REHAU RENEWABLE ENERGY SYSTEM DEMONSTRATED IN NEW HOME
REHAU AWADUKT Thermo 
The potential of REHAU’s AWADUKT Thermo ground-air heat exchanger in a domestic environment has been demonstrated in a new house built at Rodley, in Leeds.
Installed by renewable energy specialists Energyworx, the AWADUKT Thermo system exploits the natural temperature of the earth at just 1.5m below the surface. Air is drawn through an underground network of pipes and is either pre-heated by the ground in winter or pre-cooled in summer. By using the system, it is possible to raise the temperature of air taken in by up to 9K in winter and reduce the temperature by up to 14K in summer.
The pipe is made of polypropylene (PP) and comes complete with an integrated antimicrobial layer made of silver particles. This prevents microbial growth on the inside of the pipe which would otherwise cause musty smells. The PP material also has excellent heat transfer properties and is simple to install by a groundworks contractor.
In combination with a heat-recovery unit, this will significantly reduce the heating and cooling costs for the property. Additional benefits include the reduced need for natural ventilation (such as opening windows) which improves security and reduces noise levels and draughts. The constant flow of fresh, filtered air can also improve the quality of life within the home.
A Coefficient of Performance (COP) of around 50 can easily be achieved using AWADUKT Thermo which, compared with a COP of between three and four for a ground-source heat pump, makes it a very efficient source of renewable energy. It has attracted interest from both Germany’s Passive House Institute and the UK’s Carbon Trust. Controlled ventilation (a Passive House requirement) is becoming ever more important as new buildings have excellent insulation standards and natural ventilation would not supply the fresh air required.
In this domestic installation, Energyworx used REHAU’s bespoke AWADUKT Thermo software to calculate the performance and outputs of the system.
AWADUKT Thermo is already enjoying considerable success in the commercial sector, and in particular in schools but this installation also shows its value as a controlled ventilation system for homes.
Installed by renewable energy specialists Energyworx, the AWADUKT Thermo system exploits the natural temperature of the earth at just 1.5m below the surface. Air is drawn through an underground network of pipes and is either pre-heated by the ground in winter or pre-cooled in summer. By using the system, it is possible to raise the temperature of air taken in by up to 9K in winter and reduce the temperature by up to 14K in summer.
The pipe is made of polypropylene (PP) and comes complete with an integrated antimicrobial layer made of silver particles. This prevents microbial growth on the inside of the pipe which would otherwise cause musty smells. The PP material also has excellent heat transfer properties and is simple to install by a groundworks contractor.
In combination with a heat-recovery unit, this will significantly reduce the heating and cooling costs for the property. Additional benefits include the reduced need for natural ventilation (such as opening windows) which improves security and reduces noise levels and draughts. The constant flow of fresh, filtered air can also improve the quality of life within the home.
A Coefficient of Performance (COP) of around 50 can easily be achieved using AWADUKT Thermo which, compared with a COP of between three and four for a ground-source heat pump, makes it a very efficient source of renewable energy. It has attracted interest from both Germany’s Passive House Institute and the UK’s Carbon Trust. Controlled ventilation (a Passive House requirement) is becoming ever more important as new buildings have excellent insulation standards and natural ventilation would not supply the fresh air required.
In this domestic installation, Energyworx used REHAU’s bespoke AWADUKT Thermo software to calculate the performance and outputs of the system.
AWADUKT Thermo is already enjoying considerable success in the commercial sector, and in particular in schools but this installation also shows its value as a controlled ventilation system for homes.
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© REHAU Ltd. All Rights reserved. 2008
© REHAU Ltd. All Rights reserved. 2008