A quiet cul-de-sac
in Suffolk has been chosen to represent British renewable energy innovations to
a delegation from Indonesia hosted by the Department of International Trade
(DIT).
At first glance the
mixed site of nineties construction semi-detached houses and bungalows at Airey
Close in Sudbury Suffolk, is nothing out of the ordinary.
However hidden from
view and beneath the ground is a sophisticated energy grid, harnessing free
renewable heat to provide low-carbon, low-cost heat to the residents above, for
the next 100 years.
Mimicking their
multi award-winning design previously adopted at a similar-sized site
in Suffolk, at the start of September property owners, Flagship Group, alongside UK
specialists, Kensa
Contracting, commenced a programme of works to replace the twelve
properties’ old night storage heaters with a renewable heating alternative to
lower tenants’ fuel bills and cut carbon emissions and local air pollution.
Each of the
properties feature their own Kensa
‘Shoebox’ ground source heat pump, small enough to fit inside their airing
cupboard, which is wired to its own private electrical supply; this provides
the residents with heating and hot water independence, and the ability to
freely switch suppliers. Each British-manufactured unit from Kensa Heat Pumps is connected to a ‘Shared
Ground Loop Array’; an elegant system connecting clusters of two properties
at a time together by pipework running to depths of 200m in boreholes.
With heat being
generated at the point of use - the Shoebox heat pump upgrades low temperature
heat absorbed from the ground via the boreholes – there are no heat losses
through the pipework, increasing the system’s efficiency. Furthermore, as
ground source heat pumps are a non-combustible technology, there are no NOx,
SOx, particulates or CO2 emissions.
The attraction to
the Indonesian delegation of the ground source heat pump system with Flagship
is the possibility to reverse the heat flow in Kensa’s Shared Ground Loop Array
design; the low-temperature from the ground can be used to provide free passive
cooling to buildings, or for substantial cooling demands heat can be absorbed
from buildings and discharged into the ground.
Like the UK, there
is a significant low carbon programme in Indonesia, some of which is funded by
the UK Government, and there is huge scope for the development of new
technologies.
Stuart Gadsden,
Technical Sales Manager at Kensa Contracting comments: “The opportunity to
showcase this project to both the UK and Indonesian Governments is exciting and
shows the growing level of interest in shared ground loop GSHP systems. By
working together, we can make a positive impact on peoples’ lives while
contributing to carbon reduction targets.
“It is great to be
working with Flagship on another project as developing long-term relationships
with our housing association partners is vital to Kensa’s success. It is also
testament to the quality installations that we deliver that meet the expectations
of our clients and their residents. I have no doubt that this project will
significantly reduce the energy bills of the residents while at the same time
improving their comfort.”
