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House specs close to Passive - which heating system?

  • 30-06-2009 3:37pm
    #1
    Quack13
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 111 ✭✭


    I am about to start work on a closed panel timber frame construction with the following specs:

    U Value of Ceiling (under cold roof) – 0.12
    U Value of Sloped Ceiling – 0.17
    U Value of Ext. Walls – 0.16
    U-Value of Windows – 0.8

    Area; 2,700 ft approx.
    The back of the house is south facing and includes a lot of glazing.

    I know I mention the specs are close to passive, although some people have told me it’s still a long way off. But with the specs I mentioned I hope to be hitting an A2 rated house.

    I am definitely using Solar for domestic hot water, HRV.
    I am just totally stumped as to which type of heating system to use.

    It’s an aspect of the build I really know little about and I have guys coming from all angles suggesting different approaches:
    Solar to Air
    UFH w/wood pellet boiler
    Radiators
    Etc

    I am hoping to minimise the requirement for a heating system and to have a simple a system as possible.

    I noticed Sydthebeat mentioned an Air to Air system (with a heating element in the HRV) in another thread, which sounds interesting.

    Has anyone here come across a house of a similar spec or seen a heating system that might work for our build?

    Q


Comments

  • #2
    Juantorena
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 147 ✭✭Juantorena


    Quack13,

    We are building a 2,600sqft two storey, roof: 0.11; floor: 0.15; walls: 0.16; windows: 0.88...

    Went through many permutations and ended up with an air-to-water hp, room-sealed wood stove, some passive solar and MHRV as the various elements to contribute to heating the house...

    But originally I was determined to keep the number of systems to a minimum and very nearly settled on what's called a 'compact' HRV unit which is a reasonably standard MHRV unit but with a small (compact) ashp integrated which provides for hot water and warmed air. I copped-out as I wasn't sure of the 'quality' of heat warmed air yields in rooms.

    I can pm you the unit we were looking at - suitable for passive and low-energy homes - if you wish?


  • #3
    Quack13
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 111 ✭✭Quack13


    If you could PM those details on to me, that would be great!

    What made you go for Air to Water Heat Pump can I ask.

    Someone mentioned to me that they are not the most efficient of pumps and can have difficulty in freezing weather. That was a little off-putting to me.

    Juantorena wrote: »
    Quack13,

    We are building a 2,600sqft two storey, roof: 0.11; floor: 0.15; walls: 0.16; windows: 0.88...

    Went through many permutations and ended up with an air-to-water hp, room-sealed wood stove, some passive solar and MHRV as the various elements to contribute to heating the house...

    But originally I was determined to keep the number of systems to a minimum and very nearly settled on what's called a 'compact' HRV unit which is a reasonably standard MHRV unit but with a small (compact) ashp integrated which provides for hot water and warmed air. I copped-out as I wasn't sure of the 'quality' of heat warmed air yields in rooms.

    I can pm you the unit we were looking at - suitable for passive and low-energy homes - if you wish?


  • #4
    Juantorena
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 147 ✭✭Juantorena


    Quack13 wrote: »
    If you could PM those details on to me, that would be great!

    What made you go for Air to Water Heat Pump can I ask.

    Someone mentioned to me that they are not the most efficient of pumps and can have difficulty in freezing weather. That was a little off-putting to me.

    Geothermal not an option due to a combination of budgetary and ground-condition concerns. Over here in the 'mild' West I'm hoping the ASHP will cope pretty well. I'm also hoping that we won't be using too much electrical juice either anyway.

    As a country, we have so many things to learn about the available systems and their appropriateness for our own personal needs that we can find ourselves convulsed trying to find that 'perfect' system set-up. I know I was. I'm pretty sure that I have made one - or many - mistakes in the house build and what we're putting in and also that in x-years time these same systems will appear 'old-hat'. There comes a point when you have to make the (informed) decision and go with it, accepting that there may well be a better cocktail of solutions out there that you hadn't come across/had been dissuaded from/couldn't afford/didn't like.

    PM going to you...


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