Low carbon heating will soon be standard in all new homes. Anna Wakefield, Head of Marketing for Grant UK explains why heat pumps should be the first choice for new builds.
A recent new build in Cornwall shows why heat pumps and underfloor heating are an ideal match and is a good example of how renewable technologies can be used to meet heating and hot water demands whilst also leaving a low carbon footprint. The four-bedroom property includes a master bathroom, an ensuite shower room plus a further ground floor shower room. An air source heat pump was selected as the main heat source alongside a new hot water cylinder and an underfloor heating system. This was all designed and installed to meet the space heating and hot water demands of this sustainably built home and provide a comfortable environment for its owners.
“The clients gave us a design brief and we came up with a system to suit the needs of their property,” says Tom Smith, the installing engineer. “Being an eco-friendly build, this property needed a sustainable heating system that would help the client achieve a low carbon footprint. A Grant Monowave cylinder and 10kW Aerona³ heat pump were a perfect match with the Uflex underfloor heating.”
The 10kW heat pump is one of four models within the Grant Aerona³ R32 air source heat pump range. Monobloc in design, the Aerona³ heat pumps are inverter driven units and are highly efficient, achieving an ErP rating of A+++. The 10kW model’s excellent performance is marked by its high SCOP value of 5.22, demonstrating its efficient operation even when external temperatures are low.
Underfloor heating was installed across both floors of the property as the preferred method of evenly distributing heat into the living spaces of the home.
Preparation
It is always essential to start with a full room by room heat loss calculation to determine the size of heat pump required to meet the design conditions for the property concerned. It is also critical that the heat emitters and pipework are sized to deliver the required heat output at the lower heat pump system flow temperature. Assistance with these important processes is available from Grant UK’s in-house design team and through installations taking place via the G-CERT Scheme.
And finally, from the customer’s perspective, it is vital to ensure the correct handover of the heating system to ensure they understand how to use the system both efficiently and effectively and, in particular, that they know the difference in controlling a low temperature underfloor heating system compared with a high temperature fossil fuel system using traditional radiators.
This installation in Cornwall was one of three eco-houses Tom Smith Plumbing and Heating Services has completed in Perranporth and a mixture of Grant renewable heating systems have been fitted in all the properties. Judging by the changes outlined in the recent consultations, even more of the UK’s new homes will be built using heat pumps as their preferred heating solution.
