PRODUCTS IN ACTION
HUMIDIFERS
Humidity control for pipe organ preservation
HEAT NETWORK Ground heat for large housing scheme
A new heating system being installed at Hartlepool Marina is offering a different approach to how heat is supplied to new apartment blocks. Developed by utilities provider POWERON, the system uses networked ground source heat pumps (NGSHPs) to deliver heating and hot water across multiple buildings from a shared underground network. Instead of each home having its own
heat pump, boreholes drilled into the ground form a shared loop. At Hartlepool Marina, 32 boreholes to around 200m create a connected system that transfers heat between ground and buildings. Power On says the approach is designed
for higher density housing, where shared infrastructure can replace individual systems. The NGSHP installation is intended to reduce carbon emissions by around 75–80% compared with conventional heating and is also described as more efficient than gas systems and standalone air source heat pumps. The heat network will be operated by
Power On and regulated by Ofgem. The design also allows for passive cooling to be added later using the same ground infrastructure. Work on the system has been developed with engineering input
from Carbon Plan Engineering. ■
www.poweron-uk.co.uk
Humidifiers from CONDAIR are being used by pipe organ specialist Forth Pipe Organs to help protect instruments from damage caused by dry air. The company has worked with Condair systems for over 20 years across restoration, maintenance and installation projects in venues ranging from concert halls to churches and schools. Pipe organs are sensitive to changes
in humidity. Forth Pipe Organs, which works on instruments including those at Edinburgh University’s McEwan Hall, explains that low humidity can cause timber components to move, leather parts to stiffen and tuning stability to deteriorate. The aim is to maintain relative humidity between 40% and 50% to support mechanical stability and consistent performance. Condair humidifiers are applied
in different ways depending on the building. In larger venues with central air
handling systems, humidification can be integrated into ventilation to distribute moisture evenly. In smaller churches or enclosed chambers, compact steam humidifiers with fan-assisted distribution are used close to the instrument to target specific areas. David Page, director at Forth Pipe
Organs, says: “What’s important for us in choosing a humidifier partner is having confidence that they understand the application and that the solution genuinely fits the environment we’re working in. Condair’s range gives us that
flexibility.” ■
www.condair.co.uk
Historic estate cuts carbon with bioLPG RENEWABLE LIQUID GAS
HEATING & COOLING
Retrofit project delivers all electric building services
Equipment from MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC has been installed as part of a building services refurbishment at the Omnibus Reigate office building in Surrey, replacing ageing heating and cooling plant with a fully electric system. The project covers a 70,000ft², three-storey office and was completed while the building remained occupied. The installation replaced gas-
fired boilers and air-to-water cooling systems with a combination of heat pump technologies and updated air handling equipment. The system includes two Climaveneta air source heat pumps and three Climaveneta water source heat pumps from
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Mitsubishi, configured to provide simultaneous heating and cooling through a four-pipe arrangement. Heating and cooling are delivered
through existing fan coil units, which were retained and refurbished rather than replaced. The system provides heating water at 45°C and chilled water at 6°C under typical conditions. Additional Mitsubishi EW/HT water-to- water heat pumps are used to increase flow temperatures up to 75°C when required in colder weather. Daniel Chapman, MD of the building
owners, Skelton Group Investments, says: “The refurbished heating, cooling and ventilation system strikes a brilliant balance between efficiency, capital costs, and the preservation of embodied carbon. The work delivers a fully decarbonised, future-proof system while maintaining the comfort of current and future occupants and
delivering an EPC of A.” ■
les.mitsubishielectric.co.uk
A 400-acre historic estate in County Down, Northern Ireland, is proving that heat pumps are not the only answer to low-carbon heating, after switching from oil to a renewable liquid gas blend. Montalto Estate, a
17th-century property including a grand house, wedding venue, café, retail spaces and offices, now operates on a 10% blend of bioLPG – a renewable liquid gas made from sustainable feedstocks. The change from oil to smaller and more efficient LPG tanks and boilers has cut carbon emissions by up to 90%. David Wilson, owner and
estate manager at Montalto, says: “Switching to LPG and bioLPG was really straight- forward and we noticed an improvement in heating
EIBI | MAY 2026
efficiency straightaway. We didn’t have to change the infrastructure in any way for LPG and bioLPG as it’s a drop-in fuel.” Eight bulk tanks now
supply a bioLPG blend across the whole of the Montalto estate for all heating, hot water and catering needs. Deliveries are managed by telemetry, with the flexibility to adjust the renewable percentage when the estate is ready. Research by LIQUID
GAS UK, the trade association for LPG and renewable liquid gases, shows that fitting an air source heat pump in a heritage hotel can cost up to £77,000 while a renewable liquid gas boiler costs around £6,700. For heritage hotels choosing renewable liquids, the association claims, there is the potential to save more than £8,000 per year in comparison to
an air source heat pump. ■
www.liquidgasuk.org
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