For several years, there has been talk of a convergence between the traditionally separate trades within the building services industry. The cooling and heating wings of the hvacr sector, in particular, have found themselves gradually moving closer together, primarily as a result of the emergence of heat pump technology as a highly efficient means of both heating and cooling.
This technology - based on the familiar refrigerant circuit, compressors and heat exchangers - may be new to the general population, but it has of course been standard issue kit for more than 20 years in the rac industry. The fact that heat pumps are now seen by government, consultants and clients as a “technology whose time has come” opens up a potentially huge new market opportunity for the trade.
The launch last month by SANYO Air Conditioners of a new heating business based on high efficiency heat pumps crystallises this trend – and moves it in a decisive new direction. The manufacturer has launched two new heating products, including the pioneering carbon dioxide-based ECO heat pump system and a range of more traditional heat pumps based on HFC refrigerants, both for use in domestic and small commercial applications.
Bob Cowlard, SANYO’s business planning manager, says: “We believe these products open up exciting new market opportunities for acr installers looking to broaden the base of their business. “For a start, it can help balance what can still be a highly seasonal trade. Air conditioning splits are mainly a warm weather product, and adding a heating product helps spread activity for installers across the year. “Importantly, it could also help offset what many think will be a difficult year or two for companies who rely on smaller air conditioning installations as their mainstream work. We will be supporting them every step of the way.”
The fact that the systems are based on familiar compression technology gives rac installers a head start in developing the opportunity, he says. While the SANYO technology is new to the UK, it is already well established in key markets overseas. Following its launch in Scandinavia in 2004, several thousand of the systems have been installed in homes or small commercial premises.
In Japan, there are literally hundreds of thousands of systems in use – and with energy prices rising, the swing away from gas-fired heating has become a stampede. Can high efficiency heat pumps challenge the supremacy of the gas-fired boiler as the heating technology of choice in the UK, which is generally regarded as a fairly conservative market?
The most compelling argument in their favour is the exceptional energy and running cost advantages of today’s advanced heat pumps. The inverter-controlled ECO CO2 system is able to operate at ambient temperatures a low as -25ºC, and deliver COPs of up to 3.75 – extracting low grade heat energy from outside air and converting it into useful energy for heating and hot water.
There are also important performance advantages. Unlike other systems on the market, the SANYO ECO system produces water up to 65deg C, hot enough to be used directly in traditional radiators without the need for an inefficient electric booster heater, keeping energy costs and emissions low. In terms of green credentials, the system is leagues ahead of gas-fired rivals, producing around 50 per cent less carbon emissions than comparable gas-fired boilers while delivering substantial savings on running costs.
Do the claimed test bed figures for the ECO system translate into actual performance in real UK conditions? A recent trial installation in a stone-walled cottage on Exmoor this winter reported a COP of 3.7 with water at 35deg C and an outside temp of 15deg C; in addition, a COP of 2.71 was recorded with a flow temperature of 65 deg C, and an outside temp of 7 deg C.
In commercial terms, it is an opportunity there for the taking, believes Bob Cowlard. “We believe these systems will help reshape the boundaries between traditional hvacr specialisms. They empower acr installers to widen their activities and build their businesses. It is an opportunity not to be missed.”