of

mar

ket g

rowt

h

-180,000/year‘ne

w’ HPs enab

ling gro

wth?

Other emerging HPs...?

■ Gas HP

■ Hybrid HP

■ Domestic Hot Water HP

■ Air/Water HP

■ Ground-source

UK heat pump market showedlimited growth in last few years...

Where might growth come from?

Growing the UK heat pump market

NEW HEAT PUMP APPLICATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY WON’T ALONE DRIVE MARKET GROWTHThese four heat pump concepts can play a key role in driving growth. But it is clear that a number of building blocks need to be in place � rst before sustainable growth can happen. Our research at Delta-ee includes talking with hundreds of homeowners, social housing providers and installers. It shows that real and perceived barriers will play a critical role in holding back the market unless they are addressed. For example, the market needs con� dence in long term government policy to support heat pumps; quality assurance needs to be in place for product and installation; marketing and awareness raising needs to pervade through the whole supply chain; customer propositions need to be more compelling and tailored to tap into emotional needs and wants; and on-going market monitoring should feed back to the industry.

A HUGE OPPORTUNITY – BUT A LOT OF WORK TO DOIn the UK, we see a lot of positive signs that the opportunity for heat pumps can be exploited. But there is a huge amount of work for players along the supply chain to do to exploit this. And of course, government needs to play its part. We look forward to continuing to support all these players and seeing heat pumps become a signi� cant part of the UK heating market with 100,000s rather than low 10,000s of sales.

To discuss any of the research covered in this article, please contact Lindsay Sugden at [email protected]. ■

12-13 Delta-ee.indd 13 21/10/2014 16:27

14 NOVEMBER 2014

Which part of the market will bene� t most from hybrid heat pumps? “Initially, I would say that existing properties stand to bene� t most from the wider availability of hybrid heat pumps. It’s well known that the majority of existing properties in the UK are fairly poorly insulated. In fact, the vast majority of properties we have in this country were built before 1950 and most have had little or no alterations since.

“Whilst the occupants may have chosen to have double glazing � tted, on the whole these types of properties are unsuitable for a stand-alone heat pump installation. Opting for a hybrid

heat pump is therefore the perfect stepping stone to allow heat pump technology to be used in moderation during the times of year when the weather is warmer; whilst a boiler can be used during the colder months.

“As well as being suitable for older properties, a hybrid heat pump can also be a good option for new build homes too. However, I would have thought that where new build properties are concerned you might as well build the house to the required speci� cation for a heat pump in the � rst place – in which case a boiler could also be used as a stand-by for heating, as and when required.”

Although the demand for heat pumps from homeowners who are off the gas grid is possibly higher than from those on the grid, what is your view of hybrid heat pumps compared to non-hybrid versions? “As the bulk of properties we have in the UK are older properties with poor insulation, I would expect there to be greater demand for hybrid heat pump technology to meet the needs of the UK’s aging housing stock than newer properties.

“In the case of off-mains-gas properties speci� cally, it is more � nancially bene� cial to opt for this type of technology. For example, if you can substitute oil, LPG or electric with a heat pump that is working to a good ef� ciency then the homeowner will undoubtedly save money.

“That said, at the moment neither sales of heat pumps and hybrid heat pumps are moving very well in the UK. They are certainly not selling to initial levels predicted by the industry around three or four years ago.”

How much of a business opportunity are hybrid heat pumps for boiler installers? “Hybrid heat pumps represent a new business opportunity for many boiler installers, so at present we are experiencing a slow start as the trade gets to grips with different hybrid technologies available on the market and how to install them.

“As the years progress through and fuel bills start to rise in line

with the prices of fossil fuels, I think demand for hybrid heat pumps will increase as public awareness of this type of technology starts to grow. Ideally, installers will be ready and waiting to respond to as and when the upturn arrives.

In your view, what are the current barriers to homeowners having a hybrid heat pump installed in their properties?“The cost of installing a hybrid heat pump is probably the main barrier to people at the moment, as � tting a heat pump could add around £1,500 to the cost of a boiler replacement. As homeowners are relatively unaware of the existence of this type of technology right now – it is still fairly new - it may be a challenge for installers to convince people of the bene� ts at the moment.

“On the subject of installers, I suppose one of the key barriers to the take up of hybrid heat pump technology is also that installers - who we know are the main motivator for sales - are fairly unaware of the technology themselves on the whole. At Worcester we have run hybrid heat pump training courses for around two years now to support installers who are branching out into new areas. As the years go by, I think the demand for training will continue to grow as hybrid technologies become more mainstream, so we are pleased to have made an early start in this area.”

Martyn Bridges, director of marketing and technical support at Worcester, Bosch Group, talks to Heat Pumps Today about the requirement for hybrid heat pumps and the level of take-up in the UK.

HYBRID HEAT PUMPS

OF HYBRID HEAT PUMPS IN THE UKPUMPS IN THE UKTHE FUTURE

14-15 Worcester Borsch.indd 14 21/10/2014 16:31

NOVEMBER 2014 15

Heat pumps are not as well known, or even understood, by homeowners and a relatively small number of installers � t heat pumps at the moment. Surely Worcester, Bosch Group will have a natural advantage with its well-known boiler brand name amongst installers and homeowners when introducing heat pump technology to homeowners? Do you see the trust installers and consumers have in the Worcester brand as being an opportunity for business when it comes to hybrid heat pumps? “Yes very much so. As hybrid heat pumps are mainly being installed in existing properties at the moment, and we have strong brand awareness with end-users, we hope to see an increase in the take-up of this type of technology sooner rather than later. If homeowners are minded to choose a Worcester boiler then we hope they will see literature and information on our website, which may prompt them to head in the direction of a hybrid heat pump as well.”

What skills or quali� cations will installers need to have if they are to install a Worcester branded hybrid heat pump? “Essentially, there are two sorts of heat pump to consider - a monobloc heat pump and a split heat pump. A split heat pump means the installer has to connect the heat pump to a hydraulic system using the � ttings and jointing methods needed to hold refrigerant. To do that he either needs to work with someone who has the necessary refrigerant handling quali� cations or he needs to hold those quali� cations himself.

“Where monobloc heat pumps are concerned, all the refrigerant work

is done already and it is purely the primary water connections that need to be made. Installers don’t really need to hold any other quali� cations as a result, as � tting this type of heat pump is just like connecting a radiator into a system. However, if a homeowner wants RHI funding for their installation, the installer carrying out the work will need to be MCS registered as well.”

If there were no RHI scheme would hybrid heat pumps still be a good business opportunity for installers and a cost-effective investment for homeowners? “Yes. Hybrid heat pumps would still represent a good business opportunity for installers albeit probably a minority interest as opposed to mainstream. At the moment there is no great � nancial saving to be had by reducing your need for natural gas and using an electric heat pump. There is a carbon saving to be made but no � nance. However, if you are using oil or LPG, you could save around £100 to £200 per year by adding a hybrid heat pump to your heating system.”

What plans do you have for your hybrid heat pump range in the UK? “Now that we have started with the introduction of our Greenstar hybrid system we don’t intend to stop. We understand the market is going to be a long-burn rather than an overnight success but we are very aware that domestic fuel bills are only going to go one way. The UK is now a net importer of natural gas and we believe the price will only go upwards unless fracking becomes successful, but that is some years away from now.

