At one scheme, an Aurora solar thermal system, providing approximately 2,247kWh of energy per annum, was installed by the Cotswold Energy Efficiency Centre. The system was installed in conjunction with a Grant Aerona air source heat pump to provide heating for the communal areas, via Smith’s Ecovector low level fan convectors – replacing the existing night storage heating system.
In addition to providing heating, the heat pump also acts as a back-up to further heat the hot water if the temperature set by the cylinder’s thermostat is not reached. A similar system was also installed at Stroud’s other sheltered housing scheme.
Lower energy bills
Adrian Jacques, energy officer for Stroud District Council, commented: “We are pleased with the installation; even during the recent harsh winter months, our bills were below 2008 levels. This is before any potential Renewable Heat Incentive payments are factored in.”
In another scheme – a Grade II listed building in Cowes on the Isle of Wight – a range of renewable technologies from Grant UK were adopted to overcome the constraints of the existing building and to make it as energy-efficient as possible.
Although one of the oldest buildings in Cowes, the developer succeeded in obtaining listed building consent to install an on-roof Grant Solar PV system – comprising 38 x 180W modules on the south facing roof to provide approximately 6,100kWh of energy per annum. Used in conjunction with Grant’s Grid inverters, revenue will be generated from the production of electricity via the government’s FiT scheme.
Commenting on the project, developer Ian Glasspool, said: “I decided to use products from Grant UK for a number of reasons, but primarily because of the excellent customer service and technical support they have provided on previous installations. Purchasing the entire range of products from a single supplier also makes sense, as it ensures compatibility when integrating the various renewable technologies.”