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by Gerry Quinn, product manager for Envireau rainwater harvesting systems
The concept of recycling rainwater for non-potable uses such as flushing toilets, washing clothes or vehicles, or irrigating the garden, is firmly on the UK building agenda.
Within a few years, every UK new build domestic house will have to have rainwater harvesting equipment installed to achieve the requirement for water usage laid down for Levels 5 and 6 of the Code for Sustainable Homes. The Code requires mains water usage to be restricted to 80 litres per day by 2014 for public sector housing and by 2016 for private sector housing. Conservation of water stocks is also now a priority for commercial and educational buildings.
All these targets will be impossible to achieve without the use of rainwater harvesting equipment, allied to other water-saving devices, such as water-efficient washing machines, aerated taps and also, potentially, greywater recycling equipment.
What’s more, incoming Building Regulations Part G will require that water consumption is limited to 125 litres per person, per day. How and where greywater recycling and rainwater harvesting may be used in new build projects will be clearly set out.
The good news for plumbers is that the rainwater harvesting systems must be installed and maintained by a qualified plumber, which will create significant opportunities going forward.
The vast majority of rainwater harvesting systems collect their rainwater from roofs. Rainwater runs down into the guttering and downpipes before passing through a filter, which removes the leaves and debris before passing into an underground tank. The water is then conveyed to appliances either direct, via a header tank, or through a booster system (visit www.kingspanwater.com).
Compliance with the British Standard BS8515 means a system meets minimum standards and addresses any concerns about the possibility of cross-contamination of mains drinking water with rainwater.
The Water Regulations Advisory Service (WRAS) publish regulations specifically for reclaimed water systems (www.wras.co.uk).
Many of the regulations revolve around two principle requirements for rainwater harvesting systems to comply with:
The actual installation of the Envireau RainWater Harvesting System will be a simple task for the competent plumber. All of the non-standard, specialist parts are supplied in the package with the system with all of the other required components being industry standard fittings and pipework.
A correctly installed system will require very little maintenance with only visual inspection of the three filters (pre-tank, pump and control panel) needed periodically.
Further information in rainwater harvesting is available at www.kingspanwater.com
Alternatively please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call the Rainwater Harvesting Experts on 028 3836 4444.
by Garry Broadbent - Director ICS Heat Pump Technology
Why high temperature heat pumps?
As the heat pump market moves forward we are seeing a growing debate within the industry concerning the application and use of high temperature air source heat pumps.
The question being asked:
Is it acceptable to install a heat pump where the heat pump is operating at a higher temperature with an obvious reduction in the COP of the system when compared to a medium temperature system?
The recent launch of the heat pump emitter guide highlights the importance of the distribution system in ensuring that the heat pump operates at an efficient level. It is now becoming common knowledge that the design and selection of the emitter system is the key to ensuring efficient heat pump performance utilising medium temperature systems.
However the specific demands of the application will determine how practical it will be to carry out emitter modifications on a retrofit application to allow for a medium temperature 45°C flow.
A new build project is much more straightforward but we must definitely consider the practical use of heat pumps on the fast developing residential & commercial retrofit markets.
In general the industry is targeting a heat pump seasonal system COP of around 2.9 which should be achievable on either a retrofit or new build application with the caveat that the specifier / installer considers the basic heat pump system design requirements.
Therefore if we are to apply heat pumps on a wider basis to both the retrofit and the new build sectors it is clear that heat pumps with high temperature capability will offer benefits to our industry.
These high temperature units will allow the specifier / installer to deal with the demands of each project by applying the most suitable heat pump, either medium or high temperature.
Heating – why are high temperature heat needed?
It is clear that the heat pump industry has learned a great deal over the past three years and one of the main lessons has been that our industry needs a flexible range of heat pumps to offer to the market. These heat pumps need to provide a solution to the demands of the UK heating market which whether we like it or not is dissimilar to the other heat pump markets within Europe.
Our market provides the heat pump specifier / installer with two main challenges:
We have a winter climate which calls for the heat pump to operate across a wide temperature range from 10°C to -15°C.
Our main target market for heat pumps is the retrofit sector, which is unpredictable in terms of building performance and heat loss.
