"heat pumps"

A chapel in North Yorkshire has been renovated and converted into a home where two Aerona³ R32 air source heat pumps have been installed to provide the heating and hot water. With the space outside of the property limited, Grant’s compact and slim heat pumps were the perfect solution.

After moving from busy Stockport in readiness for retirement, accountant Susan and husband Philip, a Manchester University academic, replaced the oil-based heating system at Willow Cottage with a Daikin Altherma high temperature heat pump. 

Four Grant Aerona³ air source heat pumps have been installed at Caerphilly Council Tir Y Berth Depot, providing renewable heating to a number of offices. The installation of Grant heat pumps was part of a wider redevelopment programme which has transformed the space to maximise its potential while also reducing carbon emissions.

Daikin Altherma low temperature monobloc heat pumps provide heating or cooling and domestic hot water for three homes newly built by award-winning housebuilder Distinctive Developments in a former farmyard near Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire.

A Wiltshire farmhouse has updated its heating system, replacing its original heat pump with a Grant Aerona³ air source heat pump which has been installed alongside a QR hot water cylinder. The new heat pump and cylinder were integrated alongside an existing solar thermal system, giving the property’s renewable heating system an upgrade.

A four-bedroom farmhouse built on an exclusive development on the border of Wiltshire and Berkshire, has had a Grant renewable heating system installed including an Aerona³ air source heat pump, hot water cylinder and heat emitters. This property completes the development of four sustainably built homes, all of which have Grant heat pumps fulfilling their heating and hot water requirements.

Based in Newbury, Berkshire, Howard Porter founded Polgate Ltd some 35 years ago. Formerly a Chartered Surveyor, he saw the opportunity to start his own company and has never looked back, developing mainly new build residential and commercial properties within around 25 miles of Newbury. Here we speak to Howard to gain his point of view on the Grant Aerona³ heat pump.

Humberside homeowner James Clark scrapped the gas combi boiler at his three-year-old house in Welton, for indoor warmth and hot water are now provided by a Daikin air source heat pump that is partly powered by batteries and rooftop solar panels

Mark Lewis’s newly self-built two-bedroom cottage for his retired parents has a low temperature heat pump at the centre of an eco-friendly lifestyle design for maximum comfort, economy and efficiency.

An energy efficient approach to construction, using low maintenance building materials together with Dimplex ground source heat pumps, is proving the key to cost-effective heating at a collection of ten new homes built by Shetland Islands Council in Brae.

