"As buildings largely contribute to the country’s total greenhouse gas emissions, heating systems play a significant role in the energy usage and carbon footprint of a building. We’ll explore how Smart Future Tech and Auditel can help your property achieve net zero emissions, and how we can guide property owners, facility managers, specifiers and developers, in the journey towards carbon neutrality"

 

What is a heat pump retrofit?

 

Simply, retrofitting a heat pump involves upgrading, replacing or supplementing your current heating and/or hot water system with a heat pump. This can be done relatively easily in most buildings, including commercial, and industrial properties, with air source heat pumps being most popular due to their lower costs and less disruptive installation process - when compared to ground source options.

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A well-engineered retrofit can save so much energy that it can pay for itself in just a few years.

 

Performance and sustainability goals

 

Before starting any construction or retrofitting project, you need to define your project goals clearly. What do you want your heating system to achieve? These may include objectives such as attaining your desired comfort and performance levels, and achieving the required sustainability benchmarks set by independent accreditation bodies. Auditel offer a range of options

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After defining your project goals, another important factor to consider is the purpose of your heating system. What will it be used for? Typically, heating applications in commercial buildings include space heating via radiator or underfloor heating, hot water systems, and pool heating, among others. Identifying the size, location, and type of heating applications is important to accurately determine the total heating demand and select the appropriate model and capacity of the heating equipment that you need to install.

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When sizing the heating system, we look at the building as a whole. i.e. how is the heating demand affected by the different building components? We do not just size the system based on the current peak demand. We explore the different ways to lessen it.

such as insulating and sealing the building fabric, and using passive thermal systems can all greatly reduce the demand for active space heating and contribute to a flatter grid demand profile. By lessening the peak demand you are not only reducing the space requirements and size of equipment to be used but also helping the heating system perform more effectively and efficiently.

 

Is your property suitable?

 

There are many factors to consider when deciding whether to retrofit a heat pump into a commercial building, and thankfully, the age of a building isn’t too much of an issue. Older buildings can definitely be retrofitted with heat pumps; the key is selecting the right type of heat pump and refrigerant that aligns with the building’s characteristics, and the owner’s goals. High Temperature Heat Pumps can be used for Hot Water production and are especially useful in manufacturing applications

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Hot Water Heat Pumps provide a highly efficient means of heating hot water for many commercial and industrial applications. The energy efficiency of Hot Water Heat Pumps is over 4 times that of conventional water heaters.

 

The well established advanced technology of Heat Pumps also ensures optimal performance across a wide range of ambient temperatures which makes them suitable for all UK conditions.

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Building Insulation

 

When it comes to retrofitting, a building’s insulation is important; good insulation that effectively reduces heat loss means only a smaller, more efficient heat pump would be needed. While heat pumps can be sized to meet any heat demand, a building with better insulation would result in lower operational costs of a heat pump system. Additionally, its important that heat load calculations are taken into account as building use often changes.

 

Depending on your current heating system, you might be able to reuse existing pipework. With high temperature heat pumps readily available with higher flow temperatures of up to 90c, it doesn't therefore mean that radiators might need resizing or replacing. Selecting the right heat pump type and output are important consideration's - especially as conventional boiler manufacturers are all jumping on the bandwagon with their own heat pump offerings.

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Heat Pump Types

 

There are several air to water heat pump models available on the market. The most common ones use HFC refrigerants. However, newer technology use propane (which has some safety issues due to its flammability) and CO2 heat pumps. As the name suggests, a CO2 heat pumps uses carbon dioxide as a refrigerant. Carbon dioxide has the lowest global warming potential (GWP) and ozone depletion potential (ODP) among all common refrigerants today. With a 1.0 GWP and zero ODP, CO2 heat pumps are undoubtedly the best option for sustainable and carbon-neutral buildings.

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You also have to consider if your property infrastructure can handle the new heat pump equipment. Generally, power supply and space are the two most common challenges, especially if you’re upgrading from a boiler to a heat pump system. Can your existing electrical system handle the additional load from the heat pump? Will it fit the space available on your property?

 

A heat pump system uses a significant amount of power that likely was not considered in the original electrical system design. Some of our Heat Pump solutions allow for outputs up to 600 kW. This can be a huge load especially if you will be using multiple units. It is important to know if the existing provision for the incoming power supply can handle this load or if there is a need to upgrade. Fortunately, in most cases, an electrical upgrade can be avoided with proper engineering and optimisation of peak load.

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These are just a few of the considerations around building suitability, but it’s a good place to start when thinking about whether or not you can retrofit a heat pump.

 

The installation process

 

The retrofit process starts with one of our system designers conducting heat loss calculations to determine your building's heating needs. We’ll then design a bespoke solution to meet these requirements with minimal disruption. Opting for a refrigerant with a temperature differential close to that of traditional boilers, like R290 (propane), can make the retrofit smoother.

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Benefits of retrofitting heat pumps

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• Efficiency and cost savings

 

Heat pumps are extremely efficient, often achieving a Coefficient of Performance (COP) between 4 and 5. This means they can produce three to five times more heat than the electricity they consume. In contrast, gas boilers usually operate at around 80% efficiency.

 

Even though electricity is more expensive than gas, the efficiency of heat pumps can lead to significant savings on energy bills. You can further reduce costs by using renewable energy sources, like solar power, to run the heat pump.

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• Environmental impact

 

Switching to a heat pump can drastically reduce your business’s carbon footprint. Even though much of the UK’s electricity still comes from fossil fuels, the growing share of renewable energy in the National Grid boosts the environmental benefits of heat pumps.

Choosing the right refrigerant is also an important step.

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• Longevity and future-proofing

 

Heat pumps typically last 15 to 20 years, outliving traditional boilers that usually last 10 to 15 years. Using natural refrigerants ensures compliance with future environmental regulations, protecting your investment from becoming obsolete due to regulatory changes.

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• Flexibility

 

Heat pumps are versatile. They can provide both heating and hot water and work well with various emitters at low surface temperatures, enhancing comfort and efficiency.

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Budget and payback period

 

Ultimately, your budget and required payback period will dictate which sustainable heating technology to use. In general, heat pumps have a higher upfront cost than boilers. However, because heat pumps have much higher efficiency, their potential energy savings could prove to be more beneficial in the long run. As part of our clients offer is to to get competitive quotations, conduct a benefit-cost analysis, and compare ROIs in order to select the best heating option and configuration for your property.

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Financing

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"Heat as a Service" which offers the following:

 

No Upfront Costs for equipment

For one single monthly payment Heat-as-a-Service allows you to spread the investment cost over 15 years.

 

Complete Service End to End

 

They design, manufacture, install and maintain the heat pump.

 

Performance Guarantee

 

If the heat pump does not meet the guaranteed performance, they will refund the cost of the heat pump and remove it from site.

 

A Green Heating Solution

 

Cost effective, energy efficient heating solution to help a business on its journey to net-zero.

There are several companies offering these types of solutions and an ever-growing list of manufacturers offering innovation when it comes to offering customer solutions.

Happy to help anyone who has a customer where financing may be a consideration 

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Conclusion

 

Retrofitting a heat pump offers a host of benefits for businesses, from increased efficiency and cost savings to environmental sustainability and future-proofing. The process can be straightforward, especially with the right system designer and refrigerant choice. With available financial assistance and the potential for significant long-term gains, retrofitting heat pumps is a smart investment for businesses looking to upgrade their heating systems, and a step in the right direction for the country’s goals to protect and preserve the environment.