Because of these two factors we must accept that if we offer only medium temperature heat pumps to both the residential and commercial sectors we will restrict our market.
By medium temperature we are referring to heat pumps which provide an output temperature of around 45°C when operating in an ambient temperature of -5°C, whereas high temperature heat pumps provide an output temperature in excess of 60°C at the same -5°C ambient.
So if our industry is working towards achieving the highest practical efficiency levels why should we consider high temperature heat pumps at all?
Basically because we must allow every property to potentially benefit from the cost and carbon savings of heat pump use. If we cannot deal with the peak winter demands of a challenging retrofit application by providing higher emitter output capacity at lower ambient conditions (by increasing heat pump flow temperatures) we will be unable to access this sector without bi-valent boiler integration.
Therefore high temperature heat pumps that will operate with high efficiency at lower ambient temperatures can provide a viable solution to retrofit applications and encourage wider heat pump use and application.
The next question is therefore what level of efficiency can be achieved by these high temperature heat pumps when operating at an output temperature of 60°C?
The expected answer may be that the heat pump efficiency could be too low to be acceptable when operating at a high output temperature of 60°C; however this is not the case. For example the ICS range of Air Source PRANA HT units will provide a COP in excess of 2.2 when operating at a 60°C flow in an ambient of -5°C.
The same heat pump would provide a COP of 3.2 when operating in an ambient of 2°C with a flow temperature of 50°C. Therefore it is clear that when operating on a weather compensated basis the heat pump would provide an acceptable level of efficiency over a full heating season.
But the main point to understand here is that this application could not have been satisfied with a medium temperature heat pump due to the limitations of the installed emitter system i.e. a flow temperature of 50°C or 45°C would have been inadequate at an ambient temperature of -5°C.
When we consider the potential of the retrofit market our industry must remove as many barriers as possible in order to encourage market growth. In this context high temperature heat pumps provide a means of accessing this significant retrofit market on both a residential and commercial basis.
However the underlying concern here is the risk of misapplication where the specifier / installer may just view these high temperature heat pumps as a means of approaching a project without carrying out any diligence or improvements at all with regard to the existing emitter system.
In this situation the heat pump could be set at a 65°C flow temperature without any regard to system efficiency. Even if guidelines and Seasonal COP targets are introduced with initiatives such as the RHI there is still the risk that the specifier / installer may not consider the exacting requirements of a retrofit application.
Therefore our industry must be diligent at every level in order to ensure that the risk of misapplication is continually challenged and reduced.
Hence high temperature heat pumps are a natural step forward with regard to retrofit heating applications and are simply part of the overall heat pump mix. However these heat pumps are particularly attractive to the specifier / installer who is targeting this potentially lucrative retrofit market.
High temperature heat pumps – any other reasons?
Yes, the additional demand which can be dealt with by using high temperature heat pumps is a definite requirement for every property in the UK.
Domestic and Sanitary Hot Water
It is now becoming accepted that these high temperature heat pumps deal very directly with the question of a simple solution to providing domestic / sanitary hot water.
Unlike medium temperature 48°C units (at -3°C ambient conditions) which will provide lower temperature hot water with correspondingly larger storage cylinders, high temperature heat pumps can provide stored water at temperatures of over 55°C which proves extremely beneficial to the specifier / installer.
In addition there are now commercial European manufactured C02 heat pumps available such as the ICS Enex unit which will provide flow temperatures of over 80ᵒC and are deigned to work with intelligent storage systems in order to create a thermal battery up to 6,000 litres in capacity.
The principle is that the system can be charged using low cost / low carbon electricity achieving annual COP levels of over 4 when operating on a 365 day per year application.
Are high temperature heat pumps here to stay? Absolutely YES!
Whether we are referring to a 9kW domestic unit or a 400kW commercial package there is now a heat pump available to suit the most demanding of high temperature applications.
If specified and installed correctly these heat pumps provide an excellent alternative to other forms of heating and can provide significant cost and carbon savings to residential and commercial users.
Therefore from 9kW domestic units to 400kW commercial ranges the specifier should now recognise that the market has access to choice. Importantly companies such as ICS can now provide access to these heat pumps ranging from 10kW to 400kW.
