Greenact ivy house

Experts in Renewable Energy, Design & Installation

Case study - Ivy House

Conservation building makes use of three renewable technologies Project Overview Peter & Liz Jones wanted to convert two out-buildings – a dovecote and a stable – into dwellings for rental and potentially a home in which to enjoy their retirement.

Client

Peter & Liz Jones

Location

North Kilworth, Leicestershire

Sector

Domestic conversion

Project Details

The buildings were untouched since they had been built, over 125 years ago. The conversion into desirable dwellings needed to marry the ease of use and low running cost of renewable energy, with the need to preserve the original character of the buildings.

GreenACT was retained by GB Architecture & Ecology to advise on the feasibility of using renewable energy to provide heating and supplementary electricity.

Following on from the feasibility assessment, GreenACT was commissioned to design and install the systems, running through to commissioning and MCS Certification.

The project ran hand-in-hand with the general building refurbishment and reconstruction, which was done by WWBrown & Sons of Market Harborough.

Waverley House, 70 Binswood Avenue, Leamington Spa, CV32 5RY

3

Feasibility Assessment Energy & Sustainability Statement / Planning Application

3

Ground Source Heat Pump Air Source Heat Pump

3

Solar Thermal - hot water

3

Solar PV - electricity

3

Underfloor Heating / Room Heating

3

Grant / Incentive Scheme Support

08455 33 32 31

hello@GreenACT.co.uk

Customer requirements From the outset, Peter & Liz were clear in their wish to use a ground-source heat pump as the means to provide room heating and hot water.

The key attractions were the very low running costs and the fact that the collector array was completely hidden away beneath the ground, leaving nothing to detract from the rural setting.

In addition, they wanted to take advantage of electricity generated on site, using solar PV panels. However, the solar array had to be approved by the conservation officer and sit well against the natural slate roof.

What we did The small garden area was perfect for a vertical probe heat-pump system: two boreholes of 85m each were drilled in just three days.

Bringing the heat from the boreholes to the heat pump, which was located at the opposite side of the dwelling meant taking commercial-grade preinsulated pipes, “Thermo-Mini” by Uponor, under the base of the building and up through the floor adjacent to the heat pump.

Since floor space was at a premium, the choice of heat pump was a Viessmann Vitocal 222-G with an output of 7.8kW. This is ideal because it combines the heat pump with a domestic hot water cylinder together in just one unit, about the size of a tall fridge.

The heat pump provides sufficient heat to keep the home warm, even when it’s 5-degrees below freezing.

For extreme conditions, there is a supplementary electrical heater.

The heat is distributed throughout the home via underfloor heating. Each room is a separate zone, which can be controlled for temperature and timing independently of the other rooms. This clever feature allows the temperature in rooms only used in the evening, say, to be maintained at a lower temperature when not in use; saving more money.

Outside, two solar systems were installed on the roof; solar PV to provide electricity and solar thermal to provide 61% of the annual requirement for hot water, completely free of charge.

The solar PV array comprised 15 “black-black” 250Wp panels from Hyundai. These combine good appearance with high, reliable output and credible performance guarantees.

Over the course of a year, the solar PV system provides free energy, equivalent to 75% of the electricity required to run the heat pump.

water to “The Stables”. The system uses evacuated tubes, which have been rotated in their housing to mimic a south-facing array from a south-east facing roof; again optimising their output.

All renewable energy systems qualify for Renewable Heat Incentive or FeedIn Tariff payments.

“Compared to an oil-fired boiler, which was the conventional alternative, this ground-source heating system is saving 40% of running costs every month.”

Peter Leith - GreenACT Ltd

Lastly, the Viessmann Vitosol 200-T solar thermal system provides hot

GreenACT Ltd Waverley House, 70 Binswood Avenue, Leamington Spa, CV32 5RY Company registered in England 6867210

For more information please contact us:

Tel: 08455 33 32 31 or Email: hello@GreenACT.co.uk

Please visit: www.greenact.co.uk