Driving a low carbon future with heat pumps

A new wave of government funding is driving fresh opportunities for social housing providers and developers to decarbonise their UK housing stock. Adam Greaves, Panasonic Key Account Manager – Heating Solutions, puts forward the case that embracing renewable technologies such as installing heat pumps can have a significant effect in meeting net-zero goals.

The second wave of funding for social housing decarbonisation¹ will provide £1.8bn to upgrade the energy efficiency of homes and public buildings. With £778m specifically allocated to decarbonising social housing, providers can look to renewable technologies that not only provide the required heating and hot water but will also meet low carbon targets for both new and existing properties.

Alternative energy efficient and effective systems are required to replace the traditional gas/oil-fired boiler for heating and hot water provision. Making the switch to unfamiliar technologies can be challenging, particularly for tenants used to conventional systems.  However, there is a lot of support available and housing providers must work closely with manufacturers who can play a key role in providing easy to understand resources, product knowledge and training for specification, system design and installation, operation, monitoring and management.

The right technology & resources
In tune with the increasing regulations in the housing sector, manufacturers have greatly increased their portfolios of sustainable energy solutions. One example is the Panasonic Aquarea air-to-water heat pump range, specifically designed to meet the needs of housing providers wanting to reach compliance with regulations. Panasonic recently worked with Stroma Group, a leader in accredited sustainability and compliance services for the construction industry, to carry out independent tests on how Aquarea air to water heat pumps perform to the new SAP10 BRE approved software calculation tool. The Panasonic Aquarea range of air-to-water heat pumps came out highly favourable in these tests compared to competitor units currently on the market.

Not only a compliant technology therefore, but also Panasonic Aquarea units are reliable, quiet in operation and highly energy efficient.  Performance can be further enhanced when the system is linked to smart cloud controls such as the Panasonic Smart Cloud and Service Cloud apps. The Service Cloud app can make service and maintenance for housing providers easier, with remote monitoring, troubleshooting and the ability to pre-empt any issues before they become a problem.

Panasonic offers a wide range of A+++ energy class (average climate at 35°C), rated units that have a SCOP of 5.12 with potential energy savings and costs to the tenant or resident of the property² and offers an appropriate unit for all sizes of properties. An Aquarea mono-bloc unit can be particularly attractive, housing everything needed for the heat pump in one self-contained outdoor unit, making it easier to install and maintain.

Reliable and Deliverable
A determining factor for a fast move to renewable technology is selecting a reliable heat pump manufacturer capable of delivering within schedule. In projects such as a recent install at the Palace Green Homes development in Cambridgeshire, installers faced supply chain issues which made progressing the development a real challenge. However, Panasonic stepped in to supply the Aquarea heat pump units on time and connect to the development’s existing piping and wiring to get the entire project back on track and within the pre-determined timescales.

Roland Gurner, air to water specialist at Oceanair, who worked with CG Plumbing at Palace Green Homes explained: “One thing that was clear from the offset of this project was that it was vital that we could provide continuity of supply during this current supply chain crisis. Panasonic provided very good ongoing support throughout, and we therefore were able to very quickly secure the stock required.”

Installer Show
The team from Panasonic is exhibiting at Installer Show 2023 (NEC, Birmingham 27th – 29th June, Stand D20). The team will be on hand to demonstrate the Aquarea range along with intelligent smart controls showcasing how users can monitor and keep track of energy usage to help cut costs.

For more information on the Panasonic range of low carbon solutions, please visit www.aircon.panasonic.eu

¹ https://www.gov.uk/government/news/18-billion-awarded-to-boost-energy-efficiency-and-cut-emissions-of-homes-and-public-buildings-across-england
² Find out how we ensure accurate and up to date data (energysavingtrust.org.uk)

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