Salthaven Apartments, Tower Road, Poole, DorsetThe Salthaven apartments in Dorset aimed to deliver luxury living for occupants. Bayview Developments not only constructed beautiful homes for them, but also opted for highly energy efficient heating within the new development.Each of the 12 two or three bed apartments have been fitted with their own individual exhaust air heat pump (EAHP). This technology has been installed in buildings across continental Europe for many years but is now being used more commonly within the UK. Bayview Developments were looking to exceed their planning requirements by reducing carbon emissions and providing cost savings for occupants. NIBE’s innovative EAHPs were therefore the ideal solution.The solution to the projectA NIBE F730 EAHP system removed the need for gas boilers, something Bayview were keen to do given the UK’s net zero targets and commitment to phase out the technology. As heat pump technology is powered by electricity, no gas has been installed at the site.The NIBE F730 unit can be found in the utility room cupboard of each apartment and is comprised of a ventilation system, a hot water cylinder and a heat pump – a complete ‘all-in-one’ product. It works by drawing warm air from the kitchen and bathroom to feed the heat pump, which extracts the heat energy. The recovered energy from the ventilation system is used to drive the heat pump process, which heats the underfloor heating and provides water for the integrated 180litre hot water cylinder. The stale air from the ventilation system is then released outside, whilst fresh air from outdoors is introduced via wall inlets with cleanable filters. The efficient system minimises energy consumption by combing ventilation heat recovery with heat pump technology, that is perfect for well insulated new build properties such as these.The ResultsThe EAHP systems meet the average annual heat demand of 6019 kWh for each individual flat whilst also providing instant hot water. Occupants are able to schedule their heating to suit their timetable and energy tariffs, and therefore benefit from lower energy bills. The system performance factor (SPF) measures 3.33 – this means the system is very efficient as every kW of electricity used to run the unit produces approximately 3 kW of heat energy.NIBE utilised connected electricity meters in 3 apartments to remotely monitor the systems performance across a 12-month period. NIBE was thus able to see how the systems met energy demand consistently for residents, keeping them comfortable and warm throughout the year.Energy consumption data shown in Figure 1 visualises electricity consumption data from the monitored apartments throughout the year. This data also covers the provision of all heat pump controls and continuous mechanical ventilation.Figure 1: 2022 Energy Consumption data for monitored apartments.The all-in-one system has shown a noticeable reduction in energy bills for each apartment too, with all 3 monitored apartments experiencing both monthly and cumulative cost reductions in their energy bills as shown in Figures 2 and 3. This comes with the additional peace of mind that consumers will be kept cool in the summer months with ventilation with no increase in costs.Figure 2 and 3: Monthly and Cumulative Heating Bills for Apartment 11 with the NIBE F730 heat pump compared to a natural gas boiler.The occupants of Apartment 11 are saving on average £130 on their annual heating bills with the heat pump system in comparison to a natural gas boiler, even with the additional provision of mechanical ventilation. We expect that these savings will continue to increase as the Government seeks to rebalance green levies to decrease electricity prices.Sunstone Energy Ltd, the installer for this project, told us how easy the control system is to use for this heat pump, allowing for heating and hot water to be available at any time during the day. The building also benefits from insulation, underfloor heating, smart controls, double glazing, hot water cylinders and mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR).TestimonialVictoria and John are both residents of the Tower Road apartment complex and have been comfortably living with the exhaust air source heat pump system for a year. They added “We are delighted so far with the new heating system, and love that it has been providing us with heating and hot water throughout the year, keeping us warm in the cold winter months. The heat pump works just as well as our older systems and it is great to know that we’re also doing our bit for the environment in the process.”About the installerSunstone Energy Ltd takes responsibility for delivering complete renewable solutions appropriate to their client’s properties. Their expertise includes the installation of ground source and air source heat pumps, underfloor heating, solar panels, biomass boilers and MVHR.  

A barn conversion in Brecon has had a renewable heating system installed, featuring an Aerona³ air source heat pump and a QR hot water cylinder, a system which was designed by Grant UK and installed by a G1 Installer.

A Grant Aerona³ air source heat pump has been installed at a cottage in Fife, transforming the home’s heating from an oil-fired system to a renewable alternative. The homeowners are now enjoying a warm home while also lowering their carbon footprint.