“In the medium term though, I think we will start to see a steady increase in hybrid heat pump sales. Looking at Worcester’s product portfolio and population of boilers we already have in the � eld, there are a high proportion of combi boilers and combi boiler users out there and it’s very tough to � t a renewable technology like solar thermal to a combi boiler. For example, you have to � nd a loctaion for a hot water storage cylinder, which a house may no longer have space for with a combi in situ. However, with a hybrid heat pump that isn’t such a requirement. You need to � nd space for a buffer tank but that is signi� cantly smaller than a hot water cylinder.

“Therefore, taking into account the number of Worcester combis we know are already installed in British homes and also considering the entire population of combi boilers in the whole of the UK - which is fast approaching 16 million boilers -

a hybrid heat pump is the most likely way of reducing gas dependency.”

What are the differences between a Worcester hybrid heat pump system compared to others on the market “With regard to the Worcester Greenstar hybrid heat pump system, it is the control system more than anything that makes it different to other products available on the market. For example, the two appliances - the boiler and the heat pump - are extremely reliable and ef� cient. However, our major point of difference is that Worcester offers a very simple to use, yet sophisticated, control system. This control system has a fairly complicated algorithim in the control unit that is capable of juggling which appliance to turn on at the right time based upon fuel tariffs and weather temperatures.”

www.worcester-bosch.co.uk ■

HYBRID HEAT PUMPS

OF HYBRID HEAT PUMPS IN THE UK

14-15 Worcester Borsch.indd 15 21/10/2014 16:31

16 NOVEMBER 2014

DAIKIN

HEAT PUMP EVOLUTIONDemand for heat pumps within the domestic sector has to date been relatively contained in this country. Due to the comparatively low cost of mains gas in the UK, air-to-water heat pumps are best suited to off-gas properties and while the introduction of the domestic RHI has made a very positive contribution to their uptake, the market has nevertheless been most proli� c in off-gas areas.

For the UK’s 21 million on-gas homes however, the market for heat pumps has generally been limited to those homeowners adamant to make use of renewable resources regardless of the cost bene� t.

The advent of hybrid systems however is challenging the status quo, and Daikin’s Altherma hybrid heat pump system is opening up this larger market for the � rst time. The award-winning technology pairs an air-to-water heat pump and a gas condensing combi boiler for the � rst time, allowing the average homeowner to bene� t from a renewable technology, realising both operational and carbon savings.

Daikin Altherma hybrid differs from other bivalent heat pump systems on several other fronts. The single internal unit houses the heat pump hydro box, the boiler and all necessary hydraulic components (e.g. circulation pump, expansion vessel). This one-box solution requires only the same internal installation space as an old boiler as well as being easy to install. The slim outdoor unit can be � oor- or wall-mounted and can be sited discreetly up to 20m away from the property. And of course, as a combi system, no cylinder is required (although you can still connect to one if desired).

The hybrid system can produce � ow temperatures up to 80°C, meaning it can be connected to

existing radiators, reducing disruption and investment cost in existing properties. As the Daikin Altherma hybrid heat pump is MCS accredited, the entire system is eligible for domestic RHI payments.

The system control takes into account the householder’s fuel prices and the heat pump COP to automatically select the cheapest mode of operation. It is even able to alter the heat pump’s COP: a patented � ow control system allows it to manipulate the � ow and return temperatures by reducing the pump speed and water � ow rate, enabling the heat pump to maintain an ef� cient contribution to heating the home even in colder temperatures. In typical installations, around 65% of the heating demand will be met by the heat pump.

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE AND EVIDENCEFrom a technological perspective, it’s clear to see how hybrid is playing an integral role in making heat pumps a credible option for more domestic applications, whether on- or off-gas. However, there remains a journey to take in terms of raising awareness,

increasing knowledge, and providing the reassurance potential customers seek.

According to homeowner research commissioned by Daikin UK in September 2014, overall awareness of renewable heating systems is reasonable, with 61% of respondents claiming to have heard of technologies such as heat pumps and solar thermal. However, only 17% say they have had direct experience of such heating technologies. It’s nevertheless encouraging to learn over one in � ve (22%) have actively considered installing a renewable heating system, and 4% of the 1,000 homeowners surveyed have already taken the plunge.

There’s a multitude of reasons as to why the adoption of renewables is not greater, but alongside a perception that the investment is too great, knowledge—or a lack of—is cited as the primary reason (46%). A further 8% say it’s too confusing, while 5% admit to being put off by negative stories.

Education is clearly required to overcome this. But the survey also paints a valuable picture as to who homeowners trust when it comes to

increasing knowledge, and providing the reassurance potential customers seek.

According to homeowner research commissioned by Daikin UK in September 2014, overall

Hybrid heat pumps have the potential to change the game for domestic renewables, bridging the gap for homeowners reluctant to abandon the traditional boiler and making air-to-water heat pumps a viable option for on-gas homes in the UK. Nancy Jonsson, Product Manager Heating and Renewables at Daikin UK, explains why education, experience and evidence are now the key to adoption.

16-17 Daikin.indd 16 21/10/2014 16:34

NOVEMBER 2014 17

DAIKIN

getting advice on this subject. Second only to non-government organisations (43%) is ‘someone who has recently installed a new heating system’ (38%). With adoption levels quite low, few will currently know someone who has an air-to-water heat pump, so it stands to reason honest, unbiased and real-life case studies have a vital role to play in reassuring end users. Making the most of early adopters’ experience and harnessing real evidence, therefore, is crucial, and it’s for this reason an increasing number of manufacturers—Daikin included—are publishing written and video case studies.

period. Examining several domestic properties, including private and social housing, the study is measuring a number of key parameters—in line with dRHI and OFGEM guidance—including heat pump only energy output, total heat energy output, hot water consumption, electrical energy input into the heat pump, and gas input into the boiler.

The initial � ndings are extremely encouraging and we look forward to publishing the full report next year. We believe it will be an extremely valuable tool for demonstrating the genuine advantage of heat pump systems in real-life, typical, day-to-day situations.

DAIKIN

CONCLUSIONProduct development and government incentives are helping to make heat pumps a genuine alternative for more and more domestic properties. The barrier to adoption is no longer simply suitability or cost, but awareness and knowledge. Building a bank of evidence is therefore essential in encouraging the UK to rethink how we heat our homes. ■

METERING AND MONITORING PROJECTTo further address this need for education, experience and evidence, Daikin has also instigated an extensive metering and monitoring project to observe the in situ performance of a heat pump in a number of properties. Focusing on the Altherma hybrid product, the project seeks to provide credible, independent and scienti� cally robust evidence of the technology’s performance.

The study is being carried out by the Centre for the Built Environment (CeBE) of Leeds Beckett University (principally Dr Anne Stafford) over a full 12-month

“The award-winning technology pairs an air-to-water heat pump

and a gas condensing combi boiler for the fi rst time...”

16-17 Daikin.indd 17 21/10/2014 16:35

the iccBroad Street, Birmingham

B1 2EA

ANNOUNCINGTHE NATIONALHEAT PUMP AWARDS

THURSDAY 18th JUNE 2015

Visit: ww.national-heat-pump-awards.co.ukHave you got a project, person or product you would like to let people know about?

NHPA DPS.indd 18 22/10/2014 13:20

the iccBroad Street, Birmingham

B1 2EA

Arena Photo UK / Shutterstock.com

NATIONAL HEAT PUMP

ENTRIES ARENOW OPEN!

