Knowledge: Case studies
ASHP
What: Property
developers combine
insulation with air
source heat pump
How: ASHP delivers
cost-efficient heat to
underfloor system
Result: Efficiency
measures add £10k to
property values
GSHP
What: Eco-friendly
home opts for heat
pump technology
How: Kensa GSHP
supplies sustainable
source of heating and
water
Result: Project is
eligible for RHI and
cuts energy bills
24 | www.renewableenergyinstaller.co.uk
Insulation and air source heat pump
improve chicken shed conversion
A former chicken shed has been converted into
small country homes with the clever use of
insulation and an air source heat pump.
Solihull-based Ardenvale Ltd chose to
use products from the Actis Hybrid range
when it converted the 10,000-square-foot 1940s
one-time hen house into a selection of one and
two bedroom cottages.
Using insulating vapour control layer Actis
H Control Hybrid in the walls gave the builders
an extra 3-4cm of floorspace at every wall –
which, across 13 houses, enabled them to add an
additional £10,000 to the overall asking price for
the development.
The firm chose Actis products – insulating
vapour control layer H Control Hybrid for the
walls and 45mm honeycomb style insulation
Hybris, H Control Hybrid and multifoil TS10+
for the roofs – for their combination of thermal
efficiency and thin volume. This enabled them
to maximise floor space and ensure sufficient
headroom in the eaves. The properties also
benefit from underfloor heating provided via
an air source heat pump.
Kensa GSHP helps ultra-modern eco home
In 2015 Jason Harris, Director of East London
based architectural practice T-Space, designed
and built an ultra-modern, eco-friendly home. He
wanted the 550m² house to be as self-sufficient
as possible and was keen to install a renewable
heating system rather than using the gas network.
He approached Kensa partner installer
Ground Sun who suggested that a ground
source heat pump would provide a sustainable
and efficient source of heating and hot water.
Ground Sun also advised that the installation
would be eligible for the domestic Renewable
Heat Incentive (RHI), earning quarterly
payments from the Government for
seven years to more than offset the
cost of the initial investment.
Ground Sun specified a 20kW
Kensa Twin Compact ground source
heat pump. Brian Connell, Director of
Ground Sun, said: “Kensa manufactures
the highest output single phase
ground source heat pumps on the
market, which is really useful for large
domestic jobs such as this one. Also,
Ground Sun enjoys a good working
relationship with Kensa and appreciates the
support offered during the installation process.”
The heat pump is installed in a basement
plant room. Smart energy meters complement
the system and controls are kept to a minimum,
consisting of a time clock and just four thermostat
zones. It was felt preferable that the heat pump be
allowed to run for longer periods at a lower level
to achieve optimal efficiency, instead of cycling
on and off with the demands of multiple controls.
The fine tuning and long term balancing for each
room is done by hand at the manifold.