Natural gas with a solar thermal solution has satisfied Part L compliance on the Co Limerick project by combining a condensing gas boiler with a solar enhanced hot water and heating system.
Installed using traditional construction and plumbing methods means the on-site plumber can install the system without having to employ the services of any third party specialist fitters.
A 91.0% efficient gas-fired condensing boiler from Glow-worm (supplied by C&F Quadrant Ltd) with standard size radiators was used for the development. The heating system was installed using traditional elements so there was no need for the use of expensive aluminium radiators.
Time and temperature zone controls have been achieved by a simple time-clock and thermostats within the system. This, in conjunction with a 300-litre, stainless steel water cylinder, makes this solution one of the most economical systems on the market. The fan-assisted SmartRad in a common area provides free solar thermal energy; this reduces the space heating load while at the same time contributing to the renewable thermal heat requirement. A natural gas fire in the living room is considered a secondary heating system.
The renewable energy contribution is rated as 10 kWh thermal renewable energy per m2/ year. At Ros Mór, the houses in this development have varying orientations. For properties facing south and south-east/ west, three flat plate collectors are required. For those facing east/west, four flat plate collectors are required. Ros Mór easily complies with the thermal renewable energy contribution requirement of 10 kW/h per m2 per year with a thermal equivalent of 18.81 kWh per metre squared per year.
To meet the performance coefficients/carbon performance coefficient (CPC) <0.46 energy performance coefficient (EPC) <0.4, natural gas is used as the primary heating system combined with other renewable technologies. This comfortably meets Part L Building requirements for EPC <0.4 and CPC <0.46 with 0.357 for CPC and 0.389 for EPC.
Unique selling points for the home-owner include:
– Running costs – this system contributes up to 70% of all hot water requirements, meaning the running costs for the home-owner are considerably less than that of older more traditional space heating hot water installations.
– User-friendliness and aesthetics – the control panel has two simple settings allowing the home-owners to easily select their chosen heating controls for the specific time of year. Just like a traditional gas boiler, the elements of the NuTech solution installed in the house are unobtrusive and compact. • Life cycle and maintenance – servicing a gas boiler is a simple process which is performed on an annual basis by one of the many 2,500 Registered Gas Installers (RGIs) around Ireland, traditionally ensuring a prolonged life cycle of 20-25 years.
For more information on Glow-worm, telephone (NI/RoI) 0044 (0) 1773 824 639 or visit www.glow-worm.co.uk. For more on C&F Quadrant Ltd, telephone (RoI) 01 630 5757, e-mail sales@cfquadrant.ie or visit www.cfquadrant.ie
