Installing heat pumps for flats in Sussex

Table of Contents

Author Simon Punyer

Technical Lead

MSc, BEng, CIBSE

Author Simon Punyer

Technical Lead

MSc, BEng, CIBSE

Table of Contents

Different Types of Heat Pumps

Communal Heating Options

Individual Heating Options

Case Study

Understanding Heat Load Requirements

Engaging an Energy Professional

Importance of Correct Sizing

Available Funding

Maximising the Benefits

FAQs

Many blocks of flats are heated by a communal boiler that relies on oil or gas. As older heating systems near the end of their lifecycle, people are looking for a modern replacement and are wondering if it is possible to install heat pumps in flats.

While introducing heat pumps for flats can be a great idea for reducing carbon emissions and operating costs, swapping an oil or gas-fired heating system with a heat pump is not a ‘like-for-like’ replacement and requires careful planning and consideration.

BHESCo are working with residents in Brighton & Hove who want to replace their existing communal boiler with a modern, efficient, communal heat pump. If you live in a block of flats and are looking at options for replacing your heating system please give BHESCo a call today.

Thinking about a heat pump for your apartment building?

We’re looking to partner with apartment buildings in Sussex who want to explore the potential for installing heat pumps.

If you’re interested in engaging BHESCo to design, install and potentially finance a heat pump for your property then please complete the short contact form and a member of our team will get back to you soon.

Heat pumps in flats = an affordable, modern heating solution

Heat pumps are a popular option for people living in blocks of flats, especially those with a communal heating system or who have all electric heating.

Heat pumps come in a wide variety of models and sizes, making it possible to install a system optimised to meet any property’s specific characteristics as well as the unique heating requirements of individual residents.

Air source heat pumps and ground source heat pumps offer an ideal solution for the following types of apartment building:

Communal boiler

Electric heating

New builds

Communal heating options for flats

Ground source heat pumps for flats

A logical replacement for ageing communal heating systems is a ground source heat pump. The technology extracts latent heat from underground and transfers it for use inside a property.

A ground source heat pump is much larger and more powerful than an air source heat pump and can be installed in the land adjacent to a block of flats, or in an underground car park.

The costs of installing communal ground source heating can be shared amongst residents, who will all benefit from a modern, low-carbon, affordable heating system.

A ground source heat pump installed as part of a BHESCo project at the Montessori Place School

Pros and Cons: 

  • Highly efficient replacement for existing communal heating system
  • Quieter than an air source heat pump
  • Requires land adjacent to the property to drill boreholes
  • Significant levels of disruption during installation

Communal air source heat pumps

In circumstances where a ground source heat pump is not feasible, for example where there is no convenient place to drill boreholes or the cost of doing so is prohibitively high, an air source heat pump offers an attractive alternative. 

Although commonly associated with smaller units for individual households, larger air source heat pumps can be introduced that deliver enough heat to meet the demand of a shared communal heat system in a block of flats.

Pros & Cons:

  • An effective alternative when a ground source heat pump is not feasible
  • Less planning requirements and disruption than a ground source heat pump
  • Requires appropriate level of space around the perimeter of the apartment building
  • Noise volumes from the air source heat pump(s) must be considered

Individual heating options for flats

Individual air source heat pumps for flats

For apartment buildings that do not have a shared heat source, residents may wish to replace their existing gas boiler with an air source heat pump. 

The feasibility of installing an individual heat pump in a flat depends on a variety of factors, such as the EPC rating of the property, the size of the property, the heat delivery system (e.g. electric radiators or a ‘wet’ system), and the availability of space to locate the heat pump.

In some instances it may be possible to locate a heat pump on a balcony, but there must be sufficient room for the heat pump to ensure it meets planning and noise regulations. 

a white and black air source pump made by the manufacturer EcoDan, located adjacent to a village hall building in the village of Kingston, East Sussex
A ground source heat pump installed as part of a BHESCo project at the Montessori Place School

Pros & Cons:

  • A highly efficient replacement for a gas boiler
  • Minimal disruption during installation
  • Heat pump must be sufficient distance from the building to meet planning regulations
  • Noise volumes from the air source heat pump(s) must be considered

Case Study

With support from the Heat Efficiency Networks Scheme (HNES), BHESCo have completed a feasibility study for a block of flats in Brighton & Hove. 

Following over a year of research, our recommendation is to install new pipework and HIUs (heat interface units) as an initial phase of upgrades. 

BHESCo also looked at the viability of air source heat pumps and and solar PV as an extension to this.

As part of our study we analysed the impact of solar power on heat costs if installing a heat pump. Heat costs at the site are currently around 11 pence per kilowatt hour. After upgrades to the heating network, adding a large ASHP and rooftop solar PV, this cost could be reduced to 4.5 p/kWh.

View Case Study

Why it is essential to understand the existing heat load requirements of your block of flats before installing a heat pump

When putting together a heat pump design for a block of flats it is essential to ensure that your system is appropriately sized for the heat demand of your building (called the ‘heat load‘).

A heat pump which is too small will strain the device as it will struggle to provide the levels of heat required. 