CLOSING DATE 1st APRIL 2015

The Awards are aimed at highlighting installations and installers of heat pumps,

both air source and ground or water source for domestic and commercial sectors.

They highlight product innovations, training excellence and public sector projects too. Also, individual consultants, installers and

champions for heat pumps are recognised and rewarded for their valuable contributions.

Visit: ww.national-heat-pump-awards.co.ukHave you got a project, person or product you would like to let people know about?Have you got a project, person or product you would like to let people know about?Have you got a project, person or product you would like to let people know about?Have you got a project, person or product you would like to let people know about?Have you got a project, person or product you would like to let people know about?Have you got a project, person or product you would like to let people know about?Have you got a project, person or product you would like to let people know about?Have you got a project, person or product you would like to let people know about?Have you got a project, person or product you would like to let people know about?Have you got a project, person or product you would like to let people know about?Have you got a project, person or product you would like to let people know about?Have you got a project, person or product you would like to let people know about?Have you got a project, person or product you would like to let people know about?Have you got a project, person or product you would like to let people know about?Have you got a project, person or product you would like to let people know about?Have you got a project, person or product you would like to let people know about?Have you got a project, person or product you would like to let people know about?Have you got a project, person or product you would like to let people know about?Have you got a project, person or product you would like to let people know about?Have you got a project, person or product you would like to let people know about?Have you got a project, person or product you would like to let people know about?Have you got a project, person or product you would like to let people know about?Have you got a project, person or product you would like to let people know about?Have you got a project, person or product you would like to let people know about?Have you got a project, person or product you would like to let people know about?Have you got a project, person or product you would like to let people know about?Have you got a project, person or product you would like to let people know about?Have you got a project, person or product you would like to let people know about?Have you got a project, person or product you would like to let people know about?Have you got a project, person or product you would like to let people know about?Have you got a project, person or product you would like to let people know about?Have you got a project, person or product you would like to let people know about?Have you got a project, person or product you would like to let people know about?Have you got a project, person or product you would like to let people know about?Have you got a project, person or product you would like to let people know about?Have you got a project, person or product you would like to let people know about?

ww.national-heat-pump-awards.co.uk ww.national-heat-pump-awards.co.uk ww.national-heat-pump-awards.co.uk ww.national-heat-pump-awards.co.uk ww.national-heat-pump-awards.co.uk ww.national-heat-pump-awards.co.uk ww.national-heat-pump-awards.co.uk ww.national-heat-pump-awards.co.uk ww.national-heat-pump-awards.co.uk ww.national-heat-pump-awards.co.uk ww.national-heat-pump-awards.co.uk ww.national-heat-pump-awards.co.ukVisit:Visit: ww.national-heat-pump-awards.co.uk ww.national-heat-pump-awards.co.uk ww.national-heat-pump-awards.co.ukVisit: ww.national-heat-pump-awards.co.ukVisit:Visit:

NHPA DPS.indd 19 22/10/2014 13:20

20 NOVEMBER 2014

HEAT RECOVERY SYSTEMS IN REFURBISHMENTS

With house prices increasing and the cost of moving considerable, more and more people are

looking to refurbish their existing property to turn it into a dream home or, at the very least, a home more suited to their needs and lifestyle. For many, this is also the ideal opportunity to incorporate ‘green’ technologies and enhance the sustainability of their property. Jon Hill, Technical Manager of Polypipe Ventilation reports

There are many well documented approaches to improving a property’s energy retention, but the question that is raised time and time again is ‘can I � t a heat recovery system in an existing property’?

MAKING USE OF STALE AIRA Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR) system ef� ciently pre-warms fresh � ltered air drawn into a building with the heat extracted from stale air leaving the building - using a heat exchanger up to 95% of waste heat can be recovered by this means. The fresh warm air is then distributed around the living areas of the home.

The MVHR units are often relatively compact and designed for either loft or wall mounting; the latter are usually conveniently hidden away in a cupboard. Finding space for the unit isn’t normally an issue in a refurbishment project. Nor is there usually any challenge with the duct runs connecting to the outside of the property as these can terminate

the duct behind trunking or � t between tight spaces. The ducting system itself also needs to be carefully designed to maximise air � ow and reduce air leakage, which means avoiding too many sharp bends. All this has an impact on where the duct runs go, but home owners are unlikely to want ducting on show in their newly refurbished property.

There are options for concealing the ducting behind bedroom wardrobes, cupboards, etc but not always possible in every room, so this needs to be given serious thought. If however the refurbishment is a major one, then you can build risers and accommodate the ducting that way.

RADIAL SYSTEMSAlternatively, you could use a Radial semi-rigid ducting system instead. Unlike traditional branch based ducting systems, Radial systems allow each room vent to be served by single or twin duct runs which connect directly to the central distribution system, evenly splitting the air from the MVHR unit. In the case of Polypipe’s Domus Radial system, this is ideal for small spaces as it uses Ø75mm semi-rigid ducting and has an ultra slim 125mm deep manifold which can easily be � tted between loft joists or in tight spaces. The small manifold size also allows for greater location � exibility, removing the need to place the manifold adjacent to the centralised appliance.

CAUTIONAPPROACH WITH

either through the roof or wall. Where challenges are most likely to arise are with the internal ducting.

Ducting for MVHR systems is normally Ø125 or 150mm (or the equivalent in rectangular) so it can be dif� cult to hide

‘Can I fi t a heat

recovery system in

an existing property?’

20-21 POLYPIPE.indd 20 21/10/2014 17:08

NOVEMBER 2014 21

HEAT RECOVERY SYSTEMS IN REFURBISHMENTS

If the property is a bungalow, then the ducting is rarely a problem, so MVHR systems may well be worth considering.

If you can accommodate the ducting in the property being refurbished, you still need to consider one other vital factor: will it be effective? By this I am referring to the degree of air tightness of the property in question. For the large majority of older properties, draughts are a way of life.

MVHR systems work by using the heat contained in the atmosphere in a building; if all warm air is exiting

through the gaps under doors or around windows, there’s nothing left for the MVHR system to use. So it is essential you check the property’s air permeability. If this is not something you are able to do yourselves, there are many companies that provide this service.

Building Regulations sets the allowable maximum are leakage at 10m³/h. Approved Document F (Ventilation) of the Building Regulations classes <5 as an airtight property and >5 as a leaky property. For MVHR to work effectively, the leakage rate

should be ≤3. Anything above that is questionable as to whether you will reap any tangible benefits from the system. This is not unachievable in a refurbishment project, but it does mean that MVHR systems are more effective in relatively new properties or ones that are undergoing a major refit, rather than a single room refurbishment.

MVHR systems have been on the market for some time, but they have only recently become prevalent with the move towards greater sustainability. With many households now deciding to stay put and refurbish their properties, this sector is also looking to benefit from the energy saving and health qualities MVHR systems can bring. But be sure to do your homework first, taking into account the possible duct runs and what needs to be done to reduce the building’s air leakage. Only then will you be able to install a truly effective MVHR system.

www.polypipe.com/ventilation  ■

‘...it’s essential you check the property’s air permeability.’

The European Heat Pump Association (EHPA) conference “Sustainable and Affordable Heating & Cooling: the Case of European Cities” took place at the Committee of the Regions in Brussels in early October.

