Dimplex heat pumps play major role in heating and cooling new college
Luton’s new £56 million Sixth Form College, due to open as part of the Building Schools for the Future initiative, features a 1.5 MW ground-source heat-pump installation. Part of the brief for the new buildings on the site of the original facility, was a commitment to sustainability. The design comprises 28 heat pumps with outputs from 11 to 75 kW to provide space and water heating. Some of the heat pumps can be used to provide a total of 712 kW of cooling in summer.
Dimplex’s heat-pump range offered solutions for all the project requirements, including high-temperature units for hot water, reversible units to provide heat recovery to the hot water when in cooling mode and a complete package of compatible cylinders.
An open-loop borehole extracts water directly from the aquifer beneath the site and circulates it around the site through a ring main via a 1MW heat exchanger. Distribution systems specified vary according to the needs of the area. A combination of Tarmac Termodeck, underfloor heating and air-handling units are being used.
The new college will accommodate 2300 students and provide about 20% more space than the current site, although in a smaller footprint.
Other environmentally friendly features include brise soleil on the south sides of buildings to limit solar gain and glare in Summer, rainwater harvesting for use in toilets and irrigation, and maximum use of natural light and ventilation.