Subsequently the specifier / installer can now make choices in order to provide the best solution to the market. This will then allow the specifier / installer to grow their own business by offering these high temperature heat pumps to applications that may previously have been out of limits if the only option had been medium temperature.
It’s all very well saying more installers need to get into installing renewable technologies, but for many it remains a leap into the dark. Ian Stares, product group manager for renewables and green energy products at PTS, says there are four key steps installers must take before they take the plunge.
The market for domestic heating products and in particular renewable technologies is nothing if not
dynamic. Dramatic changes to the legislative landscape, such as the Renewable Heat Incentive, the introduction of new tariffs for the generation of renewable energy and technologies which fall outside of the traditional installer’s comfort zone are all making significant impact.
Take the Green Deal for example. When first introduced by the Government it was very much an insulation package, but over the course of the last twelve months it has gradually evolved into a more rounded package, which will offer consumers high efficiency boilers and possibly renewables.
What’s more, the different ways of financing renewable installations are developing all the time. The renewable installer needs to not only be able to install the technologies but also advise customers how to pay for it.
It is not at all uncommon nowadays to see solar panels on domestic homes as solar photovoltaic (PV) sales have been rocketing since the introduction of the Feed-in Tariff in April 2010. Installers can be forgiven if they find the pace of change dizzying and it is clear that many remain uncommitted to the renewable future. There are still too few trained installers, circa 3,000 in the UK, which is clearly providing a barrier for growth of renewable technologies.
The Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) is still seen in many quarters as a barrier and there have been a number of instances where even MCS trained installers have encountered problems with installations. However it is clear that MCS is essential for installer training if the financial incentives are to be claimed.
All of this does little to encourage installers into renewables, but the key message is that support is there to help you. My view is that there are four key steps installers must take to get into renewables:
Like it or not MCS is an essential ingredient to get into renewables but it is not enough on its own. The key issue with MCS is that it gives the installer access to a range of incentives which can help the consumer finance renewable technologies. You can’t access the incentives without the accreditation. Installers need to decide which technologies they will concentrate on and get the appropriate MCS accreditation. The key technologies to focus on are air to water and air to air heat pumps, solar thermal, solar PV and ground source heat pumps and possibly biomass.
An MCS course on its own is not enough. My advice to installers is to supplement MCS with a specific manufacturer training course.
There are a number of excellent training courses from quality manufacturers. Installers should do their research and determine the key issues expected on installation of each type of technology. This is especially relevant for heat pumps where heat loss calculations are vital to ensure a well designed and properly installed system.
Merchants to some extent could be viewed as a supermarket. On our shelves are various brands which the installer can pick and choose from, but the big difference is that the best merchants will be able to offer informed and knowledge advice on products and brands.
For example, I am spending a large percentage of my time at the moment advising installers on one of the big issues being faced when installing heat pump technologies, namely inadequate insulation, incorrect heat pump sizing or a lack of attention being given to heat emitters, such as radiators.
The key point is to align yourself with a merchant who offers on-going support and can act a source of advice and knowledge.
Different builder’s merchants across the UK are at different stages of development of their renewables offering. Some, like PTS, are helping to shape legislation and are supporting installers on the ground with dedicated renewables branches like PTS Aylesford in Kent. PTS was the first merchant to acknowledge the importance of renewables and set up Aylesford to advise, inform and train installers. PTS is also rolling out a network of renewables specialist branches in strategic locations across the UK.
The best merchants are providing added-value for merchants with access to a wide range of renewables products, advice and training from a merchant who “knows what they are doing”. This, in my opinion, will be a key factor in guaranteeing success for installers looking to make the move into renewables.
There are enormous opportunities for installers who want to get into renewables, but it is clear that you
will not be able to do it on your own. Good training and on-going advice you can tap into at a moment’s notice will help smooth your way, but be sure you are taking that advice from people who know what they are talking about.
For further information call PTS on 01455 551210. Visit www.ptsplumbing.co.uk or text PTS or SPARES to 83332 to find your nearest branch. PTS is part of The BSS Group Ltd – a market leading distributor to specialist trades.