The focus of the discussion was alternative solutions for heating and cooling in European cities. It examined

the crucial role of regional and local authorities in minimizing the overall energy demand by improving energy efficiency in their urban plan.

Dave Pearson of Star Renewable Energy (pictured left) spoke at the conference describing how the

EU Parliament could be heated from its hidden river, La Zenne. The Drammen Heat Pump project featured as a “best practice” example to illustrate how water source heat pump technology could be applied to other European cities.

HARNESSING HEAT FROM RIVERS SEMINAROn 10th September, Dave Pearson ran the ‘Harnessing Heat from Rivers’ seminar at the University of Glasgow, where 150 attendees listened to a collection of experts explaining how to make use of the abundant hidden heat in Scotland available in lochs, rivers and aquifers.

Much of this heat is largely unexploited and could have a positive impact on fuel poverty in the country. There is also plenty of potential heat in the central belt of Scotland in the disused mines, which is where much of the Scottish population lives. Although the depths of the mines vary and there are associated risks, the challenges are not insurmountable to

extract the heat from them to put into district heating schemes, for example.

THE NEED TO SPREAD THE WORDA big challenge to the widespread deployment of large heat pumps for providing renewable heat is the lack of awareness and understanding of their capabilities. It is surprising how many ‘experts’ do not not fully understand how to specify, design and install them properly, a regular frustration for Dave Pearson.

However, the policymakers at DECC and in the EU are starting to change their position and there is a growing interaction between electricity, heat and gas . Bess Hulme from DECC’s heat policy team has

recently expressed her interest in looking at how to lower the barriers to wider deployment of water source heat pumps in the UK. DECC has developed the ‘Heat Networks Delivery Unit (HNDU)’ which provides funding for district heating feasibility studies. DECC is investing £6 million into small business innovation for heat projects in the form of a competition. ■

ATTITUDES CHANGING TOWARDS HEAT PUMPS ACROSS THE EU

Bess Hulme

20-21 POLYPIPE.indd 21 21/10/2014 17:08

22 NOVEMBER 2014

ASHPsAIR SOURCE HEAT PUMP (ASHP) INSTALLATION BEST PRACTICEPaul Greengrass Business Development Manager at Pump House talks to Heat Pumps Today about best practice for Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP) installation

ASHP manufacturer’s recommendations, training, installer education and MCS requirements have all provided signi� cant improvements in the initial assessment of the heat requirements of homes in the UK.

More detailed property assessments, design guidance and heat emitter calculations have all moved the industry progressively forward.These key factors have been fundamental in differentiating the standard practice within the heating sector in boiler and radiator selection where operating temperatures are

higher and boiler output tolerances are much wider.To get the most out of an ASHP the � ow temperatures are over 20o C lower than a traditional boiler circuit resulting in signi� cantly lower ∆T’s, hence the requirement for larger

surface areas on heat emitters.The other signi� cant difference between the majority of boiler installations and ASHP’s is the location of the equipment. Boilers tend to be installed within the building envelope

and ASHP’s � tted externally.The impact of this external location requires a slightly different thought process with all the external pipe work and � ttings which are ultimately exposed not only to the external

temperatures, but also the constant � ow of high volumes of air being pulled through the ASHP.During the cold temperatures experienced in 2009/10 and 2010/11 the heating industry experienced unprecedented failures of condensing boilers due to exposed external

pipework. Drawing on the experience at that time even insulated pipework froze, this in many cases was due to the inappropriate selection of insulation. Most plumbing merchants at that

time stocked only the Grey/Silver coloured Polyethylene type which is designed for internal domestic applications only.As a result the Boiler Installation standard BS 6798 now refers to external grade weather and waterproof insulation with a protective PVC coating. This not only prevents moisture

ingress, but also maintains the insulation performance over the life of the installation by avoiding UV breakdown. All external pipework, connections and valves need to be well insulated, any uninsulated areas will be acting like a mini external radiator.

WHAT THE REGULATIONS SAY:-The Domestic Building Service Compliance Guide Installation and commissioning Table 34 states: Pipe work not contributing to the space heating should be insulated to prevent heat loss following the guidance in the TIMSA guide.

TIMSA Guide states: Hot water and heating pipe work should be insulated in all areas outside of the heated building envelope. In addition, pipes should be insulated in all voids within the building envelope and even within normally heated spaces if there is a possibility that those spaces might be maintained at temperatures different to those maintained in other zones.

The guiding principles are that control should be maximised and that heat loss from uninsulated pipes should only be permitted where the heat can be demonstrated as ‘always useful’.

With the external location of ASHP’s we also have the � ow and return pipes passing through the external wall, this can acts as a heat sink and cold bridging will occur if not insulated appropriately.

Not only does this heat loss contribute to increased fuel costs, the loss of � ow temperature can also impact on the heat input to the radiators and the balance of the system from a heat design perspective.

There are some simple steps which can be taken to eradicate this issue. Pump House have developed a new Through Wall Insulation Kit (TW-KIT) which is available through most plumbing and air conditioning merchants.

With inadequate insulation and exposed connectors ASHP ef� ciencies can be reduced by between 1.5% to 5%, this can add an additional £10 to £35 to an annual fuel bill and up to £700 over the lifespan of the heat pump system.

With ASHPs being a key product in the Governments carbon reduction program and also a technology which can help � ght fuel poverty, the correct installation and insulation is essential.

Pump House are a specialist in heat pump mounting and over support on installation best practice for further information or advice please contact their help desk on 0115 900 5858 or email [email protected]

ASHP manufacturers’ recommendations, training, installer education and MCS requirements have all provided

signi� cant improvements in the initial assessment of the heat requirements of homes in the UK.

More detailed property assessments, design guidance and heat emitter calculations have all moved the industry progressively forward.

These key factors have been fundamental in differentiating the standard practice within the heating sector in boiler and radiator selection where operating temperatures are higher and boiler output tolerances are much wider.

To get the most out of an ASHP the � ow temperatures are over 20OC lower than a traditional boiler circuit resulting in signi� cantly lower ∆T’s, hence the requirement for larger surface areas on heat emitters.

The other signi� cant difference between the majority of boiler installations and ASHP’s is the location of the equipment. Boilers tend to be installed within the building envelope and ASHP’s � tted externally.

EXTERNAL PIPEWORKThe impact of this external location requires a slightly different thought process with all the external pipe work and � ttings which are ultimately exposed not only to the external temperatures, but also the constant � ow of high volumes of air being pulled through the ASHP.

During the cold temperatures experienced in 2009/10 and 2010/11 the heating industry experienced unprecedented failures of condensing boilers due to exposed external pipework.

Drawing on the experience at that time even insulated pipework froze, this in many cases was due to the inappropriate selection of insulation. Most plumbing merchants at that time stocked only the Grey/Silver coloured Polyethylene type which is designed for internal domestic applications only.

As a result the Boiler Installation standard BS 6798 now refers to external grade weather and waterproof insulation with a protective PVC coating. This not only prevents moisture ingress, but also maintains the insulation performance over the life of the installation by avoiding UV breakdown.

All external pipework, connections and valves need to be well insulated, any uninsulated areas will be acting like a mini external radiator.

THE REGULATIONS SAY:-The Domestic Building Service Compliance Guide Installation and commissioning Table 34 states: Pipe work not contributing to the space heating should be insulated to prevent heat loss following the guidance in the TIMSA guide.

