Fresh air is providing one of Scotland’s most prestigious retailers with up to £10,000 in energy savings thanks to four high powered Dimplex air source heat pumps linked to a master controller, thought to be the first installation of its type in the UK.
The Dimplex heat pumps were specified as part of a £3.8million carefully planned extension at The House of Bruar in the Highlands of Perthshire, which included energy saving as part of the business plan to lower its carbon emissions by around 50,000kgs.
Being able to accurately control the temperature for both comfort and energy management was also an essential part of the planning and design as the weather in the area can be very unpredictable - it’s even been known to snow in June!
Within months of the new heat pump system’s installation, its efficiency was put to the test with a prolonged spell of bitterly cold weather, with daytime temperatures of minus 16 degrees Celsius, explains Robert Day, The House of Bruar’s retail manager.
“We chose these heat pumps because we were confident that the technology delivers as it’s essential that our environment is comfortable and welcoming at all times. The first winter was especially harsh with regular temperatures of minus 16°C for days on end and it coped very well. Overall it’s very responsive and we’ve been pleased with it for winter heating and summer cooling in conjunction with automatic windows, delivering the all important energy savings,” he says.
The two LA40 and two LA35TUR heat pumps were installed by Dimplex expert partner, Ecovision, and provide active heating and passive cooling. They are linked to a master controller which is capable of year-round control of up to 14 heat pumps and 30 different performance measurements and to date the fuel savings compared with using oil are estimated to be 60%.
As a leading retail destination set in 11 acres of stunning Perthshire scenery and at the foot of the spectacular falls of Bruar, The House of Bruar attracts over a million visitors a year. It attracts locals and tourists so the whole visitor experience is carefully managed by its owners.
As a result, the plant area which houses the heat pumps is sited 80 metres away from the main retail area. This in itself meant that extra consideration had to be given to the delivery of the hot water to the building’s underfloor heating system. So the hot water pipes have been installed with additional insulation to help the delivery of hot water into the heating system.
Heat pumps are just one part of an ongoing programme of reducing the carbon footprint at The House of Bruar. All waste materials on the site are separated for recycling to reduce the need for landfill, rainwater is harvested, and currently there’s a £35,000 investment programme to introduce low energy lighting and a major project evaluating ways to minimise food waste from the busy restaurant.
