TIP No. 20: PROHIBITIONS REMAIN IN PLACE TO PREVENT RESIDENTIAL CATEGORIES OF HEAT PUMP ……

Prohibitions remain in place to prevent residential categories of Heat Pump from being used to retrofit Decarb. designs on Commercial Building Heritage sites. A residential Heat Pump has never yet been manufactured with the required componentry specifications nor the interior component configuration to be integrated within a “Holistic System” to meet a Conservation design.

 

We shall explain this limitation by a separate posting as a Technical Tip. We shall define why the various component specifications for a residential Heat Pump condenser; evaporator coil etc. are completely inappropriate for a Commercial Building retrofit, no matter if we use a Ground source or Air source or Water source residential H.P. version.

 

In our retrofit design for Conservation of a Heritage building we are committed to future-proofing all interior thermal zones to eliminate cold moist air, stale air & the evolving increased risks for “inhalation” of air pollution. At the same time, each Commercial Building retrofit design must be optimised for “validated” cost-effective Resilience & Redundancy.

 

Our method, is to design around “bespoke commercial” heat pumps as the central feature for a “Holistic System” of 24/7 year round IAQ stability. Only then, can assurances of financial returns (by highest SCOP) be developed for the project stakeholders of the Heritage Building retrofit. We develop an iteration for the highest SCOP by site-specific, predictive modelling for a hybrid combo. of “active” mini-heat pump cascades blended with “passive” thermal façades & roof-top solar canopy arrays. In high north latitudes, this “passive” thermal input can significantly increase annual SCOP for a few months per year.

Join our discussion by making a comment below which will be moderated and published ASAP.  …………or, if you prefer to make contact generally, please click on this link. https://theheatpump.academy/contact/

/1 Comment/by

TIP No. 19 HISTORIC SITE RETROFIT DESIGN “VALUE-ADDING” BY >3+ BUFFER TANKS PER ZONE ……

For every Commercial Building Retrofit Design that is ‘Green’ & Holistic, the greatest opportunity for Value Investment is the selection & location of concealed multiple Buffer Tanks (Thermal Energy Storage).  This TES allows the Design for a “decarbonised” stable IAQ Dry Climate Control at 1-2xACH-Ventilation (24/365) with highest efficiency at lowest operating & maintenance costs. Only, as a second priority, is due diligence for engineering MEP plus innovative interior design (concealed air ducts & latent radiant panels) as important.

 

In particular, for large Historic Buildings (and high celebrity prestige residences), these TES Tanks require closed loop, recirculating warm (45C) fluid needing multiple, large volume, vertical Tanks (>1,000-5,000litres each or volume reduction by using PCM). At >3+ as the minimum number of TES per Zone, it is often impossible for any hidden indoor location. The only solution is an outdoor, buried sub-soil location, discretely distanced away from any structural risk to the building (and in compliance to all local Environmental & Historical codes). For ancient Heritage buildings within Korea this requires double walled, highest grade stainless steel, certified & pressure tested, bunded Tanks with all sockets & piping by welded stainless steel. Similar TES Tanks in Japan show continuous operational duty & high performance, with zero deterioration beyond 80+years durability.

 

Additionally, the combined multi TES total volumetric capacity is necessary to be oversized beyond the combined hybrid output of the Solar plus multi Heat Pump cascade generated daily to set-point output. Our expertise for this >3+ TES Design RULE has proven the correct methodology. This TES stored energy capacity provides Resilience for a full 48-hour “reserve” operating performance during Power outage &/or any other malfunction requiring a Service Technician’s site visit. It is also, by every analysis, a worthwhile zero-risk, High Benefit Strategy, for long-term Durability & Redundancy. Even at periodic 20+ year intervals, when the ancillary indoor HVAC equipment needs a technology upgrade, no changes are needed for the original “passive” TES Design.

Join our discussion by making a comment below which will be moderated and published ASAP.

/0 Comments/by

TIP No. 18 : ASSISTANCE PLEASE, TO SOURCE PROVEN EMPIRICAL DATA & CLEANING PROTOCOLS FOR SEABIRD GUANO AT HIGH NORTHERN UK (54Deg.N) LATITUDE??.…..R.S.V.P.

There is a problem to begin the verification for this high performance, Commercial Building Retrofit Design (cf. Footnote 1) at a UNESCO HISTORIC site. The Design features a rapid ROI by a Hybrid Heat Pump Cascade & Solar Array. We need to validate the optimised Design proportion of PV Panels versus Thermal Evacuated Tubes. This is across a large area of inner/hidden roof area for annual contribution of solar performance in addition to the Heat Pumps.

Our recent months of controlled test records show bird spoiled, reduced output, wide variability at 18% to 46% for both panel types by seabird guano & windswept salt-spray. The location is on the coast (<0.5km high tide distance) & daily maelstroms of 230+ pigeon flock on high turrets at 300metres. All panel design is at 38deg. Tilt, facing due South, non-shadowed.