TIMSA Guide states: Hot water and heating pipe work should be insulated in all areas outside of the heated building envelope. In addition, pipes should be insulated in all voids within the building envelope and even within normally heated spaces if there is a possibility that those spaces might be maintained at temperatures different to those maintained in other zones.

The guiding principles are that control should be maximised and that heat loss from uninsulated pipes should only be permitted where the heat can be demonstrated as ‘always useful’.

With the external location of ASHP’s we also have the � ow and return pipes passing through the external wall, this can acts as a heat sink and cold bridging will occur if not insulated appropriately.

Not only does this heat loss contribute to increased fuel costs, the loss of � ow temperature can also impact on the heat input to the

radiators and the balance of the system from a heat design perspective.

There are some simple steps which can be taken to eradicate this issue. Pump House have developed a new Through Wall Insulation Kit (TW-KIT) which is available through most plumbing and air conditioning merchants.

With inadequate insulation and exposed connectors ASHP ef� ciencies can be reduced by between 1.5% to 5%, this can add an additional £10 to £35 to an annual fuel bill and up to £700 over the lifespan of the heat pump system.

With ASHPs being a key product in the Governments carbon reduction program and also a technology which can help � ght fuel poverty, the correct installation and insulation is essential.

Pump House are a specialist in heat pump mounting and offer support on installation best practice. For further information or advice please contact their help desk on 0115 900 5858 or email [email protected] ■

Paul Greengrass, Business Development Manager at Pump House, talks to Heat Pumps Today about best practice for Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP) installation

Grey/Silverinternal use only

Black class O weather proof but

not UV stable

Black PVC coated class O weather proof, UV stable

STEP

1ST

EP 2

STEP

3ST

EP 4

STEP

5

22 Pump House.indd 22 21/10/2014 16:59

AACRCRCRCRCRCRHEAT PUMPSHEAT PUMPS

0 KEEP UP TO DATEKEEP UP TO DATEKEEP UP TO DATEKEEP UP TO DATEKEEP UP TO DATEKEEP UP TO DATE

Go to www.heatpumps.todayACR & Heat Pumps Today is the fi rst port of call for all professionals

in the Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration sector, providing the very latest in industry news, views, reviews and jobs.

Get photos & information to book or enter our Awards:

National ACR Awards, National Heat Pump Awardsand the ACR Trainee of the Year Awards.

SIGN UP NOW!For our free weeklyHeat Pumps & ACR e-newsletters to get comment & opinion on today’s hot topics, competitions and much more!

Heat Pumps & ACR e-newsletters to get comment & opinion on to get comment & opinion on today’s hot topics, competitions and much more!

to get comment & opinion on today’s hot topics, competitions

TODAYACR& HEAT PUMPS

www.hea tpumps. today

Connect with us on

WP_HPT E-shot ad.indd 1 22/10/2014 12:23

24 NOVEMBER 2014

ASHP CASE STUDY

Owners of an off-grid Bedfordshire bungalow are among the � rst to successfully apply for the domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI). They are now bene� tting from convenient and reliable home heating, after swapping their solid fuel boiler for an air source heat pump package from NIBE.

THE PROPERTYBuilt in 2001, their three-bedroom, one-bathroom property was originally � tted with a high-maintenance anthracite-� red heating system. When the time came to replace it, owners Malcolm West and his wife Christine were faced with the challenge of � nding a brand new, cost-effective and energy-ef� cient solution. Being off-grid, a conventional gas system was not an option for the bungalow, so Mr West researched renewable heating systems online before enlisting the expert help of renewable energy specialist Better Planet.

THE SYSTEMBetter Planet’s team speci� ed, designed, sized and � tted the NIBE system which is made up of an 8kW F2040 air source heat pump, a 160L HA-WH5-Megacoil hot water storage cylinder, a 40L UKV40 buffer tank and SMO 20 intelligent controls. Charles Paulsen-Rakic, sales engineer at Better Planet explains: “Mr. West already knew he wanted an air source heat pump, and after carrying out a full site survey – including a heat loss calculation – we recommended the NIBE system as the best solution. Not only is it low-maintenance to run, NIBE products are also renowned for their quality and reliability – and because we are NIBE VIP Installers, the parts and labour are all backed by a seven-year warranty.”

THE INSULATIONBefore going ahead, it was crucial for Better Planet to ensure the property was adequately insulated and airtight, so the system could perform to its full potential and qualify for ongoing RHI payments. Charles continues:

“The bungalow already had cavity wall insulation, but we advised that Mr West increase the loft insulation to 250mm for maximum heat-loss protection. Given that air source heat pumps operate at lower � ow temperatures than coal boilers, we also resized all the radiators in the bedrooms to run at a maximum temperature of 50°C. The rest of the house already had water-based under� oor heating – which was the ideal match for the new heat pump – so all we needed to do was adjust the existing manifolds.”

THE RESULTThe new NIBE system is now fully up and running, providing the property with a consistent and convenient supply of hot water and space heating. The Wests have also been successfully accepted onto the domestic RHI, and expect to receive annual payments of £563 for the next seven years. Mr West says: “Charles and the Better Planet team were extremely helpful, courteous and reliable at every stage of the process, including during our RHI application on the Ofgem website. The application process itself was quick and straightforward – we did everything online and it took just two weeks from start to � nish. We’re very happy with our new NIBE air source system, and are looking forward to hassle-free heating for many years to come!”

Phil Hurley, managing director at NIBE, comments: “It’s great to see this off-grid property’s new air source heat pump package providing its owners with a whole host of economical, environmental and lifestyle bene� ts. With Better Planet taking a fabric-� rst approach to ensure optimum energy

ef� ciency throughout the whole house, the Wests can rest assured that the system will deliver best possible results. Not only are they now enjoying a high-performance, high-ef� ciency system that meets their needs with virtually no upkeep, they are also set to continue reaping the � nancial rewards of their investment long into the future.”

www.nibe.co.uk ■

“It’s great to see this off -grid

property’s new air source heat pump package providing

its owners with a whole host

of economical, environmental and lifestyle benefi ts.”

TRADING COAL TRADING COAL FOR RENEWABLE HEAT AND RHI PAYMENTS

24 NIBE.indd 24 21/10/2014 17:09

NOVEMBER 2014 25

Steve Webster, Director of EGE Energy Ltd has a neat solution which bridges the gap between a fossil fuel boiler breaking

down and its replacement with a more energy ef� cient solution. Steve describes his portable air source heat pump solution:

Our original unit was built from a surplus 5kW Mitsubishi Electric system that had been installed in our workshop as a demo unit for potential customers. I had noticed at that time, and indeed this still does happen to a lesser extent today, that once going forward in the decision making process a client who was quite relaxed when facing another winter with an archaic boiler dating back to the seventies, would suddenly start wanting a full redundancy situation either from a bivalent system or tandem heat pumps.

We also had several potential customers who wanted to make the “leap of faith” but still had the suspicion that we must be wizards using magic to heat a house from that cold winter air or frozen ground.

LOW TEMPERATURES? Another worry often voiced was if the low temperatures would really keep them warm enough. This is another area of misconception; So many systems having been upgraded with a modern boiler that read internal delta to determine � ow temperatures. We come across a lot of systems that either through poor design or lack of correct balancing have radiators close to the boiler delivering high return temperatures that cause the boiler to drop its � ow temperature.

