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BOILERS & HOT WATER BSEE
HEATING FOR GROWING BUSINESSES Potterton Commercial answers your questions
comparisons.
Q A
Businesses that are extending their premises can be faced with increased overheads. But by ensuring that the heating system can meet the new demand, energy costs can be kept in check. Steven Evans, National Sales Manager at Potterton Commercial, answers engineers’ questions on what to do with a heating system to support a customer’s expansion plans.
So even if an existing system meets the demand and load needs of a building, it may cost more in the long run if it is outdated and inefficient. Considering that heating and hot water can account for as much as 60 per cent of total energy use in a commercial building1
, an inefficient system
could easily push up energy bills, especially if the boiler is an old, non-condensing model. On top of this, the cost of repairs, maintenance and risk of downtime if the boiler breaks down should all be taken into account. It is worth bearing in mind that older boilers are unlikely to meet minimum seasonal efficiency requirements set by the Ecodesign of Energy-related Products (ErP) Directive, which came into force in 2015. A complementary and related framework is the Energy Labelling Directive (ELD). This only applies to boilers with outputs of up to 70kW and storage cylinders of up to and including 500 litres volume, so therefore more likely to be applicable to light commercial installations for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The directive dictates that products should display an alphabetised, colour-coded label according to their efficiency. When installing certain combinations of products together, it is the installer’s responsibility to ensure a package calculation datasheet (known as a fiche) and package label are made available to the end-user.
No, not at all. Manufacturers such as Potterton Commercial help contractors to find information on performance and efficiency parameters by making their product data available online, in product brochures and leaflets. Also, there is now a wider choice of high-quality and high efficiency boilers offering great value for money. For example, Potterton Commercial’s Paramount four range spans from 30kW to 115kW as a single boiler and up to 460kW using a cascade frame kit, to cater for a range of light commercial applications.
Q A
My customer wants to install the new boiler in the same place as the old one to minimise installation costs and time, but there isn’t enough space despite extending the premises. What are my options?
Small businesses often do not have the luxury of a dedicated plant room compared to larger companies operating in bigger purpose-built buildings. If space is an issue, wall-hung boilers such as the Paramount four 50kW model may solve the problem.
Q A
Weighing in at just 61kg, and with a width of 480mm, it can be installed neatly in tight spaces. If it is not possible to use wall-hung boilers, for example if the building is listed or have unstable walls, a floor standing boiler provides a great alternative and modern floor versions are compact, both in terms of size and carbon footprint.
However, if the old boiler’s location does not allow the new flue to be installed in accordance with the required British Standards, or the maximum permissible length specified by the boiler’s manufacturer, the new boiler will need to be installed in a different location within the building.
To maximise energy efficiency and tailor the boiler’s output to your customer’s demands, controls are essential. Zone controls are suitable for buildings with different areas that don’t need to be heated in the same way. Some newer commercial
Q A
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What other equipment would need to be installed?
Does this mean it is harder to find a heating solution for SMEs who wish to expand?
boilers, including Potterton Commercial’s Paramount four range, come fitted with weather compensation controls, which allow the boiler to regulate its output in line with the temperature outside.
Having closer control over heat demand not only helps a customer to reduce energy usage, but also lower the cost of maintenance as there is less wear and tear on the system. Depending on the size of the property, other components such as pumps will need to be considered, as a bigger building would need more powerful pumps to circulate more hot water around the system.
Extending a property to accommodate an expanding business can be both exciting and challenging for the owner. By considering and discussing the above with your customer, you can add more value as a heating consultant and support them on their business journey.
best solution?
This would depend on the level of demand as well as usage patterns expected for both hot water and space heating. If demand fluctuates widely, then consider a boiler with a higher modulation ratio. Put simply, modulation range is the difference between the maximum and minimum output of a boiler. This is often expressed as a ratio e.g. 4:1; as a general rule, the higher the ratio, the better.
Q A
Modulation ratio is important, as once a room has reached the desired temperature and thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) are closed, the power demands on the boiler will be considerably lower. If a boiler has a narrow modulation ratio, this means that the minimum output of the boiler will be higher than it needs to be, causing the boiler to constantly switch on and off. This wastes fuel and adds additional wear and tear to components.
A wider boiler modulation ratio reduces constant on/off cycling, therefore improving efficiency and extending the life of a boiler. For example, Potterton Commercial’s Sirius two boilers have a modulation ratio of 9:1, so it can meet a wide fluctuation in demand and offer a lot of flexibility, enabling your customer to save money on their bills. If demand for hot water is lower than space heating, it could be worth installing individual water heaters where hot water is needed in the showers and kitchen for example, with separate boiler plant solely for space heating. Your customer would be able to turn off heating system boilers in warmer summer months.
My customer has a very limited budget and would prefer to use the existing boiler. Would this be cheaper than installing a new one?
When budgets are tight, it might be tempting to stick with what you’ve got, but it’s important to think about whole-life costing when making
uThe Paramount four range of wall hung condensing boilers now spans from 30kW to 115kW as a single boiler and up to 460kW using a cascade frame kit.
Although the heating system needs to meet expected demand, my customer also wants something that would minimise energy consumption if little heating and hot water is needed. What would be the
www.pottertoncommercial.co.uk 1
https://www.carbontrust.com/resources/guides/energy- efficiency/heating-ventilation-and-air-conditioning-hvac/)
BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER JULY 2017 17
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