26 Heat Pumps
Finding the right technology for energy-efficient heating and hot water projects requiring quick and cost effective installation can prove difficult, but as Tony Evanson, managing director at Oceanair explains, air-source heat pumps can provide the answer
Come dine with me at Carluccio’s
ACCORDING to the Carbon Trust, heating and hot water can account for up to 60% of a building’s (financial) energy costs and with new commercial buildings subject to a range of regulations from emissions reduction (Part L of the Building Regulations) to ventilation (Part F of the Building Regulations), ensuring the building complies with these is a very real challenge.
Finding a highly efficient, eco-friendly and above all cost-effective solution for a commercial building is a key challenge often posed to HVAC installers. A key consideration is that the technology has to be scalable, meaning that the equipment can be installed in buildings of varying sizes, and offer both small- and large-scale heating solutions.
The technology also has to be environmentally friendly when compared to existing technologies, offering demonstrable energy-use and emissions savings and that in most cases it will deliver operational cost savings when compared with fossil fuel alternatives.
Businesses are looking for greener and affordable alternatives to their traditional gas boilers. Recent improvements to air source heat pump technology, including compact single unit systems, can provide a solution. They offer space saving, energy- efficient heating and can be easily adapted for installation in commercial premises.
Sustainable solution
When international restaurant chain Carluccio’s approached us wanting to reduce its energy bills as well as its carbon footprint, it was an air-to-water heat pump system that we suggested would provide them with a sustainable solution. Existing electrically heated systems that were installed in its other branches were proving to be inefficient, resulting in extremely high running costs.
We worked alongside installers FWP Air Conditioning to design and install a system
which would provide the desired volume of hot water, at the correct temperature while at the same time, lowering costs. Taking advantage of heat recovery technology and our expertise in this arena, a solution was designed which, using waste heat from the restaurant kitchen, further enhanced the energy efficiency of the Panasonic Aquarea air source heat pump. Following a consultation with Carluccio’s, it was decided that its new site in the Meadowhall shopping centre in Sheffield would be the ideal test location as it had the correct attributes for such as system. Performance readings could then be taken at this site, and measured against a traditional site to establish potential cost savings of the new approach. FWP installed a Panasonic 12kW Aquarea T-CAP mono bloc unit which would allow for the free air from the kitchen roof space to be transferred through the condensing unit providing hot water at the optimum temperature. With a high co-efficiency of performance (COP) it would provide approximately 4kW of energy, for every kilowatt of electricity the system uses.
Meters were installed on the units to monitor energy use of the heat pump and immersion heaters since installation; a water meter was also installed to the incoming mains water to calculate water usage. Electrical meters were also fitted to the incoming electrical supply of the existing system at their similar sized restaurant in Leeds to compare costs. Readings were taken during the first few weeks of this year at a point when the outdoor temperature was particularly cold meaning the heat pump would be at its least efficient.
When we compared the Sheffield site to the Leeds restaurant, the energy savings were considerable. To heat the water in Leeds cost £3870 per year, while at the Meadowhall site the comparable cost was just £908. These sizable savings mean
Carluccio’s will see a return on investment in about two years.
The results of the trial showed Carluccio’s that it could achieve significant savings on their energy costs as well as reducing their carbon footprint. The company is now installing air source heat pumps at some of its new restaurant developments and may potentially retrofit ASHPs to the other existing 50 restaurants in the chain.
A wide choice
It is important for specifiers and contractors to understand why air-to- water heat pumps can offer a solution to businesses which require a constant demand for hot water. As well as restaurants; leisure centres, hotels and hairdressers can all benefit from this energy efficient technology. Businesses can take advantage of the Renewable Heat Incentive introduced to increase the uptake of renewable technology. By driving change in a heat sector currently dominated by fossil fuel technologies, the RHI can help the UK meet EU targets to reduce carbon emissions and improve energy security.
Carbon Trust Accreditation There is also the opportunity for an installation to be eligible for funding from the Carbon Trust. The financing scheme is designed so that anticipated finance payments are offset against the anticipated energy savings, which means the equipment should pay for itself. Oceanair is the first distributor to gain accreditation by the Carbon Trust for the supply of air source heat pumps.
The Carbon Trust Accredited Supplier scheme is a scheme for high quality energy efficient equipment and renewable technology suppliers. It provides independent validation and recognition of a supplier’s skills and services – a much needed and trusted quality standard in a crowded and fast growing market place. Accredited suppliers must meet or exceed criteria set by the Carbon Trust designed to examine their capability to deliver thoughtful, well-designed energy efficient and renewable energy systems. Only Carbon Trust accredited suppliers are included in the Green Business Directory. From a capital cost, ease of specification and installation perspective, heat pumps tick the right boxes for contractors. Importantly, for the commercial sector, they can provide significant energy savings at a time of rising fuel bills as well as being environmentally friendly.
ACR News November 2013 Visit ACR News online at
www.acr-news.com
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