When you measure the temperature at the index radiator (often this is the main sitting area) it is not uncommon to � nd a � ow of 50c. A lot of our customers are pleasantly surprised to discover the house is actually warmer with a heat pump once the system is operating correctly.

TEMPORARY SOLUTIONIt occurred to me that it would be a good idea to have a portable unit to install on a temporary basis in these potential customers’ homes so they could experience living with a heat pump and to reassure customers that in the unlikely event of a breakdown we had an emergency solution readily to hand.

I wanted to make the unit versatile and highly portable, mounting the heat pump on a chassis with braked wheels gave mobility. Using the 5kW unit meant we only required a 13 Amp power supply allowing us to use power from a nearby garage or shed or simply installing an external socket.

Our next decision was for hydraulic separation from the heating system through a plate heat exchanger. We � tted an expansion vessel with a pump, plus the electrics, sited in a large IP65 rated cabinet with a lockable door for safety. By using this approach the unit remains full with the correct glycol mix and ready to go. From the plate exchanger, we run insulated � exible hoses into the property, sometimes via a handy air brick or small window or, if the customer is happy, we have drilled holes at the intended future entry point. Then it is a case of hooking into the existing system. In some cases, we have even removed a radiator and

used those valves. Flow rates are low but, with the unit running 24 hours a day, it does get there. After all, it is only makeshift.

NO NEED TO WAIT FOR THE SUMMERSince building the rig, we have used the unit for customers who were waiting for summer to come but their old boiler has given up the ghost mid-winter. With these situations, once we have the immediate urgency dealt with we can then push the go button and proceed with the planned install albeit sooner than expected. We have never had to use it for a breakdown on a heat pump installation. But, what we quickly discovered was that it is a great sales tool, providing

reassurance before committing to an installation or avoiding that ’distressed’ choice of installing another oil or propane boiler due to unforeseen failure in winter. We have added an 8kW unit to the ‘� eet’ which provides us with the option of supplying either 8kW or a combined 13kW system.

We used this last winter on a six bed house renovation project for a ground source installation contract. As preparations for ground works started, a boundary dispute meant the works were put on hold for several months until legal right had been established. The owners had a moving date agreed with their purchasers so panic ensued - until we revealed all was not lost and the family enjoyed a warm Christmas.

ASHPs

There is A MYTH that when a homeowner’s gas or oil boiler breaks down replacing it is a ‘distressed purchase’ compared to purchasing a heat pump. In other words, they have no choice but to buy a replacement boiler immediately which means they would never consider installing a heat pump.

‘A lot of our customers are pleasantly surprised to discover the house is

actually warmer with a heat pump once the system is operating correctly.’

25 EGE Energy.indd 25 21/10/2014 17:10

26 NOVEMBER 2014

OUT & ABOUT

OUT & ABOUT WITH WILL HAWKINS & HEAT PUMPS TODAY

There are stark differences between the landscape for NIBE products in Sweden compared to the UK market.

The Swedish heat pump market is mature to the point where over 80% of households are heated by heat pumps, predominantly ground source. 

A large part of this market for heat pumps was driven by government policies which forbid the installation of oil boilers in new and retro� t domestic property projects. The approach of the Swedish politicians was much more ‘stick’ than the UK government’s ‘carrot’ approach with the domestic RHI. 

Granted, Swedish domestic properties are far better insulated than many British homes. In Sweden deep, sub-zero winter temperatures are common in the country, which means a poorly insulated house could have serious consequences. Fitting a heat pump makes economic sense when your house keeps the heat in easily. 

NIBE revealed that they sell around 40,000 heat pumps a year into their home market. Compare that to the UK where there are around 120,000 heat pumps in total installed across the country and you can see how much further we have to go in the UK to have heat pumps adopted more widely. 

The company, however, is not just focused on heat pumps. NIBE has a comprehensive product offering for the renewable energy market including biomass boilers, and solar products as well their ground source and air source heat pumps. This makes them a � exible supplier for any installer that wants a broad set of solutions for their customers. 

Deep in southern Sweden lies the NIBE factory in the town of Makaryd. NIBE’s factory complex is more part of the town than a separate industrial estate, and this integration into the Swedish land marks out the manufacturer’s essence. I was invited out by NIBE UK managing director, Phil Hurley, to visit them in early September, along with 12 British installers.

26-27 Out and About.indd 26 21/10/2014 17:11

NOVEMBER 2014 27

OUT & ABOUT

ROBOTS AND HUMANSThe NIBE factory is adorned above the visitor entrance with six heat pumps, a row of sentinels guarding the company’s production line from inefficiencies. Inside (I was not allowed to photograph because of the flash risk), the factory is one of the quietest I have ever visited. Much of the NIBE production line is automated, although there are skilled operators working along it to complete aspects of the build which are not best handled by a robot. 

The low noise in the factory gives the site a calm feeling as the heat pumps are built and tested. Factories are, in general, noisy places with machines stamping out sheet metal, for example, which is used in the construction of the products. NIBE has all that machinery too, but the calm efficiency of the production line belies the large volume of heat pumps that come out of the factory each year. 

INSTALLER FOCUSThe British installers on the visit were from a variety of locations including Wales, East Anglia, Yorkshire and the North West. NIBE is investing much of its marketing efforts into developing a strong base of experienced installers to help it grow its business in the UK. After all, installers have strong relationships with their local customers, and NIBE needs to make sure that it has a strong installer network if it is to increase its market share in the UK. Installers are trusted advisers to their customers who they rely on to help solve their energy challenges with solutions which quickly pay for themselves. 

What better way to do convince installers to work with NIBE than to

take a selected few out to the heart of their operations in Sweden? Some of the installers on the trip had already been convinced of the benefits of being a NIBE installer. One of the installers focused purely on NIBE ground source heat pump solutions and was in the process of installing a number of them into a manufacturing company’ sheet metal warehouse in the North of England which was going to provide a consistent temperature and humidity using renewable energy. 

NIBE is an impressive business with a long history in the renewable energy solutions market. The heat pump industry is still nascent in the UK. The future of its business in the UK looks promising, if the visit to Sweden was anything to go by. All of the installers were making positive noises about NIBE and becoming one of their ‘VIP Installers’.

Nevertheless, there is still a long journey ahead in the UK before heat pumps move into the mainstream of heating homes and businesses. But, with a strong product set, and skilled, experienced installers in place, NIBE is setting up its foundations for success well. 

www.nibe.co.uk/Installer ■

‘NIBE is investing

much of its marketing efforts into

developing a strong base of experienced installers to help it grow its business in the UK.’

Phil Hurley

26-27 Out and About.indd 27 21/10/2014 17:11

28 NOVEMBER 2014

COMPANY PROFILE

Nicholls Boreholes have combined experienced staff and up to date machinery to ensure an efficient service in

nearly all locations and geologies. The company uses many different techniques, in many different geological conditions, and adapts and develops its equipment and techniques to each individual site-specific challenge.

The company has a close working relationship with a network of hydrologists and water diviners, and use these sources to obtain the best information relating to the underlying geological conditions, likely yield and predicted water quality. These close links ensure Nicholls Boreholes can deliver a quick turnaround for customers, while having ready access to industry experts.