Background to the projectSouthway Housing Trust is a South Manchester based housing association managing 6,000 local homes.Southway has pledged to be zero-carbon by 2038 and has identified switching its homes from gas to electric heating as crucial to achieving this target.In 2022, a survey of Southway’s residents found that 88% were keen to reduce their impact on climate change, and Southway’s commitment to reducing carbon is in line with Manchester City Council’s net-zero ambitions.The Arrowfield Low Carbon Living Project represents an early and ambitious retrofit of a south Manchester neighbourhood that will reduce the estate’s carbon footprint by as much as 50%.Southway is replacing 396 of Arrowfield’s inefficient gas boilers in-line with long term government plans to electrify heat and will also improve the fabric of homes to make them more energy efficient.The scale of the project, part funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), has made it one of the UK’s biggest home retrofit schemes.NIBE products used:NIBE F2040 Air Source Heat PumpKey stats:112 NIBE F2040 Air Source Heat Pumps installedContributes to project to remove 370 tonnes per annum of CO2 in ArrowfieldInstalled by Rothwell Plumbing GroupPart of a project to retrofit 199 homes with air source heat pumpsThe solution to the projectArrowfield Low Carbon Living is a flagship scheme in Manchester, retrofitting 199 homes and 197 apartments with air source heat pumps. NIBE was chosen as one of two heat pump providers to bring low carbon, sustainable heating to residents living in the Arrowfield estate. NIBE’s high quality, reliable heat pump systems provide optimum savings and automatically adapt to each home’s output requirements.Rothwell Plumbing Group (RPS) was chosen as the installation partner for the project, with a proven track record for delivering high quality heat pump systems, in both the public and private sectors. RPS are also MCS & Trustmark accredited, with the experience and technical ability to install NIBE systems to the highest of standards.Southway’s aim is for the project to act as a learning process and blueprint for how it can scale up the retrofitting of its entire housing stock over the next 15 years.Ahead of this ambitious project, a community engagement programme enabled greater awareness of heat pumps as a low carbon heating solution, whilst providing the opportunity to listen and respond to resident feedback.The Arrowfield Hub, located in in a repurposed empty house on the estate, became a venue for regular engagement between the residents and the project team, creating an open forum for questions and comments on the proposed scheme.The Hub was also heated by an air source heat pump, allowing residents to witness a live heat pump in operation and experience the warmth of the building.Residents were also able to express their concerns surrounding the project, and these could be addressed accordingly. This regular and open engagement was key to keeping residents informed and more familiar with their soon-to-be new heating systems.The Hub also allowed for the project team to dispel common myths and misconceptions about air source heat pumps and reassure residents that their homes would remain warm throughout the yearThe Results112 NIBE’s F2040 Air Source Heat Pumps have been providing heat and hot water to residents across the estate, adapting to the requirements of each and every home in the estate, whilst providing powerful output even down to outdoor temperatures as low as -20°C.The systems will provide homes across the estate with optimised energy and cost savings, whilst supplying a supply line temperature of up to 58°C regardless of outdoor temperatures.TestimonialMatt Roberts, Strategic Director of Property and Development at Southway Housing, said:"Community engagement for the Arrowfield Low Carbon Living Project was central to the project's aims. Foregrounding the needs of Arrowfield's residents as central to the project’s implementation, helped us to better convey the benefits of low carbon heating and address concerns and suggestions brought forward by homes set to benefit from the retrofit scheme.Air source heat pumps are essential to Southway Housing Trust decarbonising our housing stock and achieving our net-zero goals. Working in partnership with NIBE is part of that process and has contributed to achieving carbon savings of 370 tonnes CO2 per annum on Arrowfield.”About the installerRothwell Plumbing Services Group Ltd, formed in 1997, are a family run business specialising in delivering renewable solutions across the North of England. The company helped to ensure residents in Arrowfield Estate could access maximum energy savings and reduced energy bills.

Royal Winchester HouseComer Homes is renowned for the high quality of its residential and commercial developments, which span London, Hertfordshire, Dorset and throughout the South East. Its latest project is Royal Winchester House, a landmark building of one and two bedroom apartments at the heart of Bracknell's new town centre. As a planning requirement of Bracknell Forest Council, Comer Homes was required to provide a sustainable, low energy form of heating that would offer a reduced carbon footprint, as well as being affordable to run.The SolutionComer Homes specified F730 Exhaust Air Heat Pump systems from NIBE for all 337 apartments on the development to ensure they could meet their renewable targets. The new homes builder employed MKP Consultants Limited to undertake the building services design as they had previous experience of NIBE systems on other apartment developments in the area.The NIBE F730 Exhaust Air Heat Pump system was an ideal solution, as it offers mechanical extract ventilation, alongside heating and hot water in a compact design. The heat pump units were installed in a service cupboard in each apartment, as they have a small footprint of only 0.6m2.NIBE F730 operates by recovering energy from the ventilation air and, if desired, extracted from outdoor air, the heat energy is absorbed by the heat pump using a vapour compression process and subsequently transferred to the water-borne heating system, in this case an underfloor heating system. The integrated 180L domestic hot water cylinder also ensures a plentiful supply for the one- and two-bedroom properties.A sustainable solution, NIBE F730 keeps energy consumption to a minimum. The efficient control system automatically adjusts the indoor climate for maximum comfort for the occupant, using a combination of weather compensated control and the low energy inverter driven compressor.Each apartment is also fitted with a NIBE RMU 40 room controller, to allow greater flexibility of control for users and if required can be easily connected to NIBE’s internet remotely monitoring and control platform UPLINK™.Thanks to this innovative heat pump system, residents at Royal Winchester House are set to benefit from lower energy bills and a reduced carbon footprint.The ResultsThe NIBE F730 system complies with Parts L, F and G of the building regulations, and helps to meet planning requirements designed to reduce energy consumption and carbon footprints within residential housing developments. External noise is kept to a minimum and building aesthetics are unaffected by the need for external plant.TestimonialHead of Projects at Comer Homes, Jack O’Brien explains: “We were looking for a heating and ventilation system that would be both sustainable and affordable to run. We have been impressed with the performance of NIBE’s heat pumps, with their high efficiency, low noise and low running costs further enhancing the sustainability of the whole development.”About Royal Winchester HouseRoyal Winchester House is a landmark building of high specification 1 and 2 bedroom apartments available to rent. The unique design and architecture of Royal Winchester House creates a striking and impressive presence from the ground floor retail spaces up to the luxury penthouse levels.Royal Winchester House has been built for the private rental market and the development is being managed by Chancellors estate agency. The apartments benefit from high standards of insulation and air tightness. In addition to the NIBE heat pumps, the whole development has been fitted with a biodigester for the repurposing of food waste, as part of reducing waste sent to landfill and to add to its sustainability.

