Dimplex Edel hot water heat pump in utility room

Why was GDHV's hot water heat pump solution used for the pioneering Project 80?

on | 2 min read
We recently published the first blog in our series on the ground breaking Project 80 by Midland Heart in Birmingham. This blog explains in more detail why a fully electric solution with a hot water heat pump by Dimplex at its heart was selected as one of the technologies to deliver the objective of the project - homes built to the Future Homes Standard, today.
houses under construction on construction site

As we aim to reduce the heat loss of our buildings, the hot water demand becomes the dominant energy load. Selecting renewables to meet the hot water demand leaves you with the flexibility for space heating technologies whilst still meeting carbon targets. The fully electric heat pump solution chosen for Project 80 proves that this approach works. Our Edel hot water heat pump efficiently delivers the highest energy demand in modern, well insulated dwellings, hot water. Due to the highly energy efficient building fabric, the energy demand for space heating remains relatively small and can be effectively provided by Monterey MFPE direct acting panel heaters.   

Natursteinheizung MH im Wohnzimmer an Wand

Tony Hopkin explains why they adopted this flexible approach combining renewables with direct electric panel heating:  

 

 “The reason to use GDHV and panel heaters was to give people more control of the direct heat. We are looking to understand which technology both works from compliance perspective in regards to FHS but also from usability perspective for our residents. So, if we find that people get on better with a panel heater for their space heating and the hot water heat pump, then that might be the approach we will adapt across the board when it comes to 2025.”  

 

Our direct acting panel heaters come with intuitive displays and controls for ease of use. They also include energy saving features such as Adaptive Start or Open Window Detection that reduce the amount of heat that can get unnecessarily wasted during their operation. They are 100% efficient at the point of use, controlled by the wireless Dimplex Control app which is easy to use and provides the occupiers with complete convenience and control of their thermal comfort and energy use.  

Zeroth Ambient Loop System in apartment diagram

Benefits of hot water heat pump solutions

From a construction perspective, the selection of a hybrid electric solution for a project also comes with advantages over the more traditional wet systems using radiators to distribute heat: 

  • Relatively low capital cost
  • No need for a gas connection to the house
  • Pipework between heaters is not required
  • Straightforward installation
  • Low requirement for servicing and maintenance 

The Edel hot water heat pump is a proven innovative low carbon technology in the UK and is recognised in SAP Appendix Q.   

 

Contact one of our HVAC specialists to see how the upcoming regulatory changes may affect your project and how our low carbon hybrid electric solutions can help achieve your project objectives.