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BSEE HEAT PUMPS


uNaonal Trust property, the Needles Old Baery, on the Isle of Wight, benets from a Dimplex air source heat pump which provides heang and domesc hot water for the tearoom and oces. Picture: Naonal Trust.


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HISTORIC BUILDINGS A re‘new’able lease of life


uDumfries House in Scotland now has air source and ground source heat pumps as part of a new sustainable community.


Chris Stammers, Product Markeng Director at Dimplex, explores how heat pumps can help to secure the future of some of the UK’s most historic buildings.


properties to private family estates, the UK is home to hundreds of historic buildings that rely on outdated, inefficient fossil fuel heating systems to heat large, poorly insulated rooms. Built in a different era, without any of the building fabric advances or building insulation that would come as standard in a comparable modern property, the excessive cost of heating remains one of the biggest risks to the future of such buildings. There is, however, a viable solution. In many cases, the answer lies in future- proof, renewable heating technologies such as heat pumps, which can improve sustainability and reduce heating bills without compromising on aesthetics, planning requirements or even conditions of listed status.


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We have seen a steady increase in the number of historic buildings turning to renewable heat. Successful projects include Dumfries House in Scotland, where air source and ground source heat pumps are amongst the technologies installed as a part of a new sustainable community, and the Needles Old Battery, a popular National Trust site on the Isle of Wight where a Dimplex air source heat pump now provides heating and domestic hot water for the visitor tea room and offices.


In fact, the National Trust is one organisation that has grabbed the opportunities presented by renewable heating with both hands. In 2015 it announced a £30million investment in renewable energy to heat and power more of its historic buildings, following a successful pilot, which saw the completion of five renewable energy projects at National Trust properties since 2013.


Proven performance


There are a number of reasons why heat pumps are so well suited to historic buildings, but of course none would be relevant if it were not for the performance, running cost and sustainability credentials of this proven technology.


24 BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER MARCH 2016 rom National Trust


No matter what property they are heating, commercial heat pump systems can deliver significant running cost savings compared to an ageing oil boiler, LPG boiler or outdated coal fired system. They are reliable, easy to operate and maintain – without needing to purchase and/or store fuel through the year – and eligible schemes can also take advantage of the Government’s non-domestic Renewable Heat Incentive to generate income for the renewable heat they produce over a 20 year period.


With the right partner, heat pumps can offer peace of mind too. Manufacturer finance schemes, training and installation support have proved invaluable to many projects. Leading manufacturers can offer the complete turnkey service from manufacture, installation, testing and commissioning of a commercial heat pump system, to the warranty, maintenance and even finance required to make that system viable.


In with the new


However, it is more than just performance that has seen an increasing number of historic buildings turn to renewables. Here are four good reasons why heat pumps are a perfect fit for many protected properties:


Sustainability


In addition to lower heating bills, heat pumps can deliver significant carbon reductions to support sustainability commitments which are often central to the charities and trusts that own so many of our historic buildings. The National Trust, for example, has set a target to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, cut energy usage by 20% and source 50% from renewable sources on its land by 2020.


Regulaons


Heat pumps do not affect the visual appeal of the building in the way that solar technology would, which means it is often the preferred option for listed buildings, posing no risk to the restrictions put in place on the building.


In most cases, equipment and pipework can be hidden away in plant rooms, behind screens or even underground in the case of ground source heat pump collectors. Owners of historic housing estates are also turning to heat pump technology to comply with the upcoming Private Rented Sector Energy Efficiency Regulations (Domestic) in England and Wales.) Historical estates often provide rented accommodation to their workers and after April 2016 any property must achieve an energy efficiency certificate rating of at least ‘E’ the next time it is let. These buildings are often listed and hard to retrofit basic insulation measures. Heat pump systems provide an easy way to get the EPC rating of the dwelling up to an E rating.


Space


Large rooms with high ceilings and little or no insulation – even single glazing in many cases – are undoubtedly a challenge to heat. They demand a high performance system to account for high heat losses, which is why ground source heat pumps in particular are well suited. Collectors are hidden underground so it is possible to install large systems without the space requirements above the ground that might be needed with other technologies – taking advantage of the inevitable land that is available instead.


Interiors


Heat pumps operate more efficiently the lower the output temperature but thanks to continued innovation from manufacturers, in many cases they can deliver sufficient room heating through a conventional radiator system. Replacing even the most antiquated of internal heating systems including pipework and radiators would be a costly and disruptive job in an historic building; in some properties impossible because of valuable, delicate interiors. It is vital therefore to consider a heating solution that can work within those confines.


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