Heat pumps can offer real value and environmental hope, writes Philip Ord, product marketing manager for Mitsubishi Electric
Is there anyone left who seriously thinks we shouldn't be reducing energy consumption in our built environment?
Whether you believe the worst stories about climate change or not - and the detailed Stern report is hardly a story - the rising price of fuel and energy means that it is simply madness these days not to look for ways to cut your energy usage and therefore your costs.
The humble heat pump offers increased hope for lower energy use - and therefore lower bills for us all.
Like many, you may have noticed the increasing use of the words 'heat pump' in more manufacturers' adverts and public-relations campaigns. And, while heat pumps have actually been around for decades, the latest versions do offer us the real opportunity of reducing the energy we use.
More than 40% of Europe's energy goes on heating, lighting, cooling and running buildings. And climatic effects are only going to get worse unless we find ways of reducing energy use and hence greenhouse gas emissions.
Modern life requires mechanical heating and cooling as natural ventilation systems cannot cope with the changing temperatures of the British climate.
Legislation also places demands on a building's internal environment in terms of fresh-air quality or minimum temperatures. So we simply have to have some form of mechanical control, and that is going to consume energy.
What we need to find, therefore, is the most efficient way of providing comfort, and this is where modern heat pumps help.
Heat pumps have been used in VRF air-conditioning systems for a while, and allow a building's mechanical systems to supplement the energy they use and harvest free energy from the ambient air or ground.
There is heat (or energy) everywhere, in every substance with a temperature above absolute zero (-273˚C). Heat pumps exploit this by using the compression cycle of a refrigerant circuit to transfer this energy from one place to another and convert or upgrade the energy into usable heat.
This means that, for every kilowatt of energy fed into a heat pump to make it run, it can provide at least 3kW of output. This is otherwise known as a coeffiecient of performance of 3.0.
If we look at a traditional gas boiler, then the 1kW of energy fed into it gives us less than 1kW of output (about 0.93) because some of the energy is lost in the combustion process.
A modern aircon system can transfer this energy from one area to another. This means that excess heat produced by a computer suite, or from the sunny side of a building, can be transferred around the refrigerant circuit to another part of the building which needs heating. And the building's overall energy consumption can be reduced.
These days with the continued advances in heat pump technology, you can even take this one stage further and transfer heat from the air to water.
If we look at a gym, for example, we need to cool the fitness fanatics as they work up a sweat. And the excess heat here could be transferred to the building's water supply via a heat pump and heat a swimming pool. (See schematic above.)
This transfer of energy from air to water is also set to revolutionise the way we heat our homes. According to Mitsubishi, new heat pump heating systems, such as the Mitsubishi Ecodan, offer the potential to cut emissions by 41% over
a modern condensing boiler.
And at the same time it reduces running costs by 31% for the customer, it says. But heat pumps are not only ideal for heating and hot water, and we will see their use increase further as manufacturers develop more ways to incorporate them into our systems and offer even more energy-saving potential.
Mitsubishi's recent collaboration with air curtain manufacturer Thermoscreens is an example of how a heat pump can take an advanced technology and offer tangible energy-saving benefits.
The heat pump air curtain offers a 67% reduction in CO2 emissions, while also reducing running costs for the customer by 67% over conventional direct electric versions.
Some may argue against the use of air curtains, saying they are not needed. But high-street shops have proven the financial value of an open-door policy, and air curtains therefore play an important role in reducing the amount of energy that escapes.
Even in buildings without such a policy, such as libraries and town halls, heavy traffic through a door is a real waste of energy without an air curtain. So heat pump air curtains allow retailers to provide a fully controlled comfortable internal environment in the most energy-efficient way possible.
So, heat pumps are here to stay. And we will see more innovative use of them and even higher efficiency levels as the technology advances. Through their increased use, and through better maintenance and controls, Mitsubishi estimates that by 2016 the UK could save more than 3M tonnes of CO2 a year. That is the equivalent of taking more than 830,000 cars off the UK's roads - and it is also a large decrease in the nation's energy bills.
Is there anyone left who seriously thinks we shouldn't be reducing energy consumption in our built environment?
