Heat Pumps
According to GreenMatch, 40% of the UK’s CO2 emissions derive from the heating and cooling of buildings.
According to GreenMatch, 40% of the UK’s CO2 emissions derive from the heating and cooling of buildings.
Heat pumps are an increasingly popular choice for sustainable heating, and there are a variety of different types available depending on the size and location of a building – be it a domestic home or an office block.
With 85% of homes heated by gas boilers, heating is key area in which critical action is needed to help get the UK on track to end our contribution to global warming by 2050.
Read below to discover how heat pumps could help your organisation enhance its property portfolio, promote affordable warmth and significantly reduce heating and maintenance costs.
Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHPs)
What are Ground Source Heat Pumps and how do they work?
Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHPs) use a ground loop or borehole to take heat from the ground to heat radiators, under-floor/warm air heating systems, and hot water in domestic properties. The pumps provide a constant temperature flow, and are particularly efficient in delivering affordable warmth to properties/residents during the cold winter months.
For each single kilowatt of electricity used by the heat pump, 3 to 4 kilowatts of heat are delivered into the building, making ground source heat pumps an extremely efficient heating alternative for off-grid properties.
How much money can my business save with ground source heat pumps?
This eco-friendly, renewable technology is proving to be an attractive and viable alternative to gas and electricity – particularly in off-grid properties – replacing oil-fired and electric heating, as well as liquefied petrol, and providing savings of up to:
- between £475 and £725 a year to replace oil-fired heating
- between £830 and £1,465 a year to replace electric heating
- between £1,315 and £1,975 a year to replace LPG
Switching to a ground source heat pump: indication of energy and fuel bill savings, and funding payments
| Existing heating system | Fuel bill savings per year | Renewable heating incentive payments per year | Carbon dioxide savings (kg CO₂/year) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gas boiler | Up to £600 | Up to £2,555 | Up to 3,600 kg co2 |
| Electric storage heater | Up to £930 | Up to £2,555 | Up to 6,400 kg co2 |
| Oil boiler | Up to £425 | Up to £2,555 | Up to – 5,700 kg co2 |
| LPG boiler | Up to £1200 | Up to - £2,555 | Up to 4,600 kg co2 |
| Coal | Up to £575 | Up to £2,555 | Up to 7,700 kg co2 |
Ground Source Heat Pumps: The benefits to your organisation
- Significantly lower fuel bills
- Lower energy consumption – reduced carbon emissions and higher energy performance certificate (EPC)
- Potential Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) funding
- Minimal maintenance required – >20-year average lifespan
- Can increase property sale value
- Stable energy prices
Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHPs)
What are Air Source Heat Pumps?
Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHPs) absorb heat from the outside air and transfer it to indoor spaces to heat radiators and provide underfloor heating. They can also supply hot water to domestic properties.
Usually placed at the side or the rear of a building, air pumps are able to extract heat even when outdoor temperatures are as low as -15. They operate much more efficiently and consistently at a lower temperature over long periods of time than a standard boiler system, making them ideal for heating domestic and commercial buildings during winter.
Whilst ASHPs need electricity to run, the fact that they extract renewable heat from the environment means that the heat output is greater than the electricity input.
How much money can my business save with air source heat pumps?
As with ground source heat pumps, ASHPs make most financial sense in buildings which are off the gas grid and use expensive fuels such electricity, oil, LPG or coal for space heating.
Whether you are managing estates of domestic or commercial properties (including office blocks and industrial units), switching to air source heat pumps can help your organisation make significant savings whilst decarbonising your property portfolio.
Switching to an air source heat pump: indication of energy and fuel bill savings, and funding payments:
| Existing heating system | Fuel bill savings per year | Renewable heating incentive payments per year | Carbon dioxide savings (kg CO₂/year) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gas boiler | Up to £485 | Up to £925 | Up to 3,300 kg co2 |
| Electric storage heater | Up to £820 | Up to £925 | Up to 6,100 kg co2 |
| Oil boiler | Up to £315 | Up to £925 | Up to 5,400 kg co2 |
| LPG boiler | Up to £1,090 | Up to £925 | Up to 4,200 kg co2 |
| Coal | Up to £465 | Up to £925 | Up to 7,300 kg co2 |
Air Source Heat Pumps: The benefits to your organisation
- Potential Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) funding
- Minimal maintenance required
- Lower energy consumption – reduced carbon emissions and higher energy performance certificate (EPC) rating
- Lower fuel bills
- Reduce fuel poverty
- No fuel deliveries required
- Supports Affordable Warmth
- Stable energy prices (as above)
For more information about our low carbon and renewable energy services and how we can help your organisation build a low-carbon future
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