Carrier heat pumps behind major school decarb project
4th March 2022UK: More than 180 Carrier AquaSnap 61AF air-to-water heat pumps are being deployed in 60 schools in Southwark Diocese and Barnet in London, and Dudley in the West Midlands.
The multi-million-pound project is being funded under the UK’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme to decarbonise heating in schools and other public buildings.
The Carrier AquaSnap 61AF air-to-water heat pumps were selected for the project by Asset+, one of the UK’s leading independent energy performance contractors. The project involved close collaboration between project partners Asset+, Carrier, and installer OMNI Heat and Power Ltd.
A key challenge of the project was ensuring the electrical loads were not exceeded. “Heat pumps cut overall energy consumption and carbon emissions by displacing gas heating very efficiently, however they do add an additional electrical load. Headroom in relation to school power supply is often a constraint on site, and we had to plan loads carefully to ensure limits were not exceeded,” said Richard Hall, senior project manager at Asset+.
“Carrier heat pumps are highly efficient, which is a major advantage in this area, while other low-energy and renewable technologies being installed, such as photovoltaic solar panels and LED lighting, contribute to reducing power loads,” he added.
Carrier AquaSnap 61AF air-to-water monobloc heat pumps are specifically designed for domestic hot water production and heating in new and refurbished buildings. Generating a water temperature of up to 65ºC, they are based on high-efficiency, quiet-running scroll compressors and have a compact footprint and low profile. The unit has an extended range allowing it to continue operating when outside temperatures fall to as low as -20ºC.