Air source & solar panels for East Yorkshire Barn Conversion

When Mr & Mrs P of Hensall, East Yorkshire decided to transform a former agricultural farm building into a modern family home they wanted to take the opportunity to incorporate as much renewable technology as possible.

They were motivated not only by the ecological advantages of renewable heating and power but also the convenience and comfort offered by the systems.  This coupled with the financial incentives meant that the green additions made for a very sound investment over conventional system for the couple.

The System

Heating: 11kW Vaillant Air Source Heat Pump.

Hot Water: 250 Litre Joule heat pump compatible cylinder, iBoost immersion diverter.

Power: 4kWp Solar Photovoltaic system with Solis inverter.

The conversion property is in an off gas grid area which meant that traditional heating systems would have to be either oil, LPG or solid fuel fired. Mr & Mrs P chose to install an air source heat pump instead of a traditional fossil fuel system. This means that they do not have to monitor an oil or LPG tank to ensure that they have sufficient fuel to power the heating and hot water system for their home.

The air source heat pump also offered a significant financial saving over the oil system by way of the Renewable Heat Incentive subsidisation scheme. They also opted for the convenience and comfort of underfloor heating throughout the single story dwelling. Underfloor heating is not only a functionally more comfortable method of heating your home but as the system runs on lower flow temperatures (the temperature of the water flowing around they heating pipe work) it means that the air source heat pump is working at its most efficient which offers greater savings on their energy bills.

This coupled with the iBoost immersion diverter (a fully automated device used to divert excess solar energy to the immersion heater to provide domestic hot water) mean that the couple’s choice of system will make them almost self-sufficient.

The Project

As the building was being completely converted there was a great deal of scope for ensuring that the plant and sundry wiring and pipework was hidden from view. As soon as the roof was felted and latted and the property was water tight, the solar panels were installed.

By installing the solar panels before the tiling was started our customer saved money on the purchase of tiles and we were able to liaise with the roofer to ensure that the panels were installed in such a way that the roof could be finished effectively. At the same time we installed the underfloor heating pipes meaning that the 50mm Gypsum screed could be laid and the floor available for the remaining trades. The pipework and cabling for the air source heat pump was also installed during this visit so that it could be hidden from view ensuring the customer maintained clean lines for their décor.

Mr & Mrs P opted for the visually stunning roof integrated method of installation for their solar panels. The black panels with their black frames installed almost flush with the grey slate tiles of the roof make the solar panels an unobtrusive design element of the building as well as a functional one.

Financial Benefits

Air Source Heat Pump

Solar PV