Whether you believe the worst stories about climate change or not - and the detailed Stern report is hardly a story - the rising price of fuel and energy means that it is simply madness these days not to look for ways to cut your energy usage and therefore your costs.
The humble heat pump offers increased hope for lower energy use - and therefore lower bills for us all.
Like many, you may have noticed the increasing use of the words 'heat pump' in more manufacturers' adverts and public-relations campaigns. And, while heat pumps have actually been around for decades, the latest versions do offer us the real opportunity of reducing the energy we use.
More than 40% of Europe's energy goes on heating, lighting, cooling and running buildings. And climatic effects are only going to get worse unless we find ways of reducing energy use and hence greenhouse gas emissions.
Modern life requires mechanical heating and cooling as natural ventilation systems cannot cope with the changing temperatures of the British climate.
Legislation also places demands on a building's internal environment in terms of fresh-air quality or minimum temperatures. So we simply have to have some form of mechanical control, and that is going to consume energy.
What we need to find, therefore, is the most efficient way of providing comfort, and this is where modern heat pumps help.
Heat pumps have been used in VRF air-conditioning systems for a while, and allow a building's mechanical systems to supplement the energy they use and harvest free energy from the ambient air or ground.
There is heat (or energy) everywhere, in every substance with a temperature above absolute zero (-273˚C). Heat pumps exploit this by using the compression cycle of a refrigerant circuit to transfer this energy from one place to another and convert or upgrade the energy into usable heat.
This means that, for every kilowatt of energy fed into a heat pump to make it run, it can provide at least 3kW of output. This is otherwise known as a coeffiecient of performance of 3.0.
If we look at a traditional gas boiler, then the 1kW of energy fed into it gives us less than 1kW of output (about 0.93) because some of the energy is lost in the combustion process.
A modern aircon system can transfer this energy from one area to another. This means that excess heat produced by a computer suite, or from the sunny side of a building, can be transferred around the refrigerant circuit to another part of the building which needs heating. And the building's overall energy consumption can be reduced.
These days with the continued advances in heat pump technology, you can even take this one stage further and transfer heat from the air to water.
If we look at a gym, for example, we need to cool the fitness fanatics as they work up a sweat. And the excess heat here could be transferred to the building's water supply via a heat pump and heat a swimming pool. (See schematic above.)
This transfer of energy from air
to water is also set to revolutionise the way we heat our homes. According to Mitsubishi, new heat pump heating systems, such as the Mitsubishi Ecodan, offer the potential to cut emissions by 41% over
a modern condensing boiler.
And
at the same time it reduces running costs by 31% for the customer, it says. But heat pumps are not only ideal for heating and hot water, and we will see their use increase further as manufacturers develop more ways to incorporate them into our systems and offer even more energy-saving potential.
Mitsubishi's recent collaboration with air curtain manufacturer Thermoscreens is an example of how a heat pump can take an advanced technology and offer tangible energy-saving benefits.
The heat pump air curtain offers a 67% reduction in CO2 emissions, while also reducing running costs for the customer by 67% over conventional direct electric versions.
Some may argue against the use of air curtains, saying they are not needed. But high-street shops have proven the financial value of an open-door policy, and air curtains therefore play an important role in reducing the amount of energy that escapes.
Even in buildings without such a policy, such as libraries and town halls, heavy traffic through a door is a real waste of energy without an air curtain. So heat pump air curtains allow retailers to provide a fully controlled comfortable internal environment in the most energy-efficient way possible.
So, heat pumps are here to stay. And we will see more innovative use of them and even higher efficiency levels as the technology advances. Through their increased use, and through better maintenance and controls, Mitsubishi estimates that by 2016 the UK could save more than 3M tonnes of CO2?a year. That is the equivalent of taking more than 830,000 cars off the UK's roads - and it is also a large decrease in the nation's energy bills.
Mitsubishi Electric has produced a comprehensive 10-point action plan for the UK's built environment - the Green Gateway Initiative:
www.greengatewayinitiative.co.uk
www.mitsubishielectric.co.ukIs there anyone left who seriously thinks we shouldn't be reducing energy consumption in our built environment?