A detached new build house in Pontyberem, Carmarthenshire, has incorporated a Grant Aerona³ air source heat pump and Monowave cylinder to deliver its heating effectively and sustainably.

South Lanarkshire College (SLC) in Scotland has opened a new, ‘zero-energy’ teaching block on its East Kilbride campus. Specifically designed with first-rate environmental credentials in mind, it boasts a whole host of efficiency-enhancing measures – including highly insulated floors, walls and roofs, triple-glazed windows, low-energy lighting and electrics, rainwater harvesting and solar PV panels on the roof. The college approached NIBE Pro Installer Anderson Floor Warming and Renewables in search of a system that would meet the heating requirements of the eight-classroom block in the most sustainable, cost-effective and reliable way possible.The SolutionSLC already has a range of NIBE products in its on-site renewables training centre, which students use for practical sessions, so a heat pump from NIBE was the natural choice to heat the new block. Mike Anderson, director at Anderson Floor Warming and Renewables, specified, designed and fitted a NIBE F1345 40kW ground source heat pump (GSHP) system to complement the building’s water-based underfloor heating, which operates at similarly low flow temperatures.ResultsNow up and running, the NIBE system is so efficient that it has been awarded a rating of A+++ in line with energy labelling criteria under the ErP Directive. SLC’s new teaching block has become the first building in the UK to achieve a BREEAM sustainability rating of ‘Outstanding’, with the facility excelling in all 10 assessment categories – from energy, waste and water to health and wellbeing.Customer Testimonials“We pride ourselves on our forward-thinking approach to sustainability at SLC, and we couldn’t be happier that our new teaching block has been deemed ‘Outstanding’ by BREEAM assessors. The NIBE heat pump system and the solar PV panels combined generate enough renewable energy to meet the block’s entire heating and power needs, making it a ‘zero-energy’ building. It really is a huge asset to the whole college – not only from a resource point of view, but also as a real-life example of sustainability in action. As well as being a valuable learning space for our construction and energy students, it’s a place for us to bring local businesses and community groups, and showcase the benefits of low-carbon, low-resource buildings first-hand.”Stewart McKillop, principal at South Lanarkshire College

Teesside-based logistics firm AV Dawson has built a new 130,000m3 warehouse specifically to store £15m-worth steel coils for a nearby international car manufacturer. With the steel at risk of ‘sweating’ and rusting in high humidity levels exceeding 65%, the company was tasked with ensuring a very specific climate for the warehouse (without which the steel would be rendered unusable), while also maintaining low energy costs.The SolutionHoward Tribick, director at local renewable energy specialist and NIBE Pro Installer HT Energy, specified, designed and fitted ten NIBE F1345 ground source heat pumps (GSHPs). Given the site is built on top of an active water table (the River Tees), Howard and the team were able to make the most of the surroundings as a natural energy source. The heat pumps collect heat from 70 bore holes, each 150m deep – a total of 10,500m of active bore hole depth. Each 60kW GSHP is paired with its own ventilating unit and 500L NIBE UKV buffer tank – producing a total output of 600kW. Solar panels on the roof provide an additional 220kW to help meet the warehouse’s electricity needs.ResultsWith the ten GSHPs now fully operational, the results have been even better than expected – with a seasonal performance factor (SPF) of 3.65 and average humidity levels of just 47%. Interconnected with 3km of header pipes, the GSHPs are spaced equidistantly along one side of the 264m-long building. The units are set up as separate systems, so they can work independently of each other or together as required. This provides an added level of security for the customer, ensuring the system can cope at all times and the steel is kept at optimum conditions.Customer Testimonial“This system made perfect commercial sense for us. While the initial outlay was greater than some of the other alternatives, GSHPs provided the most cost-effective solution by far in the long term. In fact, compared to natural gas, we will be making an impressive energy saving of 1.58 million kW/h each year. Our projected payback period is just ten years and we’re also benefiting from Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) payments for each unit of renewable energy we’re generating.”Gary Dawson, managing director, AV Dawson