For accurate energy performance & system financial Analysis we use NASA, NOAA & ASHRAE solar data at GPS location to input our TRNSYS 18 software; BUT, with no evidential data for a guano factor it will conclude “GIGO”.

We request help for Guano data citations at equivalent NW-UK coastal locations?

 

1[All Zone heating, by closed, hydronic loop, re-circulated radiant-heat (22-24C latent emitters); recycled 20% Fresh dry-air (45-50%RH & 2ACH); low pressure (+3Pa) & medical Filtered Air (MERV-13) to operate at highest SCOP. These FOUR “multi-benefits” of the hybrid cascade Heat Pump System Design replicates the Project completed in 1992 with UK-BRE for two Exhibition sites in China. The Design delivers to set-point: (1)Sanitary Hot Water; (2)Total Space-heating; (3)Conservation dehumidification; with (4)Future-pandemic proof medically-safe air: and meets all accurate financial imperatives required for prospective investors.]

Join our discussion by making a comment below which will be moderated and published ASAP.

/0 Comments/by

TIP No. 7: INSUFFICIENT “PREQUALIFIED PROSPECTS”

It happens, by multiple reasons, that the time comes in every “Territory” when a Consultancy experiences a severe “LULL” in “Prequalified Prospects”.

 

This is the time when a Consultancy must extend well beyond & outside its existing Base. It incurs extra cost & much extra due diligence to avoid “Murphy’s Law”. To achieve new projects with well satisfied Clients, the proven Strategy in Renewable Energy is to replicate a “cookie cutter template” of your most successful past project Design and “target” this to similar Owner/Operator end-users (e.g. Hotels & Resorts) whilst island hopping around the globe.

 

The many thousands of remote islands all suffer from high energy costs that require professional, problem solving solutions. The opportunities at that time then become substantial …..with no possibility for any further “LULL” in your “Prequalified Prospects”.

 

Join our discussion by making a comment below which will be moderated and published ASAP.

/0 Comments/by

TIP No. 6: SHUT-DOWN F.F. EQUIPMENT & DISPOSAL

In the early years, it was often customary for the Client
(operating end-user) to prefer to exclude the
removal/disposal (of the shut-down & by-passed plant room
equipment) from a renewable energy Retrofit contract. It was
by reason of a “Trust Deficit” in all new Clean-Tech Systems.
The Client usually insisted to retain the existing (by-passed)
F.F. Equipment as “stand-by” on-site. It was considered as
re-assuring to the Client in a situation of worst-case weather
and/or an incidence of Building over-load demand. This
preferred obligation for non-disposal was also a benefit to
stake-holders for a reduced CAPEX (to achieve a
30<60month PBP) and defer costs to the next annual
accounting period for cutting-up/disposal of large sized
Basement & Rooftop Plant.

Join our discussion by making a comment below which will be moderated and published ASAP.

/0 Comments/by

TIP No. 5: PREQUALIFYING A PROSPECTIVE CLIENT

A Facility site-visit & walk-through can lose you half a DAY….+ plus. Don’t do it YET!! Young engineers in the Team must be trained in the discipline of “Prospect Prequalification” before all else.

 

Prior to expending Consultancy Time for a Building Survey & Review of Site Energy Data, a careful prequalifying Client Check-List is necessary for a speed “filter-out” of non-starter prospects.

 

This is an effective time-saving Strategy of prioritised criteria to “target & secure” those residual Clients that are in 99% correct alignment for project decision-making.

 

Here are the TOP FIVE pre-qualification criteria (from a list of >60) on which a minimum of 50 positive ticks are needed to proceed before any further time commitment to a  “Lead-generated” Client……. Prior to any preparatory Fee Based Survey or Reviews are considered:

1.    The Client Profile undertaking a Retrofit negotiation must be the majority Owner of the Commercial Property (or an Owner’s officially appointed Representative e.g. Architect or equivalent) AND be fully authorised as Decision Maker to engage in any Consultancy “Retrofit” Contract;

2.    A Validation of the financial viability of the Asset & Stakeholders who must be committed to remain as both the Owner(s) & Operator(s) for at least a Tenor of 7+ years from Project completion;

3.    A Validation of the MEP Plant Room Equipment  Age; Amortized Book Value (NAV) & previous 36 months of actual Occupational demand load versus OPEX;

4.     Confirmation that the Motivation, Vision & Expectations of the Owner(s) are aligned with the focus for zero emissions & Boiler shutdown by Hybrid Renewable Energy Retrofit;

5.    Assessment of the Owners’ “notional” anticipated total Budget for the comprehensive Scope of Works to meet the Owners’ Vision & Expectations……. prior to the review of Energy data or Survey of Plant & Building Condition.
*Further “Check-List” criteria to be advised soon !

 

Join our discussion by making a comment below which will be moderated and published ASAP.

/0 Comments/by