The Background
In one of the more unique requests A Greener Alternative were approached by the client to design and install a heating system on a houseboat in Shoreham, West Sussex.
The houseboat is one of the larger permanent residencies on the river and has been converted to provide living space in the form of four individual apartments.
Currently running on oil fired heating, the client wanted to replace this with a renewable heating system that could also utilise the array of solar photovoltaics (PV) sited on the top deck of the boat.
The Solution
A Greener Alternative have designed a system that utilises a NIBE F2040-16kW air source heat pump to provide heating and hot water for the entire boat and its residents. The solar PV array sited on the top deck of the boat generates a supply of electricity that offsets the running costs of the air source heat pump making the system even more sustainable.
The NIBE F2040 air source heat pump sits on the upper deck of the houseboat extracting heat from the outside air and provides heating for radiators and domestic hot water.
A Greener Alternative installed the NIBE F2040 air source heat pump on the upper deck of the houseboat alongside the existing solar PV array. The pipework drops down into a dedicated plantroom into a buffer vessel that supplies a series of radiators throughout the houseboat alongside two bespoke hot water cylinders that provide the domestic hot water.
The Facts
Annual running cost of oil system: £2,130.00
Annual running cost of heat pump system: £1,314.00
Annual fuel bill saving: £816.00
