Energy efficiency
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Efficient heating in the long-term
In the many UK non-domestic buildings still relying on dated, inefficient boilers for their heating, there is huge scope for energy and carbon savings. Chris Meir, sales director at Remeha, looks at the considerable benefits from boiler replacement and why it pays to take a whole life approach to costing
T
he building services industry has long identified the need to prioritise energy efficiency to improve the energy performance
of UK buildings. The latest government energy statistics reveal that primary energy consumption is down 19% since the year 2000, so the nation is making steady progress. But there is still the opportunity to do so much more through a greater commitment to improved building efficiency. Heating accounts for 45% of UK energy
consumption, making it a natural target for improvement. And arguably top of the list for low- cost, practical efficiency measures is boiler replacement. Far too many non-domestic buildings still rely on dated or inefficient boilers for heating. Yet, these boilers will only deliver 70% efficiency at best, compared with the near maximum efficiencies achieved by advanced condensing boilers, wasting energy and creating unnecessarily high heating bills. Then there’s the environmental aspect. Lower
carbon emissions aside, analysis by Aether and Amec revealed that old boilers will emit NOx levels of between 150-260mg/kWh. In contrast, new condensing boilers perform significantly better with emissions of 40mg/kWh or less, supporting the drive for cleaner air.
48% gas savings
So how great are the potential savings? The European Union predicts a 20% reduction in energy consumption and emissions when replacing older equipment with products (like condensing boilers) that comply with the tighter efficiency and NOx requirements of the Energy-related Products Directive (ErP). But the real-world results can be far higher in our experience. In school buildings, universities, offices and leisure centres, our customers consistently report outstanding results. One customer saw gas consumption fall by 48%, while another achieved an annual carbon reduction equivalent to 217 tonnes, while slashing the annual gas bills by £35K. And these are far from isolated outcomes. On both an economic and environmental level,
then, a boiler upgrade offers compelling benefits. For this reason, the Mayor of London recently launched a £10m Cleaner Heat Cashback
28 September 2018
commercial boiler scrappage scheme for small London businesses. The scheme is expected to shave up to £7m off business bills, reduce NOx emissions by 80 tonnes and cut carbon emissions by between 20 and 70 thousand tonnes annually.
Engineering excellence
The exact savings from a boiler upgrade will naturally depend on the nature of the building and the heating system in place. But how can we as an industry support maximum long-term savings? While on paper boilers may seem similar in terms of efficiency and emissions criteria, they will differ greatly in terms of quality, reliability and performance. And as energy efficiency affects maintenance and replacement costs as well as energy bills, it’s advisable to take a whole life costing approach to boiler selection and design. Factoring in installation, design, maintenance and servicing costs from the outset will provide a more accurate assessment of operational savings. At the same time, involving manufacturers early on will help ensure the most appropriate commercial heating solution for maximum results.
Designed for success
Advanced condensing boilers are designed to be easier to install, more robust, and easier to service with accessible parts that can be interrogated easily for hassle-free servicing. Regular maintenance is essential to maintain high boiler performance, so additional features like internal lights or the ready availability of spare parts kits will reduce time and costs.
The arrangement of the boilers will also affect the efficiency of the system. Sharing the load across multiple boilers helps maximise reliability, efficiency and ease of service. It also reduces wear and tear, extending the boilers’ lifecycle. Boilers designed to lend themselves to modular configurations will therefore offer greater efficiency advantages. Optional extras such easily assembled cascade kits for multiple boiler installation will also reduce labour and on-site hot works. Or, if several projects need to be carried out in a tight timeframe, manufacturers like Remeha offer these
Sales director at Remeha Chris Meir
configurations as an off-site prefabricated solution, ensuring a rapid solution to high-performance heating.
Future-proof solution
Boilers that are expandable and adaptable will help future-proof the system, making it more cost- effective overall. So, if there are changes ahead to the building’s size or use, or any plans to add low carbon equipment like Combined Heat and Power, this should be addressed at the outset.
Get in control
Good control is essential to keep efficiencies high and NOx levels low. Condensing boilers with intuitive, easily-set time and temperature controls supplied as standard put control into the hands of the maintenance team, encouraging reduced energy waste. The availability of optional controls for zoning and easy connection to the building management system will further maximise building comfort levels and system efficiency.
www.heatingandventilating.net
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