Energy conscious homeowners, Vincent and Jacqueline Haines wanted to create an eco-friendly home for their outstanding Georgian style, 570sqft self-build project in Cambridgeshire. Amongst several sustainable elements to the three-storey residential property, such as triple glazing throughout and 43 solar photovoltaic panels, this high-spec 6-bedroom home is heated via two Panasonic Aquarea T-Cap Air-to-Water Heat Pumps.
The family was looking for a reliable and renewable heating source to connect to two floors of underfloor heating for the property, in addition to a cost-effective supply of hot water for the kitchen and bathrooms. The property is in a moderately remote location, and with potential piping issues at the site, the family’s heating specialist, Roland Gurner from Eco Installer investigated various renewable options and recommended two Panasonic Aquarea T-Cap Air to Water Heat Pumps for the property. The heat pumps were supplied from authorised UK distributor for Panasonic, Oceanair.
Homeowner, Vincent Haines comments “Panasonic is a well-known, reliable efficient brand and proved excellent value for money. As an IT Consultant working from home, we opted to have smart remote controllers throughout the property, thus allowing us to monitor usage in each room. Our installation was completed 2.5 years ago, and since its installation, we have found the system to be reliable and energy efficient with the added benefit of a constant supply of free hot water.”
It has always been a dream of trained architect, Jacqueline Jiang-Haines, to design and construct her own home. The original purchase of the site was some ten years prior to the build. The 2.4-acre plot of land has far-reaching views and offered plenty of scope for the couples’ ambitious self-build to take place. The site also had an existing property on the land where the couple lived for ten years and when the time was right, put fencing around their existing home, which left them with 2.1 acres with a driveway leading down to where the new dwelling would be, at the back of the plot. The couple were able to live in the original property during the 12-month construction phase, which meant they were able to keep a close eye on progress.
The couple went through several design styles for the house before settling on a neo-Georgian style design, this was partly due to a nearby property being of a similar design and with the couple preferring a more traditional brick and block construction, which suits the style. “We both like the solidity it offers, and we felt that ultimately it would give us more control over the layout we wanted to create.”
Roland Gurner of Eco Installer adds “It was beneficial to be involved early on in this project, allowing us to look at the optimum space available for the units and advise on the best renewable solution. Two Panasonic Aquarea T-Caps were specified, partly because of the size of the property, plus it also means that when demand in the summer is lower and only the hot water is required, only one of the units is needed – of course this is also beneficial for the long-term impact and longevity of the system.”
“The Panasonic Aquarea T-Cap Air to Water Heat Pumps are very quiet compared to its competitors, aesthetically pleasing and highly energy efficient (COP of 5,08)” explained Tony Holland from Oceanair. “The T-Cap stands for Total Capacity and ideal for maintaining the heating capacity even at very low temperatures. The T-Cap range is an ideal solution for this project as it can also be connected to a solar kit and smart controls in order to further increase efficiency and minimise the impact on the environment which is precisely what the Haines family were looking for.”
The Panasonic Aquarea range is renowned for delivering major energy savings for residential homes thanks to its incredible efficiency levels. The Aquarea system operates by transferring heat instead of generating it. The range uses a renewable, free energy source (the air) to heat or cool the home in addition to producing hot water. The T-Cap line-up can maintain the heat pump output capacity until -20oC outdoor temperature without the help of an electrical booster heater.
The range is designed and produced by Panasonic and among the technologies listed on the International Energy Agency (IEA) Blue Map, whose goal is to reduce CO2 emissions to half the levels emitted in 2005, by the year 2050.
The Haines family enjoyed their self-build journey are now looking forward to their next renewable and eco-friendly project.
For more information, please visit www.aircon.panasonic.co.uk.