A small development of new build properties has been completed near Helston in Cornwall, homes which will be exclusively available to local people with long-standing associations with the area. The homes have renewable heating systems installed with Aerona³ air source heat pumps and cylinders all supplied by Grant UK.

Hexham and Northern Mart is an auction house in Hexham (25 miles west of Newcastle), specialising in the sale of livestock and cattle to farmers across the North East of England. The business decided it was time to replace its old gas-fired heating system with a more sustainable alternative – one that would not only reduce energy consumption and running costs, but also earn additional income through the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI). Minimising impact on day-to-day operations during the transition was another key consideration. Managing director Robert Addison tasked renewable energy specialist and NIBE Pro Installer Calibrate Energy Engineering with finding the right solution to meet the heating and hot water demands of the 112,050sq ft building.The SolutionThe team at Calibrate specified, designed and installed a 300 kW renewable heating system made up of five 60 kW NIBE F1345 ground source heat pump (GSHP) units. They paired this with a 50 kW solar PV array, fitted to the roof of the main pen area, which partially powers the NIBE GSHP system. The in-ground heat collectors required for the GSHP were laid in the fields around the buildings, with the controls units sited in a prefabricated plant room to the rear of the premises. The installation took just three months from start to finish, and during this time it was business as usual for Hexham and Northern Marts.ResultsDocked together in a cascade for greater output capacity, the five NIBE F1345 GSHP units now meet 95% of Hexham and Northern Marts’ 394,000 kW/h annual heating and hot water demand. Meanwhile, the 50 kW solar PV array generates enough free electricity to offset a significant 50% of the power needed to run the GSHP system. Hexham & Northern Marts is set to make a 236% return on investment – reaping an estimated £862,000 in energy savings and commercial RHI payments over the next two decades.Customer Testimonial“We couldn’t be happier with our new renewable heat and power sources. As well as delivering instant reductions in energy usage and subsequent savings on heating bills, the NIBE GSHP solution is providing us with a steady stream of income for the next two decades, thanks to the RHI. The power produced by the solar PV panels is an added bonus, and makes running the heat pump system even more cost-effective.“As a result, we’re expecting to see returns of more than double our original investment over the next 20 years – which is absolutely invaluable from a business point of view. Not only this, but we’ve got an efficient, reliable renewables setup that’s fit for the future, and will continue to deliver ongoing savings for years to come.”Robert Addison, managing director, Hexham & Northern Marts

Successful Funding Claim

The San Siro playing field was designed to be heated using an under-soil system featuring single-head, in-line electronic pumps. In the wider facility areas, a heating substation was installed, incorporating wet-rotor circulators and in-line electronic pumps for the climate conditioning systems. Additionally, co-generation systems with both single-head and twin-head in-line electronic pumps were implemented for auxiliary plants dedicated to heating energy production.Despite the initial investment in inverter technology for the pumps, the operational optimization results in a lower running cost, showcasing a great example of an energy efficient installation.

A Grant Aerona³ air source heat pump has been installed at a home in Wiltshire, replacing the biomass boiler that was previously heating the property. Working together with an underfloor heating system, the Aerona³ heat pump is operating efficiently to deliver warmth and comfort throughout the home.

Working closely with Dimplex’s in-house heating design team, Ability Projects developed a unique centralised control solution, incorporating Dimplex air source heat pump and solar PV technology.

Hull homeowner Ben Andrew is watching his home energy bills carefully to measure the benefits of switching from an all-gas heating and hot water system to a combination of gas boiler and air source heat pump.

A Dimplex air source heat pump forms part of the award-winning energy credentials at a ‘Superhome’ designed to showcase the energy savings that can be made using grants and relatively low-cost improvements.

