The key to reducing carbon emissions from buildings is to use less fossil fuel. One approach to that objective is the application of heat pumps to entrain renewable energy from the environment to ‘amplify’ the electrical energy used.

We believe that if reducing emissions of carbon dioxide is important, heat pumps have a big future. Even in the UK with much electricity generated using coal or natural gas a heat pump with a seasonal COP (coefficient of performance) of just 2 will be associated with the same overall emissions of carbon dioxide as a gas-fired boiler with an efficiency of 95%. With greater COPs, heat-pump technology have a great future.

Air-source heat pumps have to achieve a COP of 3.4 for heating to qualify for Enhanced Capital Allowances. A heat pump with that level of COP will emit about 45% less carbon than the aforesaid boiler — and running costs will also be lower.

At its simplest the heat-pump boiler uses an inverter controlled outdoor unit to deliver hot refrigerant to the indoor unit. Heat from the refrigerant is transferred to water for delivery at up to 45°C. That temperature is ideal for underfloor heating. It can also be used to provide basic heating for domestic hot water, with the temperature of the hot water increased to above 60°C by inline or immersion electric heating.

More exciting, and with the capability of reducing carbon emissions even more, is recovering heat from elsewhere in the building and achieving a COP greater than five, or even as much as 6.5. Suitable areas of heat recovery could be a commercial kitchen or the gym in a leisure centre, with the heat from the heat-pump boiler heating a swimming pool.

Coolair offer various Heat Pump boilers from small domestic applications to Large commercial uses from a variety of Manufactures.