De Caaien - duurzaam en energiezuinig gebouwd UK

76 luxurious single-family houses

‌sustainable and

energy-efficient‌

HCS system

Air conditioning system

Contents Introduction

page 2

Floor heating and cooling system

page 3

Ventilation system

page 3

What does all this mean for you?

page 4

Floor finish

page 4

The thermostat

page 6

How does it work … the technology

page 6

Introduction Comfortable and

sustainable Your new rented house has been provided with a state-of-the-art and sustainable air conditioning system offering floor heating, floor cooling and ventilation. This will allow you to enjoy maximum living comfort and help you contribute unnoticed to a cleaner environment.

This brochure covers all the information about the heat and cold storage system.

The air conditioning system in a nutshell First of all, the houses in your new residential district,

There is no gas connection to the new residential district

De Caaien, are excellently insulated. They have been

De Caaien which means the houses are better prepared for

provided with a ground based ‘heat and cold’ storage

a sustainable future. With this brochure we would like to

system. The heat which the houses absorb in the summer

introduce you to the new world of air conditioning.

is stored to heat them in the winter which means

This way of living provides special comfort and character.

less energy is required to enjoy a pleasant temperature throughout the year. Normally a hot period in the summer means high temperatures inside the house. But, as all

TECHNOLOGY

rooms are kept cool, a pleasant climate is also guaranteed

The air conditioning system’s heat pump passes air

in the summer.

through the cold ‘underground’ in winter to cool it and provide a pleasant climate in the summertime. In winter

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Your house has also been equipped with an advanced

the reverse happens. Partly because the ground is

automatic ventilation system called ‘Demand Flow’ which

used as a sustainable source of energy, the houses in

constantly ventilates all rooms while the room you are

De Caaien project discharge less CO2 than other new

actually in is automatically ventilated slightly more

houses. The project is thus much more ‘sustainable’

than others.

and environmentally responsible.

HCS system

Floor heating and cooling system Summertime Thanks to the water pipes installed underneath the floor

During the summer 18°C water will be pumped below

your home has been provided with the most comfortable

the floors. The cool water will withdraw heat from the

and efficient heating and cooling system. The colder the

house. The inside temperature, depending on the outside

weather outside, the warmer the water inside the pipes.

temperature, will usually fluctuate between 20°C and 25°C.

This partly depends on your thermostat setting.

This means the house will continue to offer a pleasant inside temperature throughout the summer.

TECHNOLOGY The rooms have been provided with water pipes under

TECHNOLOGY

the floor around which water is pumped. The air

The house will be no more than 5 degrees cooler

conditioning system automatically adjusts the water

compared to a similar home that has not been provided

temperature to the outside temperature and the

with this system. The air conditioning system will

temperature shown on your room thermostat.

automatically regulate the water temperature so there will be no condensation. The cooling system requires much

Wintertime During the winter the floor heating water will have

less energy than an air conditioning system.

a maximum temperature of 40°C. This is not the case with

Hot tap water

the radiators which might reach 90°C. This means the

In addition, the system also provides hot tap water.

winter temperature will be 20°C. The temperature in the

Depending on your thermostat setting, water will be

bathroom will be 22°C due to additional heating of

heated and stored in the boiler either constantly or

an electrical towel radiator.

alternatively during the night because of the less expensive off-peak electricity rate. The boiler is stationed in the technical room.

Ventilation system Properly insulated houses must be provided with

There is one exception to manually increasing the level

a sophisticated ventilation system. If nobody is at home

of comfort. When you are cooking meals you can turn

during the day, the ventilation system will automatically

the ventilation switch to the ‘cooking position’ and back

select the lowest setting. Once you come home the

to ‘automatic’ once cooking is finished. In this way your

ventilation system of your living room will be up and

kitchen will be better ventilated. The cooker head in the

running. At bedtime the system will select the lowest

kitchen is a so-called HR cooker hood providing an

setting ventilating only the bedrooms that are being used.

‘air curtain’ around the hob. In this way most cooking steam remains above the hob with the cooking hood

The bathroom will be automatically ventilated for relative

extracting most cooking smells.

humidity. Everything is fully automated. Fresh air is supplied in the traditional way via the ventilation grilles in the external wall. Obviously you will have every freedom

TECHNOLOGY

to open the windows in summer and winter. The system

Thanks to a new ventilation system all rooms will

will then recognise the existing ventilation.

automatically be optimally ventilated based on the measured CO2 concentrations. The CO2 concentration in a certain room properly indicates that there are people present in a room and accordingly indicates the level of air ‘pollution’.

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What does all this mean for you?

Advantages for man and the environment Floor heating has a number of major advantages: • Occupiers can truly use the entire space of the house,

• Unlike the traditional mechanical ventilation system this CO2-controlled system will look after itself.

because not a single room has been provided with

The ventilation position will automatically be

wall or floor radiators. This means the house can be

determined which is not the case with manually

furnished in a more flexible way.

operated traditional systems. The cooking procedure

• The entire house has a constant temperature at all times, because the inside air is slowly heated with the

is an exception though.

floor heating system at a relatively low temperature.

