The ‘Heat and Buildings Strategy’, launched in October 2021, sets out the UK government’s plan to decarbonise virtually all heat in buildings and is fundamental to the net zero goal.
At the heart of this strategy is phasing out fossil fuels to heat buildings by 2035 whilst increasing the application of low-carbon products, fuels, and energy sources.
In line with the uplift of Building Regulations ‘Conservation of fuel and power: Approved Document L’, introduced in December 2021 and in force as of June 2022, which is the legislative method adopted to ensure new buildings will be fitted with low-carbon heating and high levels of energy efficiency achieved, the launch of the Tyneham Heat Pump range is here to support a role in this journey.
We spoke about the new technology with Kevin Potter, Hamworthy’s national sales manager.
What made you incorporate a heat pump range into the solutions