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In HVAC system terms, heat recovery is a process of capturing, and putting to good use, heat that would, in the normal course of events, be “rejected to atmosphere”. One example is heat energy that is absorbed and rejected by an air conditioning system during its cooling cycle. This, to all intents and purposes, is free heat that can be successfully redirected for space heating, domestic water heating or any other process that requires heat.

Heat recovery is being successfully applied in all types of buildings, schools, manufacturing plants and office buildings. It typically provides a very attractive return on investment for building owner/operators.

Hotels with their relatively high year-round internal cooling loads combined with high hot water demand are excellent opportunities for “green” heat pump, heat recovery chiller technology.

Importantly, heat pump heat recovery systems can allow for substantially downsizing or even eliminating fossil fuel, combustion based heating equipment such as gas boilers. This was the case in a project undertaken and described here by the Daikin Distributor, Space Airconditioning plc.

Space Air has enjoyed a partnering agreement with a leading UK hotel group for over 20 years and, for a refurbishment project in the heart of London, supplied a 320kW Daikin air-cooled chiller with a heat recovery option. In addition to satisfying specific, almost continuous cooling demands, this chiller also provides warmed water to 4 x 500 litre indirect DHW cylinders.

The hotel’s hot water supply is pre-heated by the chiller’s heat recovery process; this in turn dramatically reduces the output required of new high efficiency gas fired water boilers.

The result is significant kW savings in energy and huge reductions in mains gas consumption.

The Hotel Group had committed to refurbish the Covent Garden Hotel including all guest bedrooms as well as function rooms, reception areas and restaurants.

Space Air technicians in conjunction carried out a survey with the hotel’s maintenance company. It was determined that whilst the existing Air Handling Unit serving the common areas and restaurants etc. was in good condition and could be re used, an existing air cooled chiller needed replacing, due to the fact that it was designed to operate with R22 refrigerant (the use of which for service purposes will be banned from 2015) and was in a state of disrepair with only one working compressor circuit.

The concept that a new Daikin Chiller to replace the old machine, could also provide cost effective heat recovery features, created interest because the hotel’s existing gas boilers were due to be replaced.

Space Air presented the features and specification of the Daikin Heat Recovery system to the client. Space Air was able to illustrate cost savings the Heat Recovery option would provide, and combined with the reduced costs for the smaller gas boilers, substantial reductions in the hotel’s hot water services operational costs could be realised.

The Hotel group decided it made good financial sense to proceed with the Heat Recovery option.

The new Daikin heat recovery chiller operates 24/7 and an existing back up (cooling only) Daikin chiller is only used in case of unlikely
failure. This means the new chiller provides virtually continuous pre-heated water for the DHWS.

On a seasonal basis it has been calculated that the chiller will produce an average of 236.6kW of hot water, free of charge. This takes into account the chiller operating for 24 hours, 7 days a week, 365 day a year (8760 hours).

Four x 500 Litre indirect cylinders provide pre-heated water on a separate circuit to the secondary heat exchanger in the basement, which serves the main feed to the showers, and DHWS for the hotel guestrooms.

Allowing for losses in the cylinders and pipework etc., the system achieves delta T of approximately 20°C. So the mains water supply to the DHWS heat exchanger is increased by this temperature rise resulting in a much lower demand than usual on the new gas boilers.

To put this into perspective the cost to heat 2000L of water based on a ∆T of 20°C with a gas boiler was calculated and compared with the ‘extra’ cost of providing a heat recovery option on the chiller price to perform the same function.
Approx. 46.44kWh (per hour) of energy is required. Over one year based on 24/7, 365 days (8760 hours) operation and with gas at 4p per kWh, the cost of gas would be approx. £16k.

The premium cost for the optional HR circuit on the Daikin Chiller plus the required tanks, pumps, pipework etc. Installed = £30/40k (Estimated). This equates to a payback period on the investment of less than 3 years.

So far the client is delighted with the cost savings achieved and is looking to apply similar heat recovery principles in more of his property portfolio.

