Adveco offers some advice on introducing sustainable hot water systems into commercial buildings…
To help achieve climate-neutral building stock by 2050 UK businesses are being challenged to reduce operational energy use. By increasing the use of renewable energy supply and prioritising on-site renewable energy sources the hope is to reduce harmful carbon emissions and improve the management of operational costs.
No doubt being more sustainable comes at a cost. Whether in the form of new build projects or the refurbishment of existing, yet ageing facilities, understanding the necessary capital investment, operational savings and payback periods is key to developing a realistic sustainability strategy.
Starting the Journey with Hot Water
Because of the ubiquitous need for hot water systems, from basins to baths and showers, catering and cleaning, addressing how this often business-critical resource is secured is one of the quickest, easiest and most impactful ways of making active carbon savings today.
Addressing the efficiency of domestic hot water systems (DWH) – whether through the implementation of heat pumps, solar thermal, direct electric water heating or even simple modernisation of existing gas appliances – helps properties meet sustainability goals practically and cost-effectively. It also delivers improved year-round conditions for customers and staff, providing spaces better suited to delivering quality services.
For buildings already on gas and relying on large amounts of DHW, silent solar thermal preheat is preferable. For new build properties, the expectation is for specification to default to a mixture of heat pumps and electric boiler for afterheat. New system approaches, including prefabricated packaged plant rooms, also provide for better use of the spaces that already exist, without the need to undertake expensive and disruptive building projects.
Don’t Plan Blind
Whether designing new, or refurbishing existing hot water systems heating every building is different. So before embarking on any renovation work or transitioning from gas to electric, we recommend investing in non-invasive water metering. With accurate data comes better design, reducing capital investment, avoiding pitfalls of new technology and offering clear sight of future operational costs for improved strategic sustainability planning.
Talk to Adveco about the design, supply, and service of low-carbon water heating for commercial properties.
