The government’s target to decarbonise the heat in UK homes, and reduce overall emissions by 78% by 2035, will fundamentally change the type of systems that are currently being used across the country. Under the new legislation, all heating systems installed in properties should use low-carbon technologies, this in practice likely means we will predominantly rely on electricity, not gas.
As electricity grids in the UK aren’t currently set up to cope with this massive increase in electricity, it’s been predicted that the use of district heating, heat networks, and heat interface units (HIUs) is set to rise. The UK governments appointed climate change advisors, the Committee on Climate Change, estimate heat networks could provide 20% of UK heating by 2050.
In this blog, we’ll take a closer look at the role that heat interface units play, including their many benefits to homeowners. But before we do, let’s first understand how district heating and heat interface units work together.
Already popular across Scandinavia, central, and Eastern Europe, district heating is a sustainable energy trend that distributes heated supply water to a number of residential and commercial properties, completely eradicating the need for each dwelling to have their own individual heat source .Such systems works best in apartment blocks or densely populated areas and provides a fantastic alternative to a traditional gas boiler.
Within a heat network, the heat is generated from a central heat source such as a large scale heat pump, and is then distributed through underground pipes into multiple properties. After transferring its heat to the water and space heating system, the water returns to the district heating plant where it continues to circulate in an endless closed network of pipes.
As district heating is responsible for distributing heat to multiple properties,they works best in conjunction with a heat interface unit. Designed to be a key component of a district network, HIUs heat hot water instantly , and provide low temperature heating, using energy from the low carbon heat source, meaning efficient heating and hot water, from a renewable heat source. Calefa is a unique heat interface unit that uses a 4-option bypass control which gives the user the opportunity to select a programme that works best for them. Unlike other HIUs, the Calefa system has an incredible ‘auto mode’ which, when in operation, means that the electronic control unit monitors and learns the specific usage patterns for the home. It then uses this intelligence to make sure that the domestic hot water is always ready at these specific times, but is not circulating at a high temperature during times of low demand. This improves the efficiency of the heat network and reduces users heating bills.
Independently tested to the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) test standard, Calefa achieved a VWART of 31ºC which is amongst the best in the market and 2ºC lower than the recommended maximum VWART of 33ºC which is recommended in CP1 the UK’s Code of Practice for Heat
Calefa has set a new standard for domestic hot water delivery in the UK because of its responsiveness, efficiency, and ease of installation.
While Calefa has been recognised for being a fantastic solution for installers, it’s also the perfect system for homeowners. Let’s take a look at some of the many benefits for the end user, when this HIU is installed into individual properties within a communal residential property.
First and foremost, one of the main benefits of using a heat interface unit like Calefa is its energy efficiency. As it can successfully distribute heat and hot water within an individual dwelling, the system completely eliminates the need for an individual gas boiler to be installed in each home – helping to reduce carbon emissions throughout an entire building.
Plus, with its intelligent 4-option bypass control, homeowners have the ability to control how and when the system is in use, meaning it only heats the water when needed, reducing the amount of energy wastage.
Following on from the previous point that HIUs are more energy efficient because they use less energy to distribute heat and hot water throughout a property. Well, this same reason means that they can help consumers save on their heating and hot water bills.
Calefa has a unique ‘auto mode’ that insightfully learns when the homeowner most frequently uses the hot water. So, it’s only heated during these specific times of day, as opposed to being always on.
Another important benefit for homeowners is how simple and convenient HIUs are to use.
Servicing and maintenance are also simplified thanks to the fault-finding diagnostics that can be identified and displayed on the Calefa Electronic Control Unit. With this technology, homeowners needn’t worry about whether the system is running effectively as any errors are easily spotted and resolved.
Unlike heating systems that run on gas, HIUs don’t bear the same dangers if not properly installed or maintained. Therefore, the risk for certain hazards commonly linked to gas boilers is much lower for homeowners.
As HIUs are part of a district heating network within a building that includes multiple dwellings, like a block of flats or complexes, the running of the system must adhere to strict safety regulations and regular inspections. Offering additional peace of mind to homeowners that the system, which is responsible for the hot water and heating in their home, is safe and compliant with all relevant standards.
Finally, as a truly unique and intelligent HIU, Calefa is compatible with the Warmafloor underfloor heating control system, Sentio.
With the Sentio app, homeowners are given full control of their heating and hot water system, with individual room temperature and humidity control, hot water temperature, and bypass control.
In summary, heat networks with Calefa HIU’s are a fantastic heating alternative for buildings that need to supply heat and hot water to multiple dwellings.
Not only is the HIU simple to install and service but it also has a number of incredible benefits for homeowners including improving energy efficiency, cost savings on energy bills, it’s easy to use, it doesn’t carry the same safety risks as gas boilers and, it can also be monitored and controlled on a specific app.
HIUs are brilliant for providing heating and domestic hot water in apartment blocks and we believe they will become increasingly popular in the future, especially as we take steps closer to the 2035 government target.
To find out more about the completely unique Calefa heat interface system, get in touch with our team of professionals today.
At Wavin our purpose is to build healthy sustainable environments. Our tailored indoor climate solutions feature our market leading systems and products including underfloor heating, heat interface units, MVHR and single controls (interfacing with all of these technologies). They provide the following benefits: