Daikin UK has had its Altherma water source (WS) heat pump system specified as part of The Exchange project in Watford, showing how an ambient loop strategy can deliver measurable efficiency gains while aligning with ESG objectives. The development consists of two multi-storey residential buildings, providing 249 private rental units.
The original development proposals, designed to comply with planning permissions, were based on an all-electric system for heating and hot water generation. BWP (Bourne Wood Partnership) and JLL (a commercial real estate company that oversees asset delivery on behalf of the UK Pension Scheme), engaged jointly with Berkeley Homes in 2019 to explore highly sustainable and low-carbon technologies to provide the heating, cooling and domestic hot water delivery.
Air Cool Engineering Service & Maintenance was approached by JLL and Berkeley Homes to discuss the project, and was keen to specify Daikin’s new Altherma WS system, in combination with its applied air source heat pumps. ACE chose this system because of its high efficiencies, easy-to-use controls and use of low, ambient temperature energy water as the heat source.
The central water loop will prevent the communal areas and corridors overheating, maintaining a temperature of around 23ºC, as water is circulated from the high-efficiency reversible heat pumps on the roof at an ambient temperature. The Altherma WS units allow each property occupant to manage their own heating and domestic hot water requirements via their own metered electricity supply.
The Daikin EWYT~B-series high efficiency reversible air source heat pumps (ASHP) are flexible and made-to-order, with an energy meter, inverter controlled twin centrifugal pump, compressor soft starters, and compressor enclosures to meet stringent design requirements. Daikin’s on-site web-based monitoring platform allows remote monitoring of the ASHPs throughout their lifecycle.
JLL and ACE were pleased with the styling of the Altherma WS units and the ease of incorporating them into each apartment’s floor plan. Berkeley Homes was able to reconfigure the layout of the services cupboard in each apartment to contain the Altherma units without loss of usable rental area. The Exchange shows how ambient loop architecture can be successfully deployed at scale in high-density residential developments.
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