PHPD hears from Grant, whose Aerona³ air source heat pump was recently used at a development in Wiltshire.
The number of air source heat pumps being installed is increasing year on year and these figures look set to grow; the UK Government has announced its ambitions, committing to net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and manufacturers are now gearing up to meet demand. Householders too are more aware of the need to lessen their dependency on fossil fuels.
The recent Future Homes Standard consultation response also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to heat pumps, targeting a 31% reduction in carbon emissions for all new homes which would be achievable through fabrics standards and low carbon technologies. In a recent announcement, the Welsh Government committed to renewable energy and cutting-edge technologies in its new-build standards and banned fossil fuel boilers in new social housing from the 1st October 2021. All of this new legislation and the UK’s Net Zero commitments are driving the use of renewables by housebuilders and developers.
Farmhouse development
A four-bedroom farmhouse built on the border of Wiltshire and Berkshire, has had a renewable heating system installed including a Grant Aerona³ air source heat pump, hot water cylinder and heat emitters. This property completes the development of four sustainably built homes, all of which have heat pumps fulfilling their heating and hot water requirements.
In 2018, the development of these new homes commenced in Ramsbury, a village based on the outskirts of Marlborough. The final property onsite to be completed was this farmhouse, the largest of the four homes. The developers, Polgate Ltd, were adamant that all of the properties needed to be sustainably built and able to operate as efficiently as they could so a renewable heating system was the solution.
Managing Director of Polgate Ltd, Howard Porter, explains why air source heat pumps were selected for this development. “It had to be a renewable source of energy,” says Howard, “as we have not used oil, gas or solid fuel for over a decade. After working with our independent energy assessor at the design stage, we were easily able to achieve the Planner’s requirement of a Code 4 level of efficiency using a high insulation input with the Aerona³, even for such a large home.”
The final property built, the farmhouse, was completed in May 2021. This 3,500 square foot farmhouse has four bedrooms (with the design potential for five bedrooms), including a master suite, three bathrooms plus a spacious downstairs living area comprising of the kitchen, sitting room and study. The heat loss calculation for this large farmhouse, which was carried out by Grant UK’s Design Team, determined that the twin-fan, Aerona³ 17kW R32 heat pump was required to fulfil its heating demand.
“It took around five years to get the current planning resolved, but you look at the site now and it makes perfect sense,” explains Howard. “The courtyard setting of the cottages is very private, and the whole site is landscaped and the boundary soft screened with natural hedging, Holme Oak and many other specimen trees.”