The arrival of winter marks the start of a seasonal headache for millions of householders throughout the
UK reliant on ageing boilers and central heating systems to keep the cold at bay. And, it’s not just the weather that’s likely to bring a chill as winter sets in. The economic climate is placing increasing pressure on housing associations, local authorities, home-owners and council tenants to find sustainable affordable solutions to the rising costs of maintaining and heating their homes.
Heating and plumbing engineers have a key role to play when it comes to responding to these needs by proactively introducing their customers to technologies which can improve the efficiency of central heating systems. In this sense, magnetic filtration will be pivotal in reducing household energy costs, carbon emissions and maintenance call-outs.
Designed to remove the black iron oxide sludge that causes radiator cold spots, blocked pipework and damaged boilers, magnetic filtration was pioneered in the UK by manufacturer ADEY Professional Heating Solutions.
Recognised as the biggest threat to central heating, black iron oxide sludge accounts for more than 95% of system damaging particles being carried in suspension in central heating systems. Tests have shown that even a minimal build-up of magnetite causes a serious drop in boiler efficiency and up to 10% is not uncommon. This can be significantly higher in older systems as magnetite build-up increases where no preventative measures are carried out.
Magnetite and other particles leech into system water continuously during everyday operation, even on new systems. If left untreated, contamination will eventually lead to noisy boiler operation, radiator cold spots, low heat levels, slow operation, leaking valves and ultimately the breakdown of the central heating system. Poor boiler and radiator performance can also lead to increased energy use as we try to boost the output by hiking up the thermostat – a costly consequence for depleted pockets and the environment.
Independent research by Gastec into the impact of black iron oxide sludge confirms that magnetic filtration technology can significantly improve central heating system performance – and therefore offer significant energy savings.
Installing a MagnaClean filter, which removes virtually 100% of suspended iron oxide sludge from the system making it more efficient, in just one million of the UK’s 22 million households would save in the region of 225,000 tonnes of CO2 annually. That’s equivalent to taking 72,000 cars off the road at a fraction of the cost.
As a result of adopting effective magnetic filtration, a typical three-bedroom household can reduce carbon emissions up to 250kg annually and cut its heating energy consumption by 6% a year.
Magnetic filtration provides ongoing system protection and it could also help to extend the operational life of a boiler, potentially way beyond the industry accepted life span of 12-15 years.
A West Midlands local authority has teamed up with ADEY to provide first class central heating system maintenance and protection across its property portfolio.
Wolverhampton Homes is managing the improvement of Wolverhampton City Council properties as part of the local authority’s Decent Homes Programme. The organisation is installing ADEY’s MagnaClean filters to improve central heating systems to not only reduce rising maintenance costs and carbon emissions, but to help tenants cope with rising energy costs.
Wolverhampton Homes launched its Decent Homes Programme in 2007, with the aim of ensuring that all council properties meet the Decent Homes standard by the end of 2012. During the programme Wolverhampton Homes will spend £288m, funded by the Communities and Local Government Department, on improvements including 16,000 kitchens, 10,000 bathrooms, 18,000 rewires and 8,000 heating systems.
Following successful tests carried out by the in-house team at Wolverhampton Homes, the council will be rolling out a programme to introduce MagnaClean technology into approximately 2,400 properties in the area.
“Our repair and maintenance team were experiencing some issues with the existing filters specified in our Decent Homes Programme, which resulted in a review and trial of alternative products on the market,” says Wolverhampton Homes’ Stock Investment Manager, Myk Kaszuba.
“After a successful trial of the MagnaClean filters, we were really impressed with the technology. Over the course of the next four years we intend to install the MagnaClean filters when we replace or install new gas central heating systems into our range of properties – from houses to low rise flats.
“The decision to install new gas central heating systems in conjunction with the MagnaClean filters will provide a longer-term solution so we’re expecting this approach to deliver a reduction in the number of repairs and call-outs resulting in a reduction in maintenance costs.”