Virtually unique among borehole companies, they complete whole projects in house with their own staff from site survey to completion and

have already completed over 150 domestic ground source borehole systems, and over 150 water borehole systems over the last 6 years. These projects have included open and closed loop ground source borehole systems and they also undertake commercial projects with their fleet of 4 rotary drilling rigs.

As approved suppliers for the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) Nicholls can also help its clients to access funding and assist with paperwork relating to the RHI (Renewable Heat Incentive).

THE WAY THEY WORK…Ben Nicholls, Managing Director, stresses the importance of obtaining geological assessments for clients in order to give them a clear picture of what can be expected on site. He also believes that the customer’s experience should be of experienced professionals who use the best materials and the

best equipment. He believes that as the drillers represent the drilling company whilst on site, trust in them is essential, as is the relationship the customer builds with them: “Good communication is essential between all parties working on a GSHP installation” he says.

EQUIPMENTSite Access can often be tricky for domestic projects and may involve using cranes to lift equipment onto site or for the rig to be driven through existing buildings.

The company’s equipment is designed to access sites of all sizes

with minimum impact, and can drill to depths of 200m, and to a diameter between 100mm and 300mm.

Nicholls Boreholes has developed a hydraulically-driven Loop Feeder, a robustly designed solution for the safe and efficient installation of borehole probes. Although initially designed to meet the needs of its own drillers, Nicholls Boreholes identified a gap in the market for such a machine and has developed a system which will integrate seamlessly into the existing hydraulic circuits and controls on many drill rigs, from a variety of manufacturers.

www.nichollsboreholes.co.uk ■

“It’s important to use a drilling company that has experience in ground source heat pump

boreholes and in the geology that you are drilling in”

BEN NICHOLLS, MANAGING DIRECTOR NICHOLLS BOREHOLES.

An established family run business based in West Sussex, Nicholls Boreholes, drills and installs boreholes for open and closed loop ground source heat pumps (GSHP). Working mainly in the south east of England, the company provides solutions for some of the most complex geologies in the area.

COMPANY PROFILENICHOLLS BOREHOLESDOMESTIC DRILLING

28 Company Profile.indd 28 21/10/2014 17:13

NOVEMBER 2014 29

VAILLANT

When it came to heating the house, Emma and Richard wanted an efficient system. As the property is in an

off-gas area and has 1.5 acres of land, a ground source heat pump was suggested as an ideal solution. A Vaillant geoTHERM exclusive 8kW ground source heat pump was installed, with a built-in 175 litre tank for domestic hot water, along with a Vaillant 300 litre buffer tank. The actual install took place over several months in early 2013. The two ground loops (each 225m in length) were dug into the paddock adjacent to the house using a trenching machine to

minimise disruption and churn to the earth. The loops were buried 1m apart and 1.5m down, while the pump itself was installed into the utility room.

The installation of underfloor heating throughout the house is perfectly suited to a ground source heat pump due to the low flow temperature, and efficiency of the system is maximised through the use of a weather compensation control.

The installation of the geoTHERM heat pump will enable the Meadens to meet their objective of creating an economically sustainable home and reducing their monthly outgoings to a minimum.

Alex Driver of renewable heating specialist Orangehouse Renewables, who installed the system, said: “All the way through the project, Vaillant gave us access to a wealth of technical experience and expertise, and we came to view them as not just a supplier or a manufacturer, but as a trusted partner. The geoTHERM is a quality product built to last, and we have complete faith in the technology to deliver year after year.”

Emma Meaden, homeowner, said: “As a company with both proven technology and a proven heritage, we really felt that we could rely on

Vaillant. The fact that we were able to visit one of their Centres of Excellence and actually view the product and speak to the experts really helped to reassure us that we were making the right decision”

Annual fuel saving (vs oil): £561Projected lifetime fuel cost saving: £32,125RHI cash back (over 7 years)*: £18,111System payback: 5 years (approx)

www.vaillant.co.uk ■

In 2012, Emma and Richard Meaden bought a remote 400-year-old farmhouse near Peterborough, with plans to build a sustainable home. The ambition was for the finished house to cost as little as possible to run to minimise their monthly outgoings; therefore, several energy-saving measures were put in place, including rainwater harvesting and the use of SIPS panels for the new extension.

VAILLANT’S MEADEN PROJECT

29 Vaillant.indd 29 21/10/2014 17:32

The system is available with a range of advance ultra stable infra-red gas analysers, which require NO CALIBRATION in service.

TQ Environmental plc, Flanshaw Way, Wakefi eld WF2 9LP+44 (0) 1924 380700 [email protected]

The TQ4200 is a compact, low cost solution to a multipoint refrigerant gas leak detection.

Anti-Corrosion Coatings for Fin Coil Heat Exchangers

U N I T E D K I N G D O M

E. [email protected]

www.Blygold.com

for Fin Coil Heat

Tel: 0117 980 2520www.climalife.co.uk/www.climalife.dehon.com

Soluti ons for Solar Thermal & Heat Pump Applicati ons

✔ Heat Transfer Fluids✔ Cleaning products

CALL NOW

GET YOUR COMPANY SEEN!A D V E R T I S E H E R E I N

www.heatpumps.today

Call James Knight on 01778 395029 or Email [email protected]

HEAT PUMPS TODAY

ashbury 4/12/05 2:57 PM Page 1

Call us now on 01474 338705/338725www.ashburyassociates.co.uk

Email: [email protected]

DISTRIBUTOR SALESWest London to £35k+benefits+bonusThis leading air conditioning equipment manufacturer requires a qualified engineer with internal/sales experience. You will assist and support their distributor in various EU countries to maintain and increase sales of their products, creating and implementing business strategies. Ref:T3183

SERVICE MANAGERSN.West and Midlands c£43+car+benefits This is an excellent opportunity for experienced service managers to join this leading refrigeration, air conditioning and process engineering contractor. The successful candidates will be responsible for the operational management and profitable growth of the Service Business in their regions. Ref:T3179/80

APPLICATIONS ENGINEEREast Yorkshire Neg. salary and benefits An engineer with substantial experience with an emphasis on fan engineering is required by this manufacturer. You will take the lead on applications engineering issues for their European customers, providing technical support and guidance to the sales team and customers. Ref:T3176

SALES MANAGERSS & N England to £50k+car+bonus+benefitsExcellent opportunity to join a major player in the distribution of air conditioning and refrigeration equipment and components. You will be responsible for the management and motivation of a regional sales team. Previous sales management experience is essential. Ref:T3178

SALES/APPLICATIONS ENGINEERSKent & Camb. c£35k+car+benefitsThis well established refrigeration and air conditioning contractor is looking to further strengthen its team. You will be responsible for securing profitable projects in the South East. The ideal applicant will have a proven sales track record matched with a good technical background. Ref:T3182

INTERNAL SALES ENGINEER Surrey c£33K + BensOur client requires an experienced internal sales engineer who will be responsible for selecting and generating technical proposals for chillers, AHUs and associated equipment, dealing with the process from client order to delivery. Ref:T3133

AHU SALES ENGINEERKent/Sussex c£45k+car+comm.+benefitsThis leading manufacturer of air handling units is looking to further strengthen its sales team. You will be responsible for calling on consultants and major contractors to generate enquiries and secure orders and assisting clients with design & selection. Ref:T3156 CHILLER ENGINEERSLondon/Home Counties c£33k + t/t + o/t + vanExcellent opportunity to join a professional service operation operating from London to the Midlands. You will be responsible for the service and maintenance of a wide range of air and water chillers. Screw and recip. chiller experience is essential. Ref:T3158

