Heat Pumps Today

11 When a secondary academy received funding to replace its ageing heating plant, ELCO Heating Solutions was on-hand to supply a new, highly sustainable hybrid system. Hybrid heaven for Derbyshire academy The project is contributing to a combined carbon saving of 134 tonnes per year by combining two commercial heat pumps with two wall-mounted condensing gas boilers. The new equipment has replaced two coal-fired boilers, which provided heating and hot water to the premises for many years. With poor eciencies and the need to be stoked every morning, the academy required a new system that was going to be fit for the future and provide long-term sustainable heating and hot water production. The first requirement of the project was to connect the building to the gas mains, allowing the new boilers to run eciently when necessary. Once the connection was completed, the main contractors for the project – West-Midlands-based BSN Group – were responsible for the scope of works, including updating the heating system. James Robinson, Senior Contracts Manager at BSN turned to ELCO’s Area Sales Manager, Brett Stokes, to help plan the project. Commenting on the project James Robinson said: “This was a fantastic job to work on and it’s been a pleasure to install a system that will make a dramatic impact to the day-to-day running costs of the academy. The new heat pumps and boilers provide the best of both worlds, delivering optimum eciency and sustainability throughout the year, while the installation was incredibly simple. All the equipment integrated perfectly thanks to standardised connections, so we’ve been really pleased with the ELCO products and the outcome of the project.” The main design for the heating system allows the commercial heat pumps to provide the bulk of the heating and hot water throughout the year for maximum eciency, energy savings and minimal emissions. To ensure eciencies do H Y B R I D I N S T A L L A T I O N For more information on ELCO’s AEROTOP® heat pumps and full range of commercial boilers, please visit www.elco.co.uk www.acrjournal.uk/heat-pumps not suer once outside temperatures fall below a pre-defined setpoint, the condensing gas boilers provide highly ecient and low emission back up. Consultants for the project were Birmingham-based Jonathan Richard Associates. Commenting on the project objectives, Andrada Borcovici, Low Carbon Consultant for Surveyors to Education, said: “Following a successful Phase 1 Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme application, funding was received by the academy to undertake the fabric first roof insulation restoration works, and install a highly ecient and low carbon Air Source Heat Pump heating system. This forms part of the academy’s successful Low Carbon Skills Fund application and its long-term decarbonisation plan to make a contribution to reduce emissions as part of the Net Zero by 2050 challenge. The total fossil fuel carbon saving of the combined projects equates to 134 tonnes per year."