The Dimplex Edel air source hot water heat pump has proved its credentials as an exceptionally efficient, easy to install and cost-effective renewable water heating system for one resident on the island of Jersey.

A family home in Wiltshire has made the move from a gas central heating system to a renewable solution featuring an Aerona³ air source heat pump, a solar thermal system and QR hot water cylinder all supplied by Grant UK, helping the household to reduce their dependency on fossil fuel and lower their energy bills.

Networked heat pumps in a new build development at the York Way EstateGround source heat pumps from Kensa are cutting costs and carbon at a development of 91 high-quality social rent new homes at the City of London Corporation’s York Way Estate in the London Borough of Islington. The environmentally-friendly newbuild scheme is supporting the City Corporation’s Climate Action Strategy.Key Facts91 new homes in 4 blocks, all for social rentRanging in size from studio apartments to four-bedroom homesFour-star Home Quality Mark in line with LETI design guidance - https://www.leti.uk/cedgAnnual heat demand 215,563 kWhMixture of 63 x 3kW and 28 x 6kW Kensa Shoebox heat pumpsProviding heating, hot water and passive cooling31 x boreholes with an average depth of 145m184.83g NOx saved per year

The Queens Quay project is the UK’s first large-scale water source heat pump, taking the latent heat from the nearby River Clyde and using it to heat the 23-hectare Queens Quay development which will include 1,200 homes, commercial facilities and essential infrastructure. The project saw us deliver a complete energy solution which included our next generation of smart, in-home technologies which bring transparency and functionality to both the client and end user. Our vTherm°e Heat Interface Unit (HIU) and Glass app were chosen as the preferred products as they are heat-pump-compatible and facilitate the decarbonisation, digitalisation and electrification of heat.

When Alex and Wendy Corlett switched to a heat pump, they were delighted to discover an unexpected benefit…

Avoiding gas reliance when building a new house.Traditional self-build projects have always had heating systems such as gas central heating and solar panels installed. However, with the increasing costs of gas, and the uncertainty of future supplies, a secondary heating source is required.There are options such as ground heating pumps, etc. but a real heating system independent of the grid, plus a stunning focal point has to be a wood burning stove.In fact, wood logs are now the cheapest domestic heating fuel. According to the Stove Industry Alliance, wood now is “costing households 74% less per kWh than electric heating and 21% less than gas heating”. The benefits don’t end there. “Using a modern wood burning stove also costs 29% less to run than an air source heat pump. Wood logs are 87% less carbon intensive than gas, 88% less than electricity and 74% less than an air source heat pump.”Building a traditional steel pipe flue system is always an option, but steel systems are more suitable in retrofit projects where minimum disruption is required. When you are building a house from the ground up, then a more permanent and ultimately lifetime option is the better one.

In Autumn 2018, the heating system for a rural property in Hampshire was upgraded during which a Grant VortexAir air source heat pump/ oil boiler hybrid was installed. The installation of this innovative heating product now keeps the household warm, cleverly combining renewable energy with the trusted elements of an oil boiler.

Tom Smith Plumbing and Heating Services, G1 Installers who specialise in renewable, eco-friendly technologies, completed the installation of a hattrick of Grant products in a new build property in Perranporth, Cornwall. An Aerona³ heat pump, Wave cylinder and Uflex underfloor heating system are working together to fulfil the heating requirements of this new family home.

This new-build house was in a remote location and off-grid for mains gas, the house was to be heated by a heat pump and so efficiency was a major consideration for the project. The Lewis Deck system was chosen for the 1st floor of the building to provide the same efficiencies for the underfloor heating as the concrete ground floor as well as providing a high level of acoustic separation for this quality timber frame project. The build-up included the Lewis flanking and resilient strips, Lewis Deck, Anhydrite liquid screed and underfloor heating pipes.

The hydraulic system providing water to the two swimming pools, changing rooms, and a lounge area is operated by DAB pressure boosting sets and recirculating systems. The installed pumps ensure efficiency, energy conservation, and require minimal maintenance, offering maximum reliability to meet the demands of this contemporary facility.Utilizing Evoplus B and D electronic circulating pumps for the heating system, a consistent pressure is maintained within the system even as the flow rate fluctuates, preventing disruptions in the event of transient operational variations. Delivering an energy efficient system and CO2 reduction.