UK: Bellway, one of the UK’s largest home builders, is testing a rooftop air-source heat pump developed in the Netherlands in a pilot eco-house at the University of Salford.
The HydroTop rooftop air source heat pump offers a new way to bring low carbon technology into homes by placing a 200 kg air source heat pump in the attic.
The HydroTop is designed and manufactured by HydrotopWorks BV of Deventer and supplied by Worcester Bosch to Bellway in the UK.
Suitable for new and existing construction, the HydroTop has a small footprint and is said to be easily integrated into the roof of a home. Installed through a hole in the roof like a skylight, the “outdoor” unit protrudes just 15cm above the roof. Said to be fully prefabricated, installation is quick and easy, and all service and maintenance is done from the inside.
“Installing an air source heat pump in an attic is a bold move that has not been taken before by any UK developer or retrofit project,” said Jamie Bursnell, technology and innovation manager at Bellway.
The House of the Future was built by Bellway in a climate-controlled space at the University of Salford as part of the £16 million Energy House 2.0 research project funded in part by the European Regional Development Fund. The residence will test low-carbon technologies and their impact on the cost of living.
“During the study, we will have people living at home testing the heat pump in real life,” Bursnell added. “If attic devices work well, it could give homeowners a new way to reduce their carbon footprint without sacrificing space or aesthetics.”
Darran Burrage, director of new construction at Worcester Bosch in the UK, said: “One of the barriers to converting existing properties into heat pumps is size and location. By placing an air source heat pump in the attic of a house of the future, we hope the trial will pave the way.” way to alternative sites. If successful, this will allow more homeowners to consider this technology as a viable alternative to sustainable heating in the future.”
The home of the future will also test underfloor and infrared heating, as well as a range of low-carbon innovations. These include mechanical ventilation, double and triple glazing, solar panels and a shower that transfers heat from wastewater to incoming electricity.