Operation

Also, the floor will always be a pleasant touch to

Because the floor heating system uses relatively low

your feet.

temperatures, the desired changes in temperature are

• Because of the low temperature and the large heating

slowly reached. Therefore we strongly recommend

surface there are hardly any air currents in the house.

keeping the thermostat at the same temperature day and

The lack of noticeable air currents or draughts means

night. You will no longer need to turn down the thermostat

more comfort. Less air movement also means less

when it is bedtime.

moving dust, which is especially good for people who suffer from asthma.

• The temperature set is maintained both in the winter

Saving energy Changing the temperature frequently means using more

(heating) and in the summer (cooling). If the summer

energy. Changes in temperature also take a long time.

is extremely hot, the temperature inside the house will

Even if you are leaving on a summer holiday, we advise

automatically drop 5 degrees compared to the

you to leave the thermostat in the normal position.

outside temperature.

We explain the different bearings on the thermostat later.

Automatic ventilation has two major advantages:

In any case make sure the temperature is at least 18°C,

• The ventilation level can be adjusted according to your

because it will take quite a long time to reach the desired

wishes. Mechanical ventilation is responsible for

temperature once your house has cooled off. This

a significant percentage of house energy consumption.

will mean using more energy and experiencing less

Proper ventilation is essential but ventilating the house

comfort. So, even if you are spending a long time outside

when it is empty means unnecessary loss of energy.

your house in the wintertime, make sure the in-house

Compared to a standard ventilation system, this system

temperature is at least 18°C.

can save 50% of ventilation loss, which corresponds to some 20% of your energy bill.

Floor finish Floor covering Your house is heated and cooled via the floor. The floor

Make sure to emphasise in advance that you will be using

covering must sufficiently allow heat to transfer to the

an anhydrite-bound screed that has been provided with

rooms. Many floor coverings lend themselves perfectly

a floor heating system. The supplier should then decide

to this purpose. Because the floor heating pipes are just

on the right type of glue and the handling procedure.

below the surface, floor covering may not be nailed to the

Also, bear in mind that you will have to remove the floor

floor. Gluing the floor covering ensures the best results.

once you decide to move house. Many floor coverings

The floors have been provided with an anhydrite-bound

can be glued using a so-called fixing glue and are easier

screed which is rubbed down prior to delivery to allow

to remove.

the glue to attach properly. We recommend discussing the right type of glue with the supplier.

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SUITABLE IN YOUR HOUSE

Wood, parquet

Most parquets are suitable. Soft wood parquet such as beech wood, pine and birch do not lend themselves for floor heating applications.

Long board parquet too is unsuitable.

Linoleum, marmoleum

Applicable at all times.

Linoleum, laminate

Always applicable, provided it is glued (thus not floating).

Carpet, carpet tiles

Most carpets are applicable. Foam back carpet or deep-pile carpet are unsuitable. Never use underlay.

Natural stone, tiles, decorative gravel

Applicable but not allowed in rented houses.

Cork

Not applicable

HCS system

TYPE FLOOR FINISH

NB: Discuss how to handle your floor with your supplier and the property manager with regard to removal of floor covering on leaving the house.

Which floor finish is unsuitable for floor heating?

• Soft word parquet such as beech wood, pine and birch.

• Long board parquet, due to risk of deformation.

• Foam backed carpet or deep pile carpet, because of high insulation.

• All floating floor finishes, loose or on a foam interlayer.*

• Underlay.

These types of floor covering must be discussed in advance

Discuss matters in case of architectural adjustments

The above mentioned floor coverings insufficiently

The houses are entirely floor heated. So it is important to

transfer floor heat to the room; they insulate too well.

keep the floor free as much as possible to allow transfer

Floor carpet suppliers frequently state insulation values on

of heat to the room. If, for instance, a water bed or a large

their documents. If the insulation value (Rc) is less than

bath is installed, a smaller floor area will be available to

0.1 (m .K)/W the floor covering will definitely be suitable.

transfer the heat. In some cases the room concerned will

So we advise you to make crystal-clear agreements with

not be able to reach the desired temperature. Always

your supplier. If a parquet floor or a laminated floor must

discuss this with the property manager in case you are

be applied to an underlay, the insulation value of the

planning architectural adjustments or if you wish to

parquet floor plus the insulation value of the underlay

change something in your house as a result of which

must be less than 0.1 (m2.K)/W. If you have doubts consult

less floor area will be able to transfer heat.

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the property manager before buying the floor covering.

* For these floors specific underlays are suitable.

Contact your supplier for options!

Low maintenance The air conditioning system hardly requires maintenance. All you need to do is to check occasionally, as is the case with a central heating system that uses radiators, the water level. The water pump will tell you the pressure on the pressure gauge. In case of low pressure the floor heating water can easily be added using the water pump.

It is important to clean the ventilation grilles on a regular basis. The outside of the ventilation grille is best cleaned while cleaning the windows. The inside of the ventilation grille must be dusted and cleaned once every year.

