This document is intended for energy advice professionals only, and not the consumer

Advisor Factsheet November 2008

Heat Pumps

Key Points

A particularly good option where gas is unavailable, as savings typically higher. Current heating distribution system may be unsuitable - under floor heating usually most suitable. GSHP can require large area required for ground loop. Ensure dwelling is well insulated before installation. Uses electricity considered carbon neutral if electricity is produced from another renewable source. Ground to water, air to water and air to air heat pumps available. Grants available in UK for GSHP and ASHP
LPG Gas / yr kgCO2/yr Electric / yr kgCO2/yr Oil / yr kgCO2/yr / yr kgCO2/yr Solid / yr kgCO2/yr

Air source heat pump Typical installed cost: 7,000 10,000* End SemiTerrace detached 190 510 550 3,700 360 820 410 730 170 3,200 220 600 630 4,300 420 950 480 860 200 3,700

Detached 310 830 870 5,900 580 1,300 660 1,200 280 5,100

Savings Potential
Not all properties will be suitable for a heat pump. The ground source heat pump is the most common installation. Typical savings are shown in the tables below:
Ground source heat pump Typical installed cost: 6,000 12,000* End SemiTerrace detached Gas / yr kgCO2/yr Electric / yr kgCO2/yr Oil / yr kgCO2/yr LPG / yr kgCO2/yr Solid / yr kgCO2/yr 260 660 640 4,300 500 1,100 570 970 210 4,200 300 800 730 5,000 570 1,300 660 1,200 250 4,800

*Costs do not including distribution system e.g. underfloor heating. For full details of energy saving assumptions see accompanying note. However, savings for a GSHP assume the heat pump provides 100% of space heating and 50% of domestic hot water, with the remaining 50% heated by electricity. Savings for ASHP assume it provides 100% space heating only.

Detached 420 1,200 1,000 6,900 760 1,800 870 1,700 350 6,400

Further Information

If considering installation, consult an accredited installer. Heat Pump Association www.heatpumps.org.uk Energy Saving Trust Heat Pump Buyers Guide. Energy Saving Trust Domestic Ground Source Heat Pumps (CE82/GPG339): Design and installation of closed loop systems.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can they be installed as a retro-fit solution? Yes, although this may be more complex if there is a need to change the original heating distribution system. It is essential to insulate the home well before installation. Are heat pumps safe? Yes. Unlike conventional gas and oil heating systems, there is no combustion process involved and no risks of gas or oil leaks. The refrigerant commonly used is R407C/R404A, and the HFCs used in these are acceptable for use in todays environment. Are heat pumps costly to buy and operate? A heat pump is more costly to purchase than a conventional boiler, although grants are available for accredited products. An important consideration is that the operating costs are very low. Unlike the requirement for gas boilers, there are no maintenance and servicing costs associated with heat pumps. How do heat pumps differ from boilers? There are no gas or oil connections as they use renewable energy sources. They provide lower flow temperature water (up to 55oC generally) compared to a boiler (generally 70-82oC) and their capacity for supplying useful energy is dependent on input temperature (from ground/air/water). Heat pumps are much more efficient (boiler can achieve no more than 100% efficiency) and have no compulsory annual servicing requirement. Can heat pumps be used for cooling purposes? Some heat pumps are available that can be used in reverse mode to provide summer cooling. The waste heat (i.e. the heat extracted in the cooling process) can be used to pre-heat domestic hot water. How is domestic hot water delivered and what type of hot water cylinder do I need? Domestic hot water is normally stored at 60-65oC and as the heat pumps can generally only lift temperatures to around 45-50 oC, an additional water heating element will be required. This is usually an electric heating element in the water cylinder for boost. It is normal to try to use an off peak tariff for hot water provision by the heat pump and this can reduced the costs for boost with appropriate control. Larger coil cylinders are required for heat transfer but both direct and indirect cylinder types are suitable. Some manufacturers supply high temperature heat pumps to satisfy total hot water demand but there will be a reduction in CoP. As a rule of thumb, ensure 200W/person is added to the design load if the heat pump is to be used for domestic hot water production. Should I buy an air source or a ground source heat pump? There are advantages and disadvantages to each type of system. See the table in Different Technologies. What size heat pump will I need? How much space is needed for the ground collector if I choose a ground source heat pump? To calculate the approximate amount of ground collector area required, consult your installer. However, the size of heat pump and amount of space required for a horizontal ground collector (the most popular type for domestic applications) will vary depending on: The heat load of the building (kW). The amount of energy the ground conditions are able to give up. If a borehole is being considered, then less ground space will be required - although good access is needed for the machinery. Why do I need to insulate first? Insulation is the most cost-effective energy efficiency measure, and should always be undertaken as a priority over any renewable technology. Undoubtedly, the fabric of a building should be optimized before installing a heat pump, by insulating walls, loft space or roof, draught proofing and installing double glazing. You cannot access the grants without improving energy efficiency, and the heat pump will probably be over-sized if improvements are made later on.

