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| Harp attack |
The HARP database allows Building Energy Rating assessors to enter real performance data for heating appliances when calculating Building Energy Ratings rather than low default scores - but few renewable appliances are listed, and the industry appears confused and deterred by the application process. Lenny Antonelli investigates.
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EcoFix will offer other ventilation systems, including wall vent
systems that are designed to provide a constant supply of fresh air
while preventing draughts from infiltrating. "HRV is the ultimate, but
not everybody's going to want it because of the disruption to the house
and the cost. We have extremely crude through-the-wall permanent vents
here. The problem with permanent vents is that people feel cold
draughts, so they block them off, and then they don't have any
ventilation."
Ecofix installed chimney balloons in the house's four open fireplaces
to prevent cold air infiltrating and warm air escaping. The balloons
are inserted into the chimney and inflated to fill the space,
preventing air from passing up or down. "I put my hand up to one
fireplace before and it was just pulling air up," Stuart says.
Radiators in the house can be centrally controlled by to the Radmaster system via discreet wiring
A new Immergas 92 per cent efficient condensing gas combi boiler
provides space heating and hot water. Unlike conventional boilers,
combi boilers heat water on demand, meaning they don’t need storage
tanks and consume less energy, though they sometimes have a lower flow
rate. With no need for a tank, the house now has an extra storage
closet.
Ecofix also specified Comeragh Control's Radmaster heating controls
system. Using Radmaster, the householder creates a standard schedule
indicating what temperature it should be in each room throughout the
day. Simple controls in each room can override the schedule, while each
controller is also equipped with a sensor that lets users know exactly
what temperature it is in the room.
"The principle reason that it saves so much energy is the idea of
scheduling," says Martin Carey of Comeragh controls. "If you consider a
standard system with TRVs [thermostatic radiator valves] - say a house
with TRVs everywhere - you're possibly going to get a 12 per cent
saving. Everytime you turn on the heating the whole house will turn on,
and after a period of time individual rooms will start to turn off."
Before the renovation, radiators were controlled separately in each room, as in most Irish houses
"With the Radmaster when you want one zone to come on, you're only
turning on one radiator. That's a huge thing in terms of energy
savings." Carey's claims aren't just an exaggerated sales pitch -
they're backed up by independent research from the Tipperary Energy
Agency, who found that the RadMaster system can reduce heating energy
demand in a standard, pre-1980s semi-detached house by a massive 47 per
cent.
Grant is impressed with the Radmaster system. "It's like a remote
control. Once you figure out how to use it, it's fine. It's not
difficult and it's very useful. Each room is controlled and it's much
more user friendly. You can set it to your lifestyle."
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Issue 1, Vol 5 Out Now
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