search.noResults

search.searching

dataCollection.invalidEmail
note.createNoteMessage

search.noResults

search.searching

orderForm.title

orderForm.productCode
orderForm.description
orderForm.quantity
orderForm.itemPrice
orderForm.price
orderForm.totalPrice
orderForm.deliveryDetails.billingAddress
orderForm.deliveryDetails.deliveryAddress
orderForm.noItems
HVAC


EFFICIENCY ENHANCEMENTS


David Playfoot from heating, cooling and plumbing specialist, Uponor, discusses best practice specification of District Heating (and Cooling) systems.


Providing heating, cooling and domestic hot water through an underground pipe network using energy generated by centralised plant, district heating systems provide distinct advantages across a wide range of built environments, including industrial sites, commercial developments, hospital and educational campuses and residential schemes. Centralised plant means centralised maintenance and the fit-and-forget nature of the underground pipe networks mean that upkeep and maintenance are reduced.


For residential schemes, specification of district heating schemes has been growing in popularity, both for new build developments and as a retrofit solution to reducing energy costs and overcoming issues with gaining access to individual properties for servicing, maintenance and compliance checks. However, for both commercial and residential installations, it’s vital to optimise the energy efficiency gains and minimise both capex costs and disruption through early engagement with a district heating infrastructure specialist.


Renewables opportunity District heating systems are suitable for use with conventional energy sources but there is an increasing trend towards the use of renewables. Commercially, this may be driven by a company’s carbon reduction plan, while for residential schemes it may be prompted by reduced costs, with the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) supplementing the financial benefits of lower heating bills.


A new Government initiative, the £320m Heat Network Investment Project Fund provided as part of the BEIS (Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy), is also set to encourage district heating system installations and upgrades over the next few years. The funding has been


86 | TOMORROW’S FM


made available to help increase the current 2% of homes served by district heating systems up to 20% by 2030.


For some renewable energy sources, such as ground source heat pumps, the heating flow temperature may be lower than conventional boilers making it imperative to optimise the design and layout of the infrastructure.


The goal for the specifier should always be to ensure that the heat energy from the centralised plant reaches its destination at each property as rapidly as possible to maximise the heat energy input to the local network from the centralised plant output. This requires early engagement of the pre-insulated pipe supplier and a collaborative approach involving the design team, the utilities provider, the civils contractor and the pre- insulated pipe supplier - to ensure the most efficient underground network is specified, taking into account the routes of existing underground services networks and any additional obstacles below ground.


Usually, working with the pre-insulated pipe supplier in this way will not only ensure the underground pipe layout is optimised to maximise the energy efficiency of the system but may also reduce the cost of materials and installation by routing the pipework in the most efficient configuration possible.


Selecting the right pipe system District heating and cooling systems require the installation of an underground network of pre-insulated pipe and this should be durable enough to offer a long service life and resist abrasion during installation, while offering excellent flexibility so that it can be routed around obstacles and natural contours in the ground.


twitter.com/TomorrowsFM


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  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100