Ground-source heating and cooling helps achieve BREEAM excellent rating
Ground-source heat pumps provide both heating and cooling for the headquarters of Gloucestershire Constabulary.
Underfloor heating and cooling, combined with ground-source heat pumps, are reducing energy consumption and carbon-dioxide emissions by 30 to 40% for the new £18 million headquarters of Gloucestershire Constabulary. This sustainable solution played a key role in this PFI project receiving a BREEAM excellent rating. The Warmafloor Tacker underfloor heating and cooling systems draws energy from nine 90 kW Water Furnace geothermal heat pumps and was specified by consultancy McBains Cooper. Associate director Malcolm Hardacre explains, ‘The building is one of the first PFI projects to utilise this type of combined renewable-energy solution rather than a conventional air-conditioning system. It has proved very successful.’ In heating mode during the winter, the flow/return temperatures to the underfloor heating system are 50/40°C. During warm weather, a flow/return temperature of 7/12°C to the same manifold serving the underfloor circuits provides cooling. Intelligent controls enable temperatures to be adjusted to control condensation and comfort. Heating and cooling energy is drawn from 150 boreholes under the car park, each 98 m deep. The 18 mm-diameter polybutylene pipework in the 65 mm-deep screed is tacked to laminated insulation panels and was pressure tested before the screed was laid. Underfloor heating and cooling are among a range of technologies in the sustainable-energy centre at Warmafloor’s headquarters near Fareham. The company has with many other suppliers to set up this centre, and a visit can be arranged by telephoning 01489 581787.
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