A heat pump which is oversized will incur unnecessary upfront and ongoing costs in addition to erratic and inefficient heat delivery.

When scoping for an appropriately sized heat pump you must factor in the anticipated reduction in heat demand that you hope to achieve from any planned energy efficiency upgrades.

Experience tells us that replacing your existing gas fired boiler or electric storage heater with a heat pump is not such a straight forwards process, and for this reason it is recommended that you discuss your options with a qualified energy consultant.

Why you should engage the services of a qualified energy professional to size the right heat pump for your flat

To understand the existing energy performance of your home you should consider engaging the services of a BHESCo energy assessor. A holistic energy survey of the property will help to uncover where heat and energy are being wasted and identify opportunities for improvements.  

Our experienced team can recommend the most cost-effective energy efficiency measures to increase heat retention in your home, which in turn will reduce the size and cost of the heat pump required.

By combining information obtained from an on-site survey with data from your energy bills, our energy specialists can calculate the heat load of your property and specify an appropriately sized heat pump to meet your needs.

For larger properties, such as for an entire block of flats, the BHESCo team can conduct a feasibility study, taking into consideration the requirements of residents collectively and individually. We will present a range of options, including the scope for energy efficiency improvements, and provide details of expected financial and carbon savings for a variety of low-carbon heating scenarios.

We can make conclusions about which combination of technologies will best meet the heat and power requirements of your property, as well as providing anticipated cost and future savings projections to help you make an informed decision.

Furthermore, our expertise and familiarity with national energy policy can identify any financial support mechanisms available which could make your energy project more economically advantageous, e.g. the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.

Choosing to install a heat pump may well require some additional upfront costs associated with planning and system design, but over the long term, this will be far outweighed by the reward of owning a highly efficient heating system that is able to deliver sustainable heat at the lowest cost.

What can happen if a low-carbon heating system is not sized correctly?

There are many co-dependent factors to take into consideration when designing a new heating system, making it a complex undertaking for non-professionals.

Inadequate unit sizing and system design will inevitably lead to poor performance and a failure to meet expectations. Examples could include:

  • The heat pump is unable to achieve the desired temperatures
  • Strains on the heat pump significantly shorten its operational lifespan
  • Anticipated cost savings are not achieved

You can mitigate against these long-term frustrations by consulting in the early stages of your project with an experienced and qualified professional.

What funding is available to help pay for heat pumps in flats?

Heat Supply Agreement

The upfront costs of installing a new heating system can be expensive.

At BHESCo, we are committed to accelerating the transition to a low-carbon future and we do not want any property owner wishing to make their home more sustainable to be restricted by financial obstacles.

For this reason we offer to cover the upfront costs of your heat pump project, with repayments made over a long-term contract called a Heat Supply Agreement.

The upfront cost of the project is met by our network of community investors who want to invest their money in solutions to climate change. Customers are billed monthly for the renewable heat they have used, with the cost per unit of heat typically being much lower than they would otherwise pay to their energy supplier.

Once this cost is repaid, customers become the owners of the equipment and benefit from 100% of any savings made on future energy costs.

More on Heat Supply Agreements

Government grants for heat pumps in flats

In addition to providing a financial solution through a Heat Supply Agreement, BHESCo will always help our customers to achieve maximum financial benefit from their energy projects by taking advantage of any government grants available. 

With respect to the grants available to help install heat pumps for flats, there are several options available which BHESCo can apply for on behalf of our customers. These include:

  • The Boiler Upgrade Scheme 
  • Heat Network Delivery Unit funding (HNDU)
  • The Community Energy Fund
  • Heat Network Efficiency Scheme funding (HNES)

Maximising the benefits of heat pumps for apartments

If you’re considering replacing a communal boiler with a heat pump, it is important to ensure that you have the commitment from all residents.

Not only will this bring maximum cost efficiency but it will also avoid any complications around the installation process later down the line.

We understand that this level of support is difficult to achieve without indications of costs, and the impacts upon bills. This is why BHESCo will conduct an economic analysis as part of any feasibility study, to provide residents with clarity on the financial impact of any proposed improvements.

Another benefit of replacing the heating system for a number of residents simultaneously is that it can achieve economies of scale when purchasing from a heat pump supplier, in addition to sharing labour and other related installation costs.

Talk to our team

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you install a heat pump in a flat?

Heat pumps offer an effective and affordable way to heat flats but their suitability depends on a number of factors, the most important of which is having enough space to install the heat pump. Possible locations could be on a balcony if it is large enough or on land adjacent to the building. 

Are heat pumps noisy?

Where they were once criticized for being ‘too noisy’, the latest heat pump designs can operate at noise levels considerably below what is required for Permitted Development in residential settings.

What funding is available to pay for a heat pump?

Property owners can access up to £7,500 from the Boiler Upgrade Scheme to help pay for the cost of a heat pump. 

What funding is available for heat network development costs?

The Heat Network Efficiency Scheme and The Heat Networks Delivery Unit  both provide grant funding and guidance to support heat network project development.

Talk to our team