REFRIGERATION & AC ENGINEERSouth East to £33k+car+benefitsThis south east based contractor has an immediate requirement for an engineer to be responsible for the service & maintenance of refrigeration and air conditioning equipment. The ability to strip down and rebuild compressors and heavy commercial/industrial experience would be ideal. Ref:T3177

INDUSTRIAL REFRIGERATION SERVICESouth East £45k+car+benefitsExcellent opportunity to join a well-established refrigeration manufacturer. You will be responsible for the service & maintenance of a wide range of industrial refrigeration equipment and systems. The ideal applicant must have ammonia experience. Ref:T3174 SALES ENGINEERSouth East c£35k+car+comm+bens.This leading distributor of air conditioning and refrigeration equipment and components is looking for a proven technical Sales Engineer to develop and maintain good business relationships and assist account customers with the design, selection and pricing of air conditioning and refrigeration equipment. Ref:T3165

For further details contact either TERRY WHITE or ROGER PRICE at

Ashbury Associates Ltd., Crown House, Home Gardens, Dartford, Kent DA1 1DZ

t 01322 424636 f 01322 424637 e [email protected]

For further details contact either TERRY WHITE or ROGER PRICE at

Ashbury Associates Ltd., Crown House, Home Gardens, Dartford, Kent DA1 1DZ

t 01322 424636 t 01322 424636 t f 01322 424637 f 01322 424637 fe [email protected]

For further details please contact TERRY WHITE or ROGER PRICE

Ashbury Associates, The Old Rectory, Springhead Road, Northfleet, Kent DA11 8HN

t 01474 338705/338725 f 01474 338749 e [email protected]

p30_hptnov14.indd 1 22/10/2014 12:20:04

NOVEMBER 2014 31

WHAT’S NEW IN NOVEMBERHOT SHOTS

TOSHIBA LAUNCHES NEW GENERATION OF DAISEIKAI AIR CONDITIONINGToshiba Air Conditioning has introduced a new generation of its premium Daiseikai air

conditioning systems, setting a new industry benchmark for performance.

The advanced inverter-driven Toshiba Daiseikai 8 heat pump is designed to deliver

efficiency and comfort, and boasts one of the lowest noise levels for a commercial air

conditioning indoor unit in its class.

In addition to a triple A+ energy rating (AAA+) for both cooling and heating, the new

high wall Daiseikai units have a special quiet mode that enables them to operate down

to 20dB(A), equivalent to the ticking of a wrist watch in an otherwise silent room.

The performance improvements have been made possible via several new

technologies which work in combination: a new type of vector contolled power

inverter, a new design of four-way valve and a

redesigned arc-shaped heat exchanger.

T: 0870 843 0333 E: [email protected]: www.toshiba-aircon.co.uk

CARRIER LAUNCHES ITS AWARD WINNING WATER COOLED CHILLER IN UKCarrier has now launched in the UK its AquaEdge 23XRV, believed to be the world’s first

fully integrated, variable-speed, water-cooled screw chiller range.

This innovative, tri-rotor screw-compressor chiller incorporates significant breakthroughs in

water-cooled technology to achieve exceptional performance and reliability.

The Carrier AquaEdge 23XRV complements the existing 30XWV AquaForce range of twin-screw

compressor units. The two technologies give clients the widest range available for this product

segment. The 23XRV range, formerly known as the ‘Evergreen’ chiller, has won many awards

around the world in the last few years and has been improved and extended for its UK launch.

The AquaEdge 23XRV uses non-ozone depleting HFC-134a refrigerant and patented

tri-rotor compression technology, making it one of the most efficient, reliable and

durable chillers in the industry.

T: 01372 220220 E: [email protected]: www.carrieraircon.co.uk

FERNOX INVESTS IN FLEET TO ENHANCE UK DISTRIBUTIONWater treatment manufacturer Fernox has invested in its distribution capability, unveiling

its new UK livery at the same time. The branded fleet is unveiled this month, enabling

improved transport and distribution efficiency and an enhanced service for customers.

Fernox turned 50 this year and is marking its five decades as a pioneering force in

the heating industry with a year-long ‘Win £50k of heating products’ prize draw and a

series of promotional campaigns. The launch of the company’s new fleet livery is another

event in its year of celebrations as the Fernox makes water work fleet takes to the road.

Global Marketing Director of Fernox, Francine Wickham, said: “This year has been a

big year for Fernox with our 50th anniversary. We are continuing to invest in the latest

technology to deliver the best possible service to our customers.”

T: 0330 100 7750  E: [email protected]: www.fernox.com

SPRUE NOCO BOILER SHUT-OFF SYSTEM OFFERS ENHANCED PROTECTION AGAINST CARBON MONOXIDEThe latest addition to Sprue Safety Products’ expanding range of home safety solutions

will offer an added level of protection against potentially lethal carbon monoxide (CO).

The noCO system provides the highest level of protection against carbon monoxide

for homeowners and tenants. In the event of a carbon monoxide leak, it will shut down

the gas boiler.

Compatible with any boiler make or model, the noCO system comprises a mains

powered control unit with sealed-for-life battery-powered carbon monoxide alarms,

which are all connected wirelessly.

All noCO alarms comply with the

relevant clauses of the European Carbon

Monoxide Alarm standard EN 50291:2010

and carry a two-year warranty.

W: www.sprue.com or www.fireangel.co.uk

PANASONIC’S NEW PUMP DOWN SYSTEM DETECTS REFRIGERANT LEAKS EARLYPanasonic has developed an innovative solution to detect refrigerant leaks in VRF

systems, offering complete assurance and protection for end users, building occupants

and the environment.

Panasonic’s innovative Pump Down System is ideal for hotels, offices and public

buildings where safety for occupants and the building owners is of utmost importance.

The system monitors refrigerant leakage continually and provides a warning before refrigerant

leaks. The system can be connected in two ways,

either with a leak sensor or an innovative algorithm.

Functions of the Pump Down System:

• Detect the leakage

• Activate pump down process

• Collect the gas in the tank

• Close the valves to isolate the gas

T: 01344 853182E: [email protected]: www.aircon.panasonic.eu

JAGA LAUNCH FAST-TO-FIX LST RADIATORThe new Guardian LST from Jaga Heating Products has been specifically designed to be

the UK’s fastest and easiest low surface temperature (LST) radiator to install.

On site, it would take a single professional installer just a matter of minutes to

install any Jaga Guardian LST, without any special training. It also provides the perfect

combination of high output heat convection and safe surface temperature for a range of

applications. Jaga recommends the Guardian LST for use in locations such as care and

nursing homes, nurseries and pre-schools and public buildings.

Available in wall mounted (WT) and flush to the floor (FT) options to cover every

application, its casing has rounded corners and chamfered profiles to avoid sharp

edges and minimise the risk of injury to building occupants from accidental impact.

Crucially, the casing stays safe at a cool to touch temperature of less than 43°C,

even at high flow temperatures, in keeping with all current legislation.

T: 01531 631533 E: [email protected] W: www.jaga.co.uk

To advertise your product or project in Hot Shots, please contact Shelley Bright on 01778 391172 or e-mail [email protected]

31 Products.indd 31 21/10/2014 17:39

p25_hptnov_dec13.indd 1 05/12/2013 12:16:56