Heat Pumps Today

www.acrjournal.uk/heat-pumps 25 I N S T A L L A T I O N S With the air source heat pump meeting 80% of the building’s peak heat requirements, the club’s fossil fuel use was reduced by 75%. During cold winter spells, the back-up boiler oers a cost-eective way to support the heat pump in meeting the club’s additional heating and hot water demands. To further maximise eciencies and ensure the building was retaining as much heat as possible, the club also installed loft insulation. Combined with the hybrid heating system, the insulation will help the building to be heated eciently and sustainably, without it being cost-prohibitive. Technical expertise MCA Renewables designed and installed the system, with Vaillant on hand to support them through the whole process. Director of MCA Renewables, Terry Doherty said: “When we approached Vaillant with the heat loss calculations and information about this project, they helped with recommending the right products. They also checked all the calculations to make sure that the system we designed met the pavilion’s heat demands, even when temperatures drop during the coldest months in Scotland. “We also installed a wireless Vaillant sensoCOMFORT controller. It has an outdoor sensor and weather compensation functionality, which means it can select the most energy ecient heat source for the system to use based on the outside climate. “The bowling club can also use the controller to set dierent temperatures and timings for the system and can programme in the cost of their gas and electric to help keep track of bills.” The Vaillant controller with the Vaillant air source heat pump and the Vaillant ecoTEC plus boiler also allows it to modulate the system to optimise eciency. Meaning the system only works as hard as it needs to - reaching the correct temperature without wasting additional energy. This ensures peak performance and optimum eciency for the system. Frost protection The fluid inside a heat pump must remain in a liquid state to pump heat around the system, and this can be challenging for the system components located outside. A heat exchanger unit can help protect the fluid flowing through a heat pump from freezing. This also reduces the need to use glycol (anti-freeze) throughout the entire system. A Vaillant heat exchanger unit was installed at the club which allows the connected glycol (anti-freeze) circuit to be separated from the main heating circuit, reducing the amount of glycol that is needed. The heat exchanger will also prevent the contamination of glycol circuits in the future, if the club needs to remove, drain or re-fill any radiators. To provide the heat needed to defrost the heat pump, without drawing energy away from heating the pavilion, a Vaillant 45 litre buer tank was also installed. Getting support The Renewable Heat Incentive is no longer available for commercial installations; however, Glengarnock Bowling Club was able to secure funding for their new heating system from the Scottish Government, via Zero Waste Scotland. The Scottish Government oer small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) interest- free loans of up to £100,000 to implement energy eciency measures and/or renewable heat technologies. In addition, there are also cashback grants available for those who fit the eligibility criteria, up to £20,000. “It’s a fantastic scheme, but not many people know about it or how to apply. That’s where Zero Waste Scotland come in.” said Jim Gibson, Treasurer of the Glengarnock Bowling Club. “They did an initial survey of the club pavillion virtually, and after the results were validated by MCA Renewables, they guided us through the funding process. With their help, we secured £26,000 for the new heating system, loft insulation and new lighting – and because we were installing a heat pump, we were given £11,000 in the form of a grant that won’t have to be repaid.” The remainder of the funding was provided as an interest-free loan, which the club will repay over an eight-year period. The future is green With the new hybrid system having been in place for a few months, club members have been delighted with the eciency it has delivered for them so far. What’s more, they expect to see financial savings during the winter months through reduced energy bills. “The most immediate change for the club has been the building being at a consistent temperature. Previously, we had an on-o system that would mean it would take a while to heat up. The hybrid system provides much more consistency, and I’m really impressed with the quality of the product.” said Jim. “The customer service and expertise from Vaillant and MCA Renewables was second-to-none. The installation team worked with us closely and helped to time the project delivery around the funding schedule. The installation was well- managed and completed within a week, which meant disruption was kept to an absolute minimum. “Even better, we have reduced our reliance on fossil fuels by 75%, which will play a huge part in helping us lessen our impact on the planet too.”