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The Brick Development Association (BDA) announces the appointment of Michael Ankers OBE as its incoming Chairman. Michael, who served as the BDA’s Chief Executive from 1995 to 1998, will rejoin the Association in December of this year, following the retirement of Alan Baxter.

With over 40 years’ experience in various industry sectors, Michael most recently held the position of Chief Executive of the Construction Products Association which he established as a highly effective representative body for that £50 billion industry during his 13-year tenure. In the course of his career, he has held various positions within government departments as well as serving as Director of the Chartered Institute of Building.

Michael commented on his appointment: “I am honoured to have been invited to chair the Association. The brick industry has an important part to play in the recovery of the construction industry and particularly the creation of the additional housing that politicians in all the major political parties recognise the country urgently needs. These are exciting and challenging times for the brick industry, and the Brick Development Association has an important role to play. I am very much looking forward to playing my part in this”.

During his previous time with the BDA, Michael developed a new business strategy designed to raise the profile of the brick industry and the BDA’s role within the sector. He also strengthened links with the Government and the other main political parties, and was instrumental in the establishment of the Masonry Alliance, as well as the Better Brickwork Alliance which encourages closer ties between manufacturers and brickwork subcontractors.

Michael has represented the UK brick industry at European level, and is currently Chairman of the Considerate Constructors’ Scheme, and council member and trustee at the BRE. His non-executive positions include Director at the British Board of Agrement and Director of the CIC Approved Inspectors’ Register. He is also Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Constructors and Freeman of the City of London.

In 2009, Michael was awarded an OBE for services to the construction industry. Three years later, he received a Special Lifetime Award from the Chartered Institute of Marketing for services to marketing in the construction industry, and last year he was granted Honorary Life Membership of the Construction Industry Council.

Alan Baxter commented: “We are delighted with the appointment of Michael as our new chairman. Michael and I worked together previously when I was Chairman of the BDA in the late nineties, and his time at the CPA. We are confident with Michael’s invaluable experience the BDA will continue to provide exceptional service to its members”.

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Six individual ranges at astonishing published prices

Stelrad has launched a new series of six selected radiator ranges under the Stelrad Vita branding that includes an entry level Stelrad Vita Value range, right through to the beautifully designed Ultra product with colour options. The Vita series is set to revolutionise the radiator market.

Stelrad is dedicated to continually developing innovative products and widening the extensive range to offer the largest selection of technically-advanced and attractive steel panel radiator styles in the UK, but importantly at the best prices on the market. With the introduction of the Vita series, Stelrad has excelled itself again.

The Vita series is made up of six expertly selected ranges of radiators, offering value and design options to suit every budget and taste. It features simple and transparent pricing, using published trade prices so that installers can purchase the products and recommend the best quality solutions to their customers, at known, affordable prices.

“We’re conscious that some installers and plumbers are persuaded by the lower quality products available to them online and via non-specialist outlets,” says Stelrad’s Chris Harvey, “but now, with the Vita series you can have a market leading Stelrad branded radiator at market leading prices. You can now choose the best in terms of quality and value.”

The Stelrad Vita series comes in six selected ranges of radiators from the entry level Vita Value, through the Vita Compact, the Vita Eco for those wanting an energy saving option, Vita Deco for those wanting a designer radiator look, to Vita Plan – a flat faced, smooth fronted design and finally the designer look, Vita Ultra – with bespoke colour finishes available.

Prices start from as little as £14.63 for the Vita Value which compares favourably with any other radiators you can buy. And the designer versions start at £31.60 – which for radiators of this quality and appeal is astonishing value for customers.

Full details of the new Vita Series can be found on www.stelrad.com, you can call for brochures and information on 0844 543 6200 or email marketing@stelrad.com . You can follow Stelrad on Twitter @Stelrad or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/StelradLimited.

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In response to feedback from over 400 international architects, VMZINC has once again pioneered a new development with AZENGAR®, the first rolled zinc facade and roofing material to be engraved. Its subtle yet distinctive surface has a matt appearance which is unaffected by fingerprints and therefore ideal for both exterior and interior use. AZENGAR is pigment-free and manufactured in 0.7mm, 0.8mm and 1.0mm thicknesses using an entirely new process. It is the lightest shade of zinc available and unlike uniform, pre-weathered shades such as QUARTZ-ZINC® and PIGMENTO, its engraving causes delicate variations in light refraction.

