Owners of a renovated 17th century church in rural Wales are now toasty warm by harvesting free energy from their grounds, while also attracting seven years of quarterly income through the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) as a big treat on the side. This is thanks to some modern efficiency measures and a ground source heat pump from Kensa Heat Pumps.
The rural off gas location of the site made a ground source heat pump the ideal solution.
Naturally, the church required extensive energy efficiency improvements to ensure the project’s suitability for such a solution. Kensa Partner Installer, Ground Sun, worked closely with the architects and the builders on this project, making recommendations about underfloor heating and insulation to ensure the pump would work as efficiently as possible and to satisfy the client’s desire for a sustainable, energy efficient home.
Thanks to the energy efficiency measures installed, the heat loss for the building was reduced to c.30W/m2. Typically buildings of this nature, prior to fitting modern energy efficiency measures, would expect a heat loss of 100-120W/m2.
Following the improvements, a Kensa 8.5kW High Temperature Single Compact heat pump was chosen to provide all the heating and hot water for the property.
It was also important to get the heat loss for the building lowered as there was only enough ground to install 3 by 50m long slinky trenches to accommodate the unit. The trenches were dug by the builders on the project and filled with a total of 900m of PE32mm slinky pipe.
The client commented: “When we decided to convert an empty and near-derelict former church in Powys to be our future home, we had a number of pre-requisites.
“We wanted the conversion to be sensitive to the original building. We also wanted its future as a domestic dwelling to be sustainable and as environmentally friendly as was practical.
“For heating and hot water we investigated using a ground source heat pump connected to underfloor heating and hot water generation. We opted for a Kensa system, which was to be installed by Ground Sun. The companies impressed from the outset with their depth of knowledge and obvious enthusiasm for sustainable energy.
“Ground Sun worked very closely with our builders and made recommendations about underfloor heating technology and insulation, in order to maximise the efficiency and effectiveness of the system. It was both reliable and neat in carrying out the installation and the after-sales service has been second to none. It advised and assisted on registering the system with Ofgem to access funding from the Government’s Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme.
“One year on we have a beautiful home which is comfortably warm throughout the cooler or cold months, but is able to retain its cool interior at the height of the summer. Hot water is constant and plentiful. It almost feels magical to be able to flick a shower on each morning without having to rely on gas or electric central heating boilers.
“The guaranteed funding for seven years which we have accessed is a considerable bonus, virtually paying for the cost of all the heating and hot water system. Needless to say the running costs of the ground source heat pump are negligible compared to more traditional systems.
“We cannot recommend Ground Sun and this form of energy too highly.”
Brian Connell, Director at Ground Sun said: “The Kensa heat pumps are uncomplicated, robust and no-nonsense – ideal for this size of job. Its heat pumps have proven to be robust in operation over the years.”