Whether you believe the worst stories about climate change or not - and the detailed Stern report is hardly a story - the rising price of fuel and energy means that it is simply madness these days not to look for ways to cut your energy usage and therefore your costs.
The humble heat pump offers increased hope for lower energy use - and therefore lower bills for us all.
Like many, you may have noticed the increasing use of the words 'heat pump' in more manufacturers' adverts and public-relations campaigns. And, while heat pumps have actually been around for decades, the latest versions do offer us the real opportunity of reducing the energy we use.
More than 40% of Europe's energy goes on heating, lighting, cooling and running buildings. And climatic effects are only going to get worse unless we find ways of reducing energy use and hence greenhouse gas emissions.
Modern life requires mechanical heating and cooling as natural ventilation systems cannot cope with the changing temperatures of the British climate.
Legislation also places demands on a building's internal environment in terms of fresh-air quality or minimum temperatures. So we simply have to have some form of mechanical control, and that is going to consume energy.
What we need to find, therefore, is the most efficient way of providing comfort, and this is where modern heat pumps help.
Heat pumps have been used in VRF air-conditioning systems for a while, and allow a building's mechanical systems to supplement the energy they use and harvest free energy from the ambient air or ground.
There is heat (or energy) everywhere, in every substance with a temperature above absolute zero (-273˚C).
Heat pumps exploit this by using the compression cycle of a refrigerant circuit to transfer this energy from one place to another and convert or upgrade the energy into usable heat.
This means that, for every kilowatt of energy fed into a heat pump to make it run, it can provide at least 3kW of output. This is otherwise known as a coeffiecient of performance of 3.0.
If we look at a traditional gas boiler, then the 1kW of energy fed into it gives us less than 1kW of output (about 0.93) because some of the energy is lost in the combustion process.
A modern aircon system can transfer this energy from one area to another. This means that excess heat produced by a computer suite, or from the sunny side of a building, can be transferred around the refrigerant circuit to another part of the building which needs heating. And the building's overall energy consumption can be reduced.
These days with the continued advances in heat pump technology, you can even take this one stage further and transfer heat from the air to water.
If we look at a gym, for example, we need to cool the fitness fanatics as they work up a sweat. And the excess heat here could be transferred to the building's water supply via a heat pump and heat a swimming pool. (See schematic above.)
This transfer of energy from air to water is also set to revolutionise the way we heat our homes. According to Mitsubishi, new heat pump heating systems, such as the Mitsubishi Ecodan, offer the potential to cut emissions by 41% over a modern condensing boiler.
And at the same time it reduces running costs by 31% for the customer, it says.
But heat pumps are not only ideal for heating and hot water, and we will see their
use increase further as manufacturers develop more ways to incorporate them into our systems and offer even more energy-saving potential.
Mitsubishi's recent collaboration with air curtain manufacturer Thermoscreens is an example of how a heat pump can take an advanced technology and offer tangible energy-saving benefits.
The heat pump air curtain
offers a 67% reduction in CO2 emissions, while also reducing running costs for the customer by 67% over conventional direct electric versions.
Some may argue against the use of air curtains, saying they are not needed. But high-street shops have proven the financial value of an open-door policy, and air curtains therefore play an important role in reducing the amount of energy that escapes.
Even in buildings without such a policy, such as libraries and town halls, heavy traffic through a door is a real waste of energy without an air curtain. So heat pump air curtains allow retailers to provide a fully controlled comfortable internal environment in the most energy-efficient way possible.
So, heat pumps are here to stay. And we will see more innovative use of them and even higher efficiency levels as the technology advances. Through their increased use, and through better maintenance and controls, Mitsubishi estimates that by 2016 the UK could save more than 3M tonnes of CO2?a year. That is the equivalent of taking more than 830,000 cars off the UK's roads - and it is also a large decrease in the nation's energy bills.
Mitsubishi Electric has produced a comprehensive 10-point action plan for the UK's built environment - the Green Gateway Initiative:
www.greengatewayinitiative.co.uk
www.mitsubishielectric.co.uk