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The U3000 & U1000 latest generation of clamp-on, ultrasonic flow meters from Micronics are a viable alternative to in-line meters for HVAC metering, in both retrofit and new build applications, delivering major installation savings, minimal downtime, maximised availability and significant maintenance benefits.

Liquid flow metering including LTHW, Chilled water and DHWS plus flow measurement for Thermal Energy measurement are all areas where clamp-on meters offer a best value solution for Building Services or Energy Management i.e. they will be significantly cheaper to install than traditional in-line meters and as they’re non-invasive they deliver maximum availability through dry servicing and minimal maintenance.

The larger the pipe size the greater the installed saving will be but with the elimination of flanges and by-pass valves significant savings are available for a wide range of pipe sizes with major savings for larger applications! The following is a comparison of new build installation costs the comparable savings for retrofit would be higher:

The above demonstrates the potential installation price savings from using a clamp-on solution, which would deliver an installed clamp-on meter price with savings ranging from significant to major from 50mm upwards. And with the added benefits of being non-invasive, requiring only dry servicing and maximising availability. Call+44 (0) 1628 810456 or visit www.micronicsflowmeters.com for further info.

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As the requirement for cleaner heating solutions gathers pace, condensing biomass boilers – boilers that burn wood pellets made from recycled sawdust or virgin timber from managed sources – are increasingly being seen as sensible options for people looking to reduce their carbon footprint.

One of the leading manufacturers of wood pellet boilers is Grant UK, a company that has been designing and manufacturing reliable, high quality, easy to install heating products for more than 35 years. Perhaps best known for their award winning oil fired condensing boilers, Grant UK has expanded its business very successfully into the new world of renewable heating technologies, offering the most efficient air source heat pumps, a sector leading eco efficient solar thermal system as well as the Spira Wood Pellet boilers – all in a range of sizes that would complement virtually any UK residence.

Grant has welcomed The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) decision to include the Grant Spira range of Condensing Wood Pellet Boilers in the Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme (RHI). The MCS approved Grant Spira Condensing Wood Pellet boilers are available in outputs of 6kW up to 72kW and deliver efficiencies up to 97.4% which is impressive by any standard. Models are available for domestic properties or small scale commercial installations, the latter achieved by using two boilers mounted side by side. The solution is very efficient as the precise electronic burner control allows both units to modulate as one, down to just 25% of maximum load when the full output is not required.

With most pellet burning boilers, up to 20% of the energy that is produced is lost to atmosphere via the flue system. The Spira range features a unique secondary condensing heat exchanger designed to capture some of this lost latent heat energy, conveying additional warmth for the home. It’s just one example of the intelligent, value added design features you can expect from Grant UK products.

The Grant Spira Wood Pellet boiler requires very little maintenance in comparison with other wood pellet appliances. It has a self-cleaning system for the primary and secondary heat exchangers ensuring the system is debris free. The self-cleaning burner uses a premium EN Plus A1 standard pellet with low ash content, requiring minimal maintenance.

Wood pellet boilers are generally larger than traditional oil or gas boilers and will require a hopper to store the fuel, sited adjacent to the boiler. The Grant Spira is designed to be located in a garage, store or outhouse building, so it’s important to consider its position prior to installation. In addition, ventilation is a crucial factor for the appliance and the flue in order that its operation is safe and efficient. The boiler has an automated cleaning cycle which does result temporarily in an increase in noise levels, so that too should be considered when selecting a location for the boiler.

The Pellet storage is available in capacities from 3 to 6 tonnes. Pellets can be auger fed from storage hoppers into the intermediate pellet store supplied as standard with the boiler. Alternatively, for installations where an auger fed hopper is unsuitable, there is the Grant SpiraVac unit which swiftly and conveniently moves the pellets from the Grant external store to the internal Spira boiler hopper via vacuum hose. The system enables the bulk pellet store to be positioned up to a distance of 20 metres from the boiler.

