28
feature
heating, ventilation & damp proofing
choosing the right technology at the right time
Chris Caton, Product Director – Commercial at Ideal Commercial Heating, outlines the key points for consideration when specifying a low carbon hybrid heating system...
In a perfect world, every commercial building could immediately transition to a low carbon electric heating solution. However, existing buildings present a set of challenges that mean decarbonisation is a journey, not a single event. Hybrid systems provide an effective bridge on that journey, allowing for meaningful carbon reductions while working within the practical limitations of buildings. What is a hybrid heating system? Hybrid heating systems combine heat pumps as the lead source with a complementary heat source supporting peak demand or extreme operating
conditions, most commonly high- efficiency gas boilers. The two most common configurations
for hybrid heating systems are bivalent and parallel. In a bivalent arrangement, one heat
source replaces another at a defined temperature or load threshold. This typically sees the heat pump covering the base load with boilers taking over during peak demand. In a parallel configuration, the heat
pump operates to deliver as much heat as possible within its optimal performance range. Boilers operate alongside the heat
pump during peak demand periods or when higher temperatures are required. Can all commercial buildings use heat pumps? There is understandable enthusiasm around heat pumps, and rightly so, yet not every building can be served by heat pumps alone. Many commercial buildings were never designed for low temperature heating (heat pumps operate at a maximum flow temperature of 55°C, whereas commercial gas boilers typically operate at a flow temperature of 70-80°C). Their existing radiators, fan coil units, air handling units,
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60
