Remote air source heat pump

The challenge: 

Located on green belt land within an area of outstanding natural beauty and on the fringe of the Peak District National Park; sympathetically renovating and extending a property has many challenges. This combined with local planning policy in favour of sustainable development, draws on the need for low carbon heating systems as part of the design.

To supply the property effectively and efficiently with heating and hot water, Renewable Planet advised and have formally specified the need and requirement for two 10kW heat pumps to be installed to support the heating and hot water requirements at the client’s property.

Whilst the property is not listed, there is an additional requirement for elevations of the property not to be obstructed.

The heat pumps therefore needed to be situated away from the property and screened from view; whilst ensuring access for maintenance and good air flow.

The solution

When positioning heat pumps away from the property, one of the key considerations is to minimise heat losses between the heat pump and plant room area.

REHAU’s RAUVITHERM pre-insulated PE-Xa pipe was specified by Renewable Planet for the project as it’s ideal for heat pump installations and small to medium sized heat networks. This is due to the non-bonded PEX foam layer construction, which gives the product higher flexibility and low heat losses.

Peter Mycoe, Renewable Planet Director said: “having considered many options and specifications and after extensive research following on from a high number of installations, we chose to specify REHAU’S RAUVITHERM pre-insulated PE-Xa pipe to support the quality and consistency of installation and minimise heat losses. Allowing us to ensure that the systems that are installed for our clients, can operate both efficiently and effectively.”

The two heat pumps are situated approximately 3m away from the property, requiring a trench to the front aspect along to the opposite side of the property for the plant room, located in the cellar.

Connection from the heat pump via Everloc^TM male adaptors to a lead-in bend into the trench, connecting to two 18m lengths of 40mm DUO RAUVITHERM. These two elements were combined with REHAU’s Everloc^TM compression sleeve technology and heat shrink shrouds. This jointing system was developed by REHAU and offers a safe and permanently leak tight connection of PE-Xa pipes.

­The ease of flexibility allowed the installers to easily manipulate the pipe into the trench, navigating under an access bridge and into a small opening through the external wall into the cellar.

For more information on REHAU’s heat pump solutions, click here..