You may remove the inside hood to easily remove the dirt using a vacuum cleaner and a wet cloth. The mechanical ventilation unit will regularly (once every three to four years) be cleaned in accordance with the property manager’s maintenance contract.

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How does it work… the technology The air conditioning system consists of a number of parts: • Ground collectors;

• Floor heat distributor;

• Heat pump for room heating and hot tap water;

• Thermostat for setting the desired temperature.

• Boiler for hot tap water storage;

There is also the previously mentioned ventilation system.

Ground collectors The total system consists of ground collectors and the air

The water pumped around takes on the temperature of the

conditioning system in the house itself. For each house

ground. In the winter months the water absorbs heat from

in De Caaien district, hoses have been installed in the

the ground to transfer this heat back during the summer.

soil reaching 90 to 130 metres in depth. Through these

In the winter the water pump increases the base

hoses, which are referred to as ground collectors, water is

temperature to between 25°C and 40°C, depending on the

pumped around in a closed system. The average ground

outside temperature. In the summer the water pump uses

temperature during the summer is 12°C.

the water with an average temperature of 12°C to cool the house.

Heat pump for window heating and hot tap water Each house has been provided with a heat pump that

The tap water reaches 62°C every day, which means it is

serves its purpose quietly and unnoticed. In your new

sufficiently hot to prevent Legionella growth. As is the case

house the heat pump has been installed in a special

with ‘normal heating systems’ we strongly recommend,

room on the ground floor near the front door. The

in case of long absence (over one week), to let the hot and

house is constantly kept at a good temperature and with

cold water gently run for a minute or so.

sufficient hot tap water, as would have been the case with a traditional central heating boiler. A central heating

If hot boiler water is used, the heat pump will refill the

boiler also uses gas and a little electricity. A heat pump

boiler during the night using less expensive off-peak night

is similar to a refrigerator which uses a compressor to

electricity. Also, you may ask the property manager or

remain cool. In other words, heat is withdrawn from the

the installer to install the heat pump to heat the boiler not

refrigerator and transferred through its back. The heat

only during the night but also at various times during the

pump withdraws heat from the ground water and transfers

day (for instance at 16.00 every day). Special tap water

it to the floor heating water which is then brought to the

requirements (e.g. you want a dump shower) are best

right temperature. This heat is also used to heat the tap

discussed with the property manager.

water inside the boiler.

heat pump

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boiler

Floor heat distributor

Every house has been provided with a boiler in which

Each house has been provided with one or two so-called

hot water is stored for daily use. The boiler is in the same

‘distributors’ to properly distribute heat to the various

room as the heat pump. The heat pump ensures the water

rooms. These distributors have been set to ensure every

inside the 150 litre boiler is heated up. A 150 litre boiler

room in the house is pleasantly warm. The property

provides sufficient shower or bath water for a family

manager can adjust the distributor settings to make the

of four. With the thermostat you may always choose to

rooms warmer or colder.

HCS system

Boiler for sufficient hot tap water

heat up the water more frequently if you do not have sufficient hot water, although this means additional costs

distributor

considering the higher daytime rate electricity. Because hot tap water remains stored, it is always available in no time at the right temperature. In the kitchen you can count on hot 50°C tap water within 30 seconds.

The thermostat The thermostat in the living room allows you to adjust the

You may also choose to intensify the cooling system.

temperature for the entire house. The floor heating system

This hardly requires any extra electricity. If the outside

has basically been set to always keep the bathroom 1 to

temperature remains below -10°C for a longer period of

2°C warmer than the other rooms. There is no need to

time, you may use the thermostat to arrange for more

set a clock or apply temperature reduction at night as

electrical heating. Since this is hardly the case in the

a heat pump in a properly insulated house will be most

Netherlands, electricity costs for this option are restricted.

economical if it is constantly kept low. When it comes to adjusting your air conditioning system we suggest

thermostat

you discuss preferences with the property manager.

Thermostat settings The thermostat in the living room has different settings.

At a normal setting the system will provide a pleasant, constant temperature. Set the temperature using the rotary knob. The cooling and heating system runs automatically.

If the thermostat is constantly kept at this normal

Heat and hot tap water are guaranteed

level with a set temperature, energy consumption will

Even in the event of disruptions the heat pump will

be modest.

always ensure you have sufficient heat and hot tap water.

To this purpose the heat pump has been provided with

If you require extra hot tap water, you can turn the

an electrical element which can take over heat supply in

thermostat to ‘boost’. This means additional tap water

case of emergencies. A service engineer can switch on this

in stock will be heated during the day. Obviously this

electrical element remotely. The system is thus checked

involves higher electricity costs.

and protected by remote control which means disruptions are usually solved very quickly.

Disclaimer: While this brochure has been prepared with the greatest care information provided is subject to express approval and no rights may be derived from it © 2009, Amvest

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For more information:

www.hurenindecaaien.nl

Frits Diepenlaan 57 2497 DN Den Haag Tel. 070 336 70 55 www.hof-rijnland.nl

Javastraat 1a 2585 AA Den Haag Tel. 070 342 01 01 www.frisiamakelaars.nl