November 5, 2010

Case Study: A typical domestic installation makes savings over it’s lifetime

Ashgrove installed a heating system for a domestic customer in their 2,500 sq. ft. four bedroom dormer new build. Upon approaching Ashgrove for advice the customer was unsure as to the best solution to heat their home. Ashgrove Advisors were able to explore all available options with the customer to ensure that they were informed of all the solutions available before a decision was made. The customer was interested in differentiating their options in terms of installation costs, and running costs. Ashgrove were able to calculate the related costs for the customer before they committed to a particular system.

The customer was interested in comparing the renewable solutions offered by Ashgrove against a traditional fossil fuel system. An oil boiler central heating system providing heat to a traditional radiator system was quoted at € 3,780 to install. The annual running cost associated with oil fills and one boiler service was calculated at € 1,890.

Ashgrove specified a Geothermal Heat Pump which would provide heating and hot water to the home for an installed cost of € 11,200 (including ground collector pipework). The annual running cost would be € 650 of electrical energy, plus one service at € 198

In order to achieve the highest possible savings Ashgrove recommend underfloor heating when installing a heat pump. Underfloor heating will ensure the most efficient operation of the system and provides a more comfortable and controllable means of heating the home. The installed cost for this home was calculated at € 4,550.

An alternative solution was suggested in the form of an Air to Water (A2W) Heat Pump. This unit draws outside air through itself and in a similar fashion to the geothermal unit it provides hot water inside the home. An A2W unit means less installation work as there is no ground collector installed. Because the customer was unsure as to the layout of the site they requested that this solution be considered. This solution would cost € 11,450 to install, with annual running costs of € 890.

Over a 30 year period the oil boiler would cost € 56,700 to run (without taking increases in oil prices into account) while the geothermal heat pump would cost €9,500, a saving of € 32,650 (including the initial cost of the underfloor heating). An Air to Water heat pump would provide savings of €29,700 per annum over the oil boiler system. This is assuming that the boiler has not been replaced, at least once!

Apart from the financial benefits of choosing a renewable technology the customer will enjoy a higher level of comfort through better controllability and a cleaner source of heat, which is friendlier to the environment. A geothermal heat pump is a more aesthetic solution and can be located in a kitchen or utility with the minimum of impact.

October 11, 2009