Customer Key Questions

Is the heat pump compatible with the current heating system? Is my home sufficiently well insulated? Can installer explain how they have sized the system? Is the ground material suitable for digging a trench or borehole?

Background
Heat pumps are based on conventional refrigeration technology, converting a high volume of low grade heat from the environment to a low volume of higher grade heat. The heating and hot water system operate exactly the same as they do with a boiler. Heat Pumps can use various sources of free energy but the most common sources are ground (using solar heat from the earth) and air (ambient air). These energy sources are inexhaustible. However, the heat pump will also require electricity to run, which can also come from a renewable source. They provide lower flow temperature water (up to 55oC generally) compared to a gas or oil boiler (generally o 70-82 C). Nb Heat pumps are not air conditioning units, cooling optimised devices, or always able to provide domestic hot water as a sole source.

Different Technologies
All heat pumps require the pump itself plus a distribution system, in the same way that a conventional heating system requires a boiler and a distribution system. Ground source heat pumps also require a ground loop. How the heat pump works In the same way that your fridge uses refrigerant to extract heat from the inside, keeping your food cool, a ground source heat pump extracts heat from the ground, and uses it to heat your home. A ground source heat pump has three main parts:

The evaporator, (e.g. the squiggly thing in the cold part of your fridge) absorbs the heat using the liquid in the ground loop; The compressor, (this is what makes the noise in a fridge) moves the refrigerant round the heat pump and compresses the gaseous refrigerant to the temperature needed for the heat distribution circuit; The condenser, (the hot part at the back of your fridge) gives up heat to a hot water tank which feeds the distribution system.

Coefficient of performance (CoP)

Electricity is used to drive the compressor within the heat pump cycle. As long as the efficiency of the heat pump is greater than 100%, it is energy efficient. Efficiencies of 250-500% are generally available in the UK. Example: A typical 4kW GSHP is 320% efficient, as it gives 3.2kW of useful heat for every 1kW of electricity used. It has a CoP of 3.2.

Different types of heat pump Heat pumps are normally classified by their heat source and means of delivering the heat: ground source and air source are the most common types, although water source heat pumps are available. Ground source Ground source to water: provide useful heat through under floor heating systems and medium temperature radiators. Land area required for ground loops guide only
Property type and size 2 Semi Detached 81m 2 Detached 125 m Land area required 2 98 225 m 2 150 340 m

Benefits of heat pumps

If installed with renewable electricity can be considered carbon neutral. Unlike gas boilers, there are no required annual maintenance and servicing costs associated with heat pumps. Although heat pumps are more expensive than gas and oil boiler equivalents, they only attract 5% VAT. Grants are available to reduce the cost for air and ground source heat pumps.
Ground source Advantages Higher/constant CoP Lower running costs Quieter system than air source (no fans) Generally smaller in size (easier to locate in a property)

Air source Advantages Lower installation costs

Land area requirements vary depending on the insulation levels and heating requirements of the house. The ground loop itself is comprised of lengths of pipe buried in the ground, either in a borehole or a horizontal trench. The pipe is usually a closed circuit and is filled with a mixture of water and antifreeze, which is pumped around the pipe absorbing heat from the ground. The ground loop can be:

System can be installed outside or inside No need for expensive (and messy) boreholes Easier for retro fit Good CoP in UK due to high air temperatures Disadvantages Higher noise levels Lower CoP (varies) Larger in size

Disadvantages Higher installation costs Large area needed to support horizontal ground loop Installation of boreholes can cause major disruption Critical to size ground collector correctly (no second chance if you get it wrong)

Vertical, for use in boreholes. Horizontal, for use in trenches. Spiral, coil or 'slinky', also for use in trenches.

Air source Air source heat pumps can provide efficient benefits at temperatures as low as 20oC. Average temperatures in o o the UK range from 2 C to 22 C. The record low was 10 oC. They do not require a ground loop.

Key Issues & Developments

In addition to those currently available for GSHP, grants for air to water heat pumps are now available though the Low Carbon Buildings Programme this year. The Energy Saving Trust is running a domestic heat pump trial which will have performance results available in early 2010.

Air to water: Commonly used to provide domestic hot water and space heating for dwellings. Air to air: Air is used as the low grade heat source and air is also how the heat is delivered to the space. These are commonly used as reverse cycle heat pumps (providing both heating and cooling).

Heating distribution systems

Compliance
Planning permission is permitted for ground source heat pumps. Customer should check with building control office of local council with regards to ASHP.

Radiator systems designed for boilers tend not to be optimal for heat pumps, as they require higher water temperatures than heat pumps provide. Underfloor heating is the preferred distribution method. Large surface area radiators are an option. As a rule of thumb, a 20oC reduction in flow temperature (typical if compare a heat pump with a gas or oil boiler) requires a 100% oversize of radiator.

Finding the Product

MCS accredited installers and accredited products can be found here on the LCBP web site www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk

Energy Saving Trust, 21 Dartmouth Street, London SW1H 9BP, Tel 0845 602 1425 www.energysavingtrust.org.uk KS5.1 Energy Saving Trust November 2008. E&OE