In this case study, we have a new build home where we installed an air source heat pump system.
Project Overview
A Large 1000m2, 6 Bedroom New build property in Northamptonshire.
The System We Fitted
We installed 2 x 12kw Vaillant Arotherm plus heat pumps, paired with 2 x 300ltr Vaillant Unistor cylinders.
The ground floor is fitted with 16mm MLCP (Multi layered composite pipe) underfloor heating with 3 manifolds.
The first and second floor has 18 radiators on 4 separate circuits, connected with MLCP and copper fittings.
Two Vaillant Sensocomfort controls for each individual heat pump.
- Fully open loop design on pure weather compensation
- 35mm primary pipework
- IMI Expansion vessels,
- IMI-Deaerators
Why We Designed & Installed This System
This particular system is quite unique with the overall size and individual room layouts.
Having one single plant room would mean very large hot water runs creating very high resistance and large primary and secondary pipework.
Also, a large open entrance hall and steels created another issue with pipe routes.
We decided that two plant rooms and “zoning” the property with its own heat pump for each side would be far more efficient.
Two separate 300L hot water cylinders allow one to feed 3 bathrooms, a utility room, one UFH (underfloor heating) zone and 2 radiator circuits.
The second 300L cylinder feeds 3 more bathrooms, the kitchen, 2 x UFH zones and 2 radiator circuits
This allowed us to install short hot water runs and to operate the Vaillant Heat Pumps at a low modulation as we have created a low index circuit.
The Problem Our Customer Faced
Our customer is a highly experienced property developer who has experienced various problems when installing air source heat pump systems in the past. These problems include high running costs, inefficient energy usage, and uneven temperatures in different areas of the home.
As a result, our client did not trust the viability of installing a heat pump system. That was until they reached out to us at Custom Renewables Ltd.
We worked with the client and meticulously went through 3 different heat loss report tools. This allowed us to avoid any problems with over calculating and over sizing. This a very common problem within the industry. A problem which can result in expensive running costs.
How Long Did The Project Take?
We completed the design and installation of the air source heat pump system over a period of 6 months. This was inline with the overall new build program.
The 1st fix of the underfloor heating was installed prior to the floor screed and once the building shell was complete.
The 1st fix of the radiators and primary pipework went in once all the doors and windows had been installed and the house was watertight.
Once the house had been plastered and painted, we then returned to 2nd fix the radiators and install both plant rooms and heat pumps.
From there it took two days to commission the installation and complete final pipework insulation.
How Efficient Is The System Now It Is Operating?
The air source heat pump system is now running over 450% efficiency on both units and the customers house maintains a comfortable temperature of 19-20 degrees.
The home is also utilising 48 solar panels and battery storage which is running the heat pump 80-90% of the year.
What Funding Was Used On This Install?
This property was eligible for the current government BUS grant (Boiler Upgrade Scheme). We took care of the full application process securing £7,500 in funding towards the cost of the system installation.
Our Final Thoughts
Air source heat pump efficiency and running costs for any size property all comes down to how well it is designed in the first place.
Large and bespoke projects like this one take a little bit more time, planning and attention to detail. However, this ensures both comfortable living temperatures and high levels of energy efficiency are achieved.
Get In Touch
If you need some help with your own new build project, contact us today for helpful technical advice on your exact project requirements.
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