Water
input is required with once again operational cost implications. There have also been concerns cited by BESA relating to a lack of regulations relating to the transit and use of propane heat pumps given the flammability and volume of refrigerant housed inside the appliances. The smaller, compact, and lower cost R32 ASHPs are currently the better option when it comes to maximising the efficiency and reducing the energy required to run an ASHP unit. This warmed water is then fed into a cylinder where a second heating source tops up the water temperature to a safe 65°C for use throughout the building. This top-up can come in the form of a gas water heater, gaining very low operational costs, but a less meaningful reduction in carbon emission, typically around 30 per cent. To maximise emission reduction, the preferred option is to deploy an electric boiler for a truly carbon-neutral water heating application. Electric boilers are a versatile option. Compatible with existing systems and pipework, they offer a compact, easy-to- install, and resilient alternative to gas. Like solar, electric boilers also operate silently – an important consideration for resident comfort. Although electric boilers will be subject to higher running costs than gas, the application of the technology in a hybrid alignment – plus smart controls for balancing a system – will maximise efficiency and minimise energy demands. The balance of carbon reduction versus operational costs should be more than acceptable, and capital investment can be relatively low, especially compared to the ASHP.
For care homes with heavy, daily demands for hot water, a more bespoke system is likely to be required, although the basic premise remains the same, using ASHP preheat and a secondary energy source, preferably electric. It may also be possible to integrate solar thermal technology as a mid-heat to further cut
energy demands, offset operational costs and reduce emissions.
Silently capturing solar energy as heat through collectors on rooftops and transferring it to a storage tank for heating water, solar thermal is a true renewable. Solar thermal systems are well-suited to residential care with high hot water demands and offer significant cost savings on hot water heating. Given the propensity for gas installations, the number of recent care home projects incorporating solar thermal installations has been surprisingly low (just three per cent) given the proven nature of the technology.
Capable of offsetting at least 30 per cent of daily gas demands for water heating for notable carbon emission reduction and operational cost savings, the expectation is for the adoption curve for solar thermal to increase. This should be in line with that seen in heat pumps, as both offer sources of necessary pre-heat to meet the complex high temperature needs of hybrid care home water heating systems. The much improved return on investment from solar thermal should also go a long way to offsetting concerns about the upfront costs, with systems paying for themselves in less than a decade. The gains are also immediate, so are helpful in terms of demonstrating actual investment in renewables.
Growing awareness With the growing awareness of environmental responsibility, care home owners/operators are at a crucial juncture in their approach to building and water heating, as they are challenged to address the use of traditional gas boilers in favour of these ‘renewable’ alternatives. So how can
Greg Brushett
Greg brings more than 15 years of sales and engineering expertise in the commercial heating and hot water industry. He originally joined Adveco in 2011 as a sales engineer, moving to Viessmann in 2014 in the role of area business manager (commercial & renewables). Returning to Adveco, Greg was promoted to role of sales director following a programme to expand the business into new commercial markets with award-winning success for its innovation and dedication to supporting customers’ sustainability strategies for hot water.
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care homes better embrace sustainability moving forward?
Each building creates new challenges and opportunities for low carbon water heating. Location, infrastructure, size, and usage all inform hot water sizing, design, and technology choice. To gain efficiencies that meet demand while cutting emissions and costs requires a thorough understanding of the building and its use. To this end, we advise metering water flow for accurate demand modelling. This is a fast, non- invasive activity which is extremely low-cost, yet pays dividends in terms of reduced capital expenditure and accurate modelling of future operational costs. It allows for improved planning and better decision making whether opting to stay on lower- cost gas, adding solar thermal offsetting, or transitioning over to electric water heating, with the options of heat pumps or solar to better manage energy consumption and increase carbon reduction. All are fair choices that currently offer a means to bridge to future technologies, such as green gas and new variants of high-efficiency, high-temperature heat pumps, which will take care homes to net zero by 2050 and beyond.
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www.thecarehomeenvironment.com January 2025
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