www.heatingandventilating.net
£1 billion insulation scheme launched
More than 300,000 families are set to save hundreds of pounds on their bills thanks to new energy efficiency upgrades.
T
he government launched the £1 billion drive to help those most in need heat their home for less,
through the Great British Insulation Scheme. Families in lower council tax bands with less energy-efficient homes will be offered vital upgrades - such as roof, loft or cavity wall insulation - which could cut
their annual energy bill by an average of between £300 to £400. The scheme will boost help for those on the lowest incomes as well
as extend support to a wider range of households compared to other existing government-funded schemes. Those eligible for support under the Great British Insulation Scheme include families in council tax bands A-D in England, A-E in Scotland and Wales, with an Energy Performance Certificate rating of D or below. The 300,000 set to benefit come on top of the 2.4 million homes
that have so far benefited from new energy efficiency measures under existing support schemes, as part of government’s ongoing efforts to protect the most vulnerable across the country. These customers will, from today, be able to find out if they can get support to make their homes more energy efficient by using a new online checker tool. Energy Security Secretary Claire Coutinho said: “We are determined to help families keep their homes warm through the winter months and save on their energy costs. “Our Great British Insulation Scheme will help hundreds of thousands of people, including some of the most vulnerable in society, get the upgrades their homes need, while cutting their energy bills.” The scheme will help build on the government’s progress in improving
energy efficiency in the country’s homes – in 2010, just 14 per cent of homes had an EPC rating of C or above, compared to 47 per cent in 2022. This support will run alongside the existing Energy Company Obligation scheme, which offers free home energy efficiency improvements, such as insulation, heat pumps and solar panels to families on low incomes. Customers will be able to use a new online checker for the Great British Insulation Scheme, to find out if they are eligible. The tool will ask a series of questions - including how they heat their home, whether their home has solid or cavity walls, and if they are receiving any benefits. A separate checker has also been launched for the Home Upgrade
Grant, which could help as many as 25,000 off-the-gas-grid homes that have an EPC rating of D to G. People can find out if they qualify for energy efficiency support - ranging from insulation and draft proofing to new windows and doors, as well as heat pumps and solar panels. Customers using the online tools will then be referred to either their
energy supplier, for support from the ECO programme and Great British Insulation Scheme, or their local council for the Home Upgrade Grant, to take the next step in making their home more energy efficient.
ENERGY EFFICIENCY boilingpoint Heating demand vs hot water demand W
e should all be aware of the introduction of the revised Approved Document L, Conservation of Fuel and Power and the new requirements for space and hot water heating. Some of the key points are: From 15th June 2022 -
• All space heating should be sized to take account of all of the building fabric and using an appropriate method, for example, the CIBSE Domestic Heating Design Guide. • Gas combination boilers should be selected to modulate down to the typical heating load of the dwelling. • New or fully replaced heating systems should be sized to operate effectively and in a manner that meets the heating needs of the dwelling, at a maximum flow temperature of 55°C or lower. • Where it is not feasible to install a space heating system that can operate at 55°C temperature, the space heating system should be designed to the lowest design temperature possible that will still meet the heating needs of the dwelling. These new requirements have prompted members to ask how to meet hot water demands while providing space heating at a lower flow temperature and maintain efficiency of boiler with the fluctuating temperature demands and avoid the boiler switching on and off frequently due to the difference between the lower space heating and higher primary hot water temperatures - the answer lies in the control system. The typical control system we have been installing up to now is an ‘on/off modulating
system’. The ON/OFF period will be influenced by several factors, for example, weather compensation, hot water periods and demand along with internal room temperature etc. High load conditions would mean the boiler is on for longer periods with low load conditions maintaining temperatures meaning the boiler could be switching on and off for short periods. This type of control has limitations and may see ‘overshoot’ or rippling around the thermostat set point, where the room temperature is reached, but heat energy within the heating system will see additional heat coming into the room making it warmer than desired. The solution and alternative to this is the OpenTherm control system. OpenTherm is a programmable language initially developed by Honeywell and has now been made freely available to all heating appliance and controls manufacturers to develop the system and its potential further through the OpenTherm Association*. OpenTherm modulation operates on a similar principle to the ‘on/off modulation
system’ but is achieved more directly by setting the desired water temperature from the boiler rather than by cycling it On and Off, this can often be at the gas valve. For ‘high load’ conditions a high water setpoint can be requested from the boiler. For
example, during Hot Water periods. The water temperature being requested will then reduce over time as the stored hot water reaches the set point and switches back to maintaining the space heating requirements. The most important difference here is that the boiler will run for longer periods, but it
will be producing water at lower temperatures, resulting in less energy being used and maximising the time spent in the higher efficiency condensing mode. OpenTherm has the potential to significantly change the way we view, size and
install heating and hot water systems with some developments even sensing hot water temperature at outlets etc. When considering this system, you will need to make sure the boiler, controls
and components are all OpenTherm compatible and have the OpenTherm logo. Already most boiler and controls manufacturers have OpenTherm appliances or branded appliances that are compatible.
www.opentherm.eu
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