Listed buildings
A re’new’able lease of life
Chris Stammers explores how heat pumps can help to secure the future of listed buildings
rom National Trust properties to private family estates, the UK is home to hundreds of historic buildings that rely on outdated, inefficient fossil fuel heating systems to heat large, poorly insulated rooms.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
F
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. Dimplex has seen a steady increase in the number of historic and listed 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. 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heat pump systems can deliver significant running cost savings compared to an ageing oil boiler, LPG boiler or outdated coal fired system.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
24 June 2017
Air source and ground source heat pumps are amongst the technologies installed as a part of a new sustainable solution at Dumfries House in Scotland
income for the renewable heat they produce over a 20-year period.
With the right partner, heat pumps can offer peace of mind too. Dimplex can offer the complete turnkey service from manufacture, installation, testing and commissioning of a commercial heat pump system, to the warranty and maintenance required to make
that system viable.
In with the new Despite all of this, 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 listed 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. Regulations: Heat pumps do not affect the visual appeal of the building in the way that solar technology might, 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 historical 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 2018 they must be at least an E rating the next time they are let. These buildings are often listed and hard to retrofit basic insulation measures. Heat pump systems provide an easy way to get the energy efficiency rating 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 a 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. • Chris Stammers is the product marketing director at Dimplex
www.heatingandventilating.net
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54
