The popularity of renewable heating options has increased exponentially in recent years, with initiatives like the Renewable Heat Incentive driving take-up, alongside developing technology that offers strong performance combined with impressive green credentials.
Customers now demand that their home not only provides industry-leading heating performance regardless of the season, but also an environmentally-friendly system that limits the impact the development has on the planet.
This was front of mind in the development of the Grey House project in Windermere, Cumbria, and a driving factor behind the decision to work with installers Pure Renewables to fit the Stiebel Eltron WPF 10 S ground source heat pump alongside a 200-litre buffer tank and a 300-litre hot water cylinder.
The WPF 10 S is a market-leading ground source heat pump with a focus on efficiency and a fast and safe installation process. The unit’s expansion vessel and circulation pumps are pre-fitted, streamlining installation and saving space while delivering industry-leading performance.
The Grey House site typified the ideal property in which to install a high performance renewable heat pump. A large newbuild property with modern insulation, it required a resilient system to provide combined heating and hot water across the expansive development that included four bathrooms.
Fed by three 80-metre boreholes in water-saturated slate, the WPF 10 S demonstrated its credentials at the Grey House, and following the installation carried out by Pure Renewables the product has hit a number of impressive performance milestones.
The unit achieved an average SCOP of 5.3 across December, January and February 2018 while in operation providing combined heating and hot water – ensuring that the homeowner spent one of the coldest winters on record comfortably warm with hot water on demand.
The numbers
- Heat out since system commissioned: 8 MWh
- Electricity consumer since system commissioned: 1.39 MWh
- Real efficiency: 5.75 (575%)
- Domestic hot water generated: 0.9 MWh
- Electricity consumer: 0.3 MWh
- Real DHW efficiency: 3 (300%)
Chris Whitelock, managing director of Pure Renewables, said: “We’ve been very impressed with the performance that the WPF 10 S has demonstrated since our installation of the unit at the Grey House.
“It’s no secret that we’ve had a particularly cold winter this year, and this provided a unique challenge for the WPF. However, as the stats show, it’s passed the test with flying colours – providing a reliable supply of hot water and consistent heat when called upon.
“When integrated with the state-of-the-art insulation applied across the property, the WPF has provided a top of the line heating solution, achieving an industry-leading seasonal coefficient of performance throughout its service so far.”
Mark McManus, managing director of Stiebel Eltron UK, said: “We’re committed to providing innovative renewable options for UK housebuilders and homeowners and these statistics really nail down why that is."
“Ground source heat pumps like the WPF 10 S can provide performance levels that save customers money, while providing a consistent source of domestic heating and hot water and remaining a fully sustainable option.
“We’re pleased to have been able to work so closely with our installation partner Pure Renewables on this project. Together we have delivered an environmentally friendly heating solution that meets the brief supplied by the client and will provide a future proof and reliable system the customer can enjoy for years to come.”