Managing Director of Grant UK, Paul Wakefield says: “Our training team are seeing a huge increase in demand for knowledge in this arena and courses are at capacity.” Full details of the Grant UK Spira Wood Pellet boiler range and accessories can be found at www.grantuk.com.

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As part of our continued growth we have developed a new corporate brochure showing an overview of the wide range of products and services we can offer. Previous handbooks have been very range specific and have served a purpose. However they tend to promote only those product ranges. The new brochure is designed to give a view of the complete range.

For full details of our product range please visit us at www.pts-uk.com

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In response to increased demand for our products we have extended our storage facility in East Grinstead.

The new extension is designed for pallet storage to increase our depth of stock. This should ensure we hold greater stocks of all our major product lines to enable same day despatch from stock. Along with the storage extension we have added a mezzanine floor to increase office space and storage within the existing units.

For full details of our product range please visit us at www.pts-uk.com

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Iron technology leader Saint-Gobain PAM UK, part of leading international materials company, Saint-Gobain, has further demonstrated its environmental commitment through several major investments at Holwell, near Melton Mowbray, including one which has seen CO2 emissions from its cupola furnace – the biggest of its kind in the UK – fall dramatically.

The previous installation of a dry bag filter system has meant particulate emissions have been reduced by 99 per cent from the cupola furnace. As a result, emissions are now less than 0.3kg per tonne of castings, while the company has reduced site water use by 63 per cent and electricity by 9 per cent, and completely eliminated the use of caustic soda previously employed for cleaning the wet filtration system. The move also brings a reduced risk to permitted drainage discharge points.

A second substantial investment has been the installation of a heat exchanger to recover waste heat from combustion gases. The energy regained by the heat exchanger will be used to re-heat input air to the furnace, resulting in an annual saving of 2,200 tonnes of CO2. A new control system has also been established at Holwell, which will facilitate both the cupola furnace’s filter system and the new heat exchanger.

Paul Minchin, Managing Director of Saint-Gobain PAM UK, added: “It is important to us that we continue to invest in measures that will put environmental savings at the forefront of business. The investment in the cupola furnace’s new filtration and heat recovery system has reduced CO2 emissions enormously, and is just one example of our business ethos, which has minimising our environmental impact at its heart. These measures will pave the way for further developments in optimising energy use, reducing gas consumption, use of low level waste heat and the recycling of collected particulates.

“The investment also shows our commitment to maintaining a UK manufacturing base, with our site near Melton Mowbray providing a truly local service to UK customers, removing the supply chain delays which can occur with imported products.”

For further information visit www.saint-gobain-pam.co.uk/access-press.

Pictured in front of the cupola: project team members (left to right) Richard Brown, John Mcleod, Tim Benton

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This is the slogan with which Daikin Europe announces the launch of its new online controller. Available for use with a wide range of Daikin split units, the new solution enables a heat pump system to be controlled, irrespective of its location via a laptop, tablet or smart phone with access to the internet or via wired remote control.

It is easy to forget to turn off a heat pump system before leaving the premises or because of a delay in returning, to be faced with needlessly re-warming or cooling them. In the past these avoidable problems would have resulted in wasted energy but this need no longer be the case. The new Daikin online controller provides round the clock control via a laptop, tablet or even smart phone to access the heat pump system via the internet. Fault conditions can also be detected remotely, allowing a quick response to problems.

Control of the heat pump system is possible from anywhere with internet access achieved simply by entering the URL or running the app on a supported device to gain access to the system’s main functions. Whether the operator is a residential user or the manager of a chain of shops requiring control of groups of units, the Daikin online controller ensures the peace of associated with having full control.

The online controller is compatible with selected Daikin split systems such as Daikin Emura and Nexura as well as other wall-mounted, floor-standing and ducted systems in the split range and is available wef January 2012.

Daikin Europe products are distributed in the UK by Daikin Airconditioning UK Ltd and Space Airconditioning plc.

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