Modular developments and integration of hot water heat pumps in modular manufacture

Modular developments and integration of hot water heat pumps in modular manufacture

With the rise in costs of materials and concerns about the shortage of skilled labour within the construction sector, developers are taking a modular approach to their projects to streamline construction, especially when it comes to the installation of key services. Bathroom pods are perhaps the best-known example of a prefabricated module for the construction of dwellings. However, with the rise of in-apartment heat pump and hot water heat pump specifications, modular utility rooms that house these units along with ventilation technology are increasingly becoming important parts of the prefabricated offering. Modular utility rooms with integrated HVAC solutions play a key role in bringing the benefits of offsite manufacture to developers that look to meet their HVAC project requirements, keep the construction phase streamlined and increase their return on investment (ROI).

Within the utility room units, hot water heat pumps are increasingly being fitted as a way to provide a highly energy efficient, low-carbon electric solution for the provision of hot water to a living space rather than fitting a traditional, less efficient gas boiler. Building regulations, for example, Approved Document Part L that covers the conservation of fuel and power, are rapidly changing to steer designers away from the use of fossil fuel systems and toward low-carbon alternatives and lower temperature systems. Specification of fully electric HVAC systems provides an effective solution that meets current regulations. However, as the national grid decarbonises, solutions such as hot water heat pumps can help the dwelling become net zero carbon in the future without the need for any further upgrade to the HVAC system.

Prefabricated modular units bring with them a host of advantages over the traditional build-it-all-on-site approach. As they are already assembled, the waste associated with the materials used in their construction has already been dealt with elsewhere and more effectively because of the controlled environment manufacturing facilities can offer. This means that the impact of the renewables installation on the construction waste management plan onsite or the sustainability of the project is reduced.

The offsite production of modular units such as prefabricated utility rooms is carried out in a controlled factory environment as we mentioned. This allows the manufacture of high-quality utility rooms with exacting standards of fit and finish designed to match the style of the building into which they are being installed. The working components within the utility room units, such as hot water heat pumps and mechanical ventilation and heat recovery units, are chosen for their ability to meet the heating and ventilation outputs required and to do so in a reliable and consistent fashion.

What makes hot water heat pumps so suitable for modular construction?

One of the key advantages of modular construction is that fitting prefabricated units made offsite cuts down the skilled labour required by the developer onsite. The modular units are pre-wired and pre-plumbed and ready to ‘plug-and-play’ when they arrive onsite. The connections required to the rest of the dwelling’s services are designed to be kept to a minimum and to be as simple to carry out as possible. Using heat pumps for modular integration as opposed to traditional gas boilers makes the task of connecting them up to the dwelling services a much more straightforward job. This decreases the installation time required and speeds up the build programme. 

As the heat pump and hot water cylinder are already linked together within a hot water heat pump unit, they can be connected to external heating system without the requirement for the installer to have additional accreditations otherwise required for heat pump installati0on. If a gas boiler was used within the modular unit instead, a qualified Gas Safe installer would be needed on site. For some heat pumps, F-Gas accredited installers are required. Neither of these is needed when installing a hot water heat pump, making it very well suited for use in developments using modular construction.

Another factor that plays a part when a developer, especially in the build-to-rent sector, is that of the operation and maintenance of the hot water heat pump unit. Hot water heat pumps are easy to operate by the end user and can often be controlled via apps. They are also easier to commission, maintain and service than their boiler counterparts. 

Dimplex have a range of hot water heat pumps with a variety of outputs and ducting to suit dwelling and multioccupancy developments alike. If you would like to understand how their use in modular construction could help your project requirements, please contact our team today.