Heating Industrial and commercial 1
> projects is to use highly controllable heat emitters with
a low internal thermal mass, but capable of using low
grade heat.
Although he acknowledges that some specifiers have
an aversion to using fan-assisted heating because of
the perceived increase in energy consumption to run
the fans, Shuttleworth believes fan convectors or low
water content convectors to be a particularly efficient
and responsive heating solution.
‘These products offer a fast response on warm-
up and to changing internal temperatures, taking
advantage of internal and solar heat gains to reduce
energy consumption. In fact, recent tests carried out
by an education authority on two similar schools with
similar condensing boiler plant suggested that low
grade heat fan convectors used 30 per cent less energy
than under floor heating to maintain the same design
conditions.’
Graham Rodd, managing director of MHG Heating,
believes that condensing boilers and radiators also
offer a highly responsive heating system provided they
are controlled properly. He says: ‘The application of
good controls with good feedback to the boiler gives a
heightened level of control and economy and makes
ecological sense because the boiler will reduce its
output according to the conditions. A boiler is a boiler
to a degree, but it is how that is controlled that really
The matters.’
application of
He believes that control is the key to energy efficient Sector changes have influenced heater design.
heating system design and that “intelligent” controls
good controls
are the best way to guarantee the right temperatures ‘My advice to consultants is to get back to basics and
with good at the right time. really establish at the front of the project what the heat
feedback to the
For Mills, the building application determines the and hot water demand will be for this particular project,
heating requirement: ‘The design of the heating system how it’s going to be used, how it will be controlled, and
boiler gives a
depends not only on the fabric of the building and how to establish whether improvements have been made
heightened level well it is insulated, but also on the way the building is to the building.
of control and
used. If, for example, you take a nursing home that ‘All this will equip you to decide on the most cost-
is occupied 24 hours a day, it does not need so much effective and energy-saving way to heat the building.
economy –
responsiveness. On the other hand an office building, It is important to consider the number of heat
Graham Rodd say, needs a quick heat up in the morning. generating units needed for security of supply, too.’ l
Mixing heat-generating technology can bring benefits
There is, of course, no reason why the designer of renewable sources such as heat pumps or solar
shouldn’t specify more than one heating system for thermal systems and conventional heat generation
an industrial/commercial application. Indeed, many can work well together. However, he adds this caveat:
in the industry advocate this approach. ‘Obviously, the cost benefit has to be weighed up
MHG Heating’s Graham Rodd puts it this way: because often the energy saving you are going to get
‘MHG believes the future to be integrated systems from adding the heat pump to the boilers may not be
with renewable and conventional heating sources economic in certain situations. Each heating system
under a coherent controls strategy.’ has to be taken on its own merit and it is very difficult
To that end, the company has developed the to use a broad brush with these things.
ThermiPro hybrid heat station which combines a ‘It can be beneficial, but there are several factors
7.3kW air/water heat pump and a 7.7 – 26.8kW gas- to consider. For example, if it is a new build project
condensing boiler in a single unit. The ThermiPro underfloor heating can be a good option for modern
also comes with a standard solar link-up to supply condensing boilers or heat pumps or using heat back
hot water and supplement the heating system. up from solar systems. Because UFH is designed to
Buderus’s Pete Mills is more cautious about use lower temperatures you can get greater benefit
combined systems. He agrees that a combination out of all these other options.’
54 CIBSE Journal February 2010 www.cibsejournal.com
CIBSEfeb10 pp50-55 feature_Heating.indd 54 29/1/10 14:31:51
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