Decarbonisation


layouts and a variety of different systems for heating and hot water, meaning they have very different requirements and considerations to new builds. There is no one size fits all approach to


decarbonising heating and hot water systems in care homes, and every manager will need to weigh up capital expenditure against long- term operational savings.


Understanding heat pumps The Future Homes Standard (FHS) comes into force in England next March. This requires new residential properties to produce fewer carbon emissions than the previous 2013 standards. As a result, new build properties must be constructed to be highly energy efficient, utilising high performance building materials and low carbon heating and hot water systems, with on-site renewable energy generation capability. Heat pumps are one of the most energy


efficient heating and hot water systems available, so will play a major role in decarbonising new build care homes. They work by transferring heat from


colder to hotter areas using mechanical energy - similar to a refrigerator, but in reverse. There are three types of heat pump: air-source, ground-source and water-source. Air-source heat pumps are usually the most suitable for care homes because they require less space and are easier to install. When looking at heat pump performance,


there are two important measurements: Coefficient of performance (COP), which is measured in ideal test conditions, and seasonal coefficient of performance (SCOP), which gives a more realistic picture based on year-round performance in UK weather conditions. This is important because extremely high or low outdoor temperatures affect the pressure in the refrigeration circuit, reducing the flow temperature. Another consideration is the type of


Heating failures are particularly serious in care settings because they affect wellbeing, staff operations and regulatory compliance


refrigerant the heat pump uses. Under the Paris and Kyoto UN climate change agreements ,certain refrigerants, such as R32, are being phased out because of their global warming potential. So, systems running on R32 may look like a great deal financially, but will become obsolete because the refrigerant won’t be available in the future. For this reason, it’s important to look for heat pumps that use alternative refrigerants such as R290, R454B and R1234yf. While heat pumps can offer major carbon


and cost savings, their suitability will vary when it comes to retrofit projects.


Is a heat pump right for my care home? Whether heat pumps are the right approach for a care home will depend on the building fabric, the existing heating system, budget, available space and electrical infrastructure. Retrofit projects are not yet subject to


mandatory decarbonisation requirements, which gives operators flexibility to plan upgrades at their own pace. Before beginning a project, a reputable installer


should undertake a comprehensive assessment to establish heat loss calculations for each room. This allows the installer to determine the best solution for the premises based on the care home’s requirements and budget. It’s worth asking installers about eligibility


for grants because the government recently announced funding to help sheltered housing and care homes decarbonise under the ‘warm homes fund’ and ‘warm homes plan’. When specifying heat pumps for retrofit


projects, there are several considerations. Most importantly, will the heat pump be used for both heating and hot water or just the water? Heat pumps come in a range of different


sizes. Larger care homes with more than five bedrooms will need a commercial heat pump to power heating, hot water, and even cooling. In properties that comprise individual


units, such as sheltered accommodation, it may make more sense to replace direct electric cylinders for hot water with individual domestic hot water heat pumps, such as the Edel. This could be combined with high retention storage units for heating. It means every user is billed for their actual water use, helping to encourage sustainability. If the heat pump is supplying heating, wet


heating emitters such as radiators will be required. Most heat pumps will work with existing radiators that are used with gas, oil or LPG systems, though pipe sizes may need to be adjusted. The site will also need an electrical supply,


likely a three-phase supply, to ensure that the heat pump receives a constant, smooth power flow of around 400 volts. It’s also


June 2026 www.thecarehomeenvironment.com 19


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