Pippa Wibberley; commercial director at glow-worm, looks at how domestic heating contractors and specifiers are getting ready for the inevitable major changes in the industry:
New technologies within the domestic heating industry such as air- source heat pumps, solar thermal and – Hybrid renewable technology systems – are now well on their way to becoming mainstream product sectors. Predictions are still difficult to make, but by taking an educated look at what’s happening within the industry in terms of increasing pressures on natural energy resources, which are forcing energy conservation and lifestyle changes; within five to ten years the industry will have a very different profile.
The consumer need for heating and hot water will be always present, and we now face a need to find sustainable ways and means of satisfying that demand. A small fact worth bearing in mind is this – the UK, has a housing stock of over 25 million units (houses, flats, sheltered accommodation etc) and they all need heating and hot water. The last decade has seen some extreme increases in energy costs. The UK used to have its own source of natural gas and so none was imported, however, over recent years, rapidly reducing resources have meant this is no longer the case.
We are now most certainly in a period of change. The growth in demand for renewable technology, in both the private public sectors does offer a massive business opportunity for installers.
If installers want to take advantage of the financial windfall provided by the market swing towards renewables, they need to understand thoroughly the products available for specification and installation. It also means investing time in attending training courses to be well informed with regards these new technologies and their installation techniques.
We expect heat pump technology will become much more mainstream, and in many cases fitted as well as a boiler to offer flexibility and maximise on energy savings, as part of a hybrid system for example. Simple monobloc heat pumps with sealed refrigerant circuits that need no refrigerant handling qualifications are becoming increasingly popular, and inviting to traditional gas boiler installers entering the renewables market.
Solar thermal technology in the form of a flat plate solar thermal solution is also an attractive option for new build and refurbishment developments as it can deliver between 50 and 60% of domestic hot water need every year. In the summertime this can be as high as 100% which means that a boiler will never have to fire up, saving your customers both energy and money.
Hybrid systems are an attractive option as they automatically choose the most efficient fuel source for providing heating and hot water at any time. Glow-worm’s Clearly Hybrid continually selects between a high efficiency boiler and air to water heat pump to ensure the most cost effective method of delivery. The system incorporates a heat pump, boiler, hydraulic module and controls. It’s easy to install and commission and can achieve over 40% carbon savings on top of substantial cash savings*.
It is important that installers choose quality renewable products from established, reliable and well known brands that have experience in the heating marketplace. Partnering with manufacturers who can offer the service and technical back up to support installers throughout installation and commissioning, along with a spare parts service on a same day/next day basis also being key. If a homeowner has no hot water they will want the confidence that parts are available so they can get back to their normal comfort levels as quickly as possible.
Established companies are more likely to have products which achieve Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) accreditation, and will also be in a position to offer installers guidance and advice on attaining their personal MCS certification. Without this, installers will not be eligible to offer their customers the benefit of the forthcoming Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI)** for the renewable technologies they install. Quite simply, MCS is that crucial.
Established manufacturers, with a heritage and pedigree, already offer MCS training programmes specifically designed and catered to renewable installations. Glow-worm’s MCS training course guides installers through the process of the quality management assessment, giving them all the information and documentation they will need.
Qualification bodies such as BPEC, for example, also launched its Heat Pump Installer (HPI) assessment designed to sit within the MCS framework early last year. Training such as this is key for installers to understand best applications and sizing for heat pumps.
The drive towards renewables is being strongly driven by the Government’s Renewable Heat Incentive(RHI), also known as ‘clean energy cash-back’, and The Green Deal, which comes into force next year. The RHI scheme will reward homeowners for using renewables to heat their homes and provide domestic hot water, while the Green Deal enables bill payers to get energy efficiency improvements without having to produce the cash up front. At the heart of the offer is a simple rule: estimated savings on bills will always equal or exceed the cost of the work.
However, for householders to qualify for RHI cashback, both the product and the installer must be MCS approved.
While it is true that traditional modern boiler technology still has its part to play in achieving energy efficiency and cutting running costs, renewables are here to stay and the demand for them will increase. Whether in the private or social housing arena, installers have a lot to gain from the move towards renewables and it is essential that in order to future proof their business, they make themselves as knowledgeable about solar, heat pumps and hybrid systems as they are about traditional boilers today.
*when replacing an older, standard efficiency boiler
** Current understanding at time of publication
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