News
Solar heating fitters ‘are
wrong on payback costs’
n
Fitting solar-powered heating collectors, saying that only
systems without updating evacuated tubes would deliver the
boilers and water heaters is just required performance in Northern
“being seen to be green” and Hemisphere countries.
won’t save money, according to a “Evacuated tubes are lighter,
manufacturer. higher efficiency and work well
Steve Addis, from solar system even on cloudy days, but they can
manufacturer Lochinvar, said there be a bit delicate so require more
were too many companies trying to maintenance,” he said.
convince customers they could earn Collectors should be certified
their money back on energy savings to BS/EN 12975 and should be
delivered by solar thermal systems. installed at 30 degrees off the
“Most people seem to fit horizontal facing south to capture
solar systems because they want maximum solar energy.
to be ‘seen to be green’,” Addis He said users could bank
told delegates to a recent CIBSE/ on an average of 800 watts of
AHSRAE meeting. solar energy per square metre of
“But they often forget about the A lot of solar projects are being specified without enough attention to cost, it is argued collector on a sunny day, falling
primary heat source. There is no to about 200 watts in overcast
point putting in a renewable and number of solar projects being with not-for-profit organisations conditions. However, he added
then adding a standard efficiency specified – mainly because they are able to claim back up to 50 per that there was a huge difference
water heater or boiler. A condensing not being selected on cost. cent of the total installed cost, but in solar irradiation levels between
boiler will save far more carbon than The grants being provided payback would still be around 20 the south and the north of the UK,
the solar ever will.” by the Low Carbon Buildings years, Addis claimed. with installations requiring greater
Despite the lack of payback, Programme can improve the Addis also warned specifiers surface area in the north.
Addis said there were still a large economics of a solar installation, to be wary of flat plate solar www.cibseashrae.org
‘Smart’ study
published
A study on how ‘smart’ technologies
could help cut carbon emissions in
new dwellings has been compiled.
The document offered industry
professionals the chance to add
their comments about the way
smart home solutions could help to
meet the performance levels of the
Code for Sustainable Homes.
Compiled by ibexcellence, Smart
Home Systems and the Code
for Sustainable Homes provides
evidence of how smart technologies,
such as smart meters and fabric-
mounted heat flow sensors, have
already been used to improve the
social, economic and environmental
York goes green in effort to cut CO
performance of homes.
2
by 25 per cent
Mike Perry of BRE, who co-wrote City of York Council’s property have a biomass boiler to provide 10 Sports Centre will have an 82
the report, said: “This report services are going green by per cent of the school’s energy. It megawatt annual yield from its
aims to open up a dialogue about installing carbon-free technologies will be fuelled by pellets made from solar panels, with biomass boilers
incorporating smart home systems in an attempt to cut emissions by wood-processing waste. making up the shortfall.
into the code and mainstream 25 per cent by 2013. The Park and Ride ticket office Sustainability engineer George
practice.” Buildings account for 70 per cent at the McArthur Glen Designer Sands said: “Many of these
The code aims to minimise the of City of York Council’s carbon Outlet will be heated by a ground applications are expensive to install
use of energy in new builds and uses emissions, and the authority source heat pump, the ground loop and have higher energy purchase
a scale of one to six to rate efficiency: proposes to use new technologies being in the same trench as a new costs than fossil fuels, but offer huge
one is the poorest and six is the in three new developments. drainage system. annual carbon savings – and that’s
best. The study is free to download Joseph Rowntree School will And the new pool at Oaklands the long-term benefit we want.”
at www.ibexcellence.org
12 CIBSE Journal February 2009 www.cibsejournal.com
CIBSEfeb09pp12 news•.indd 12 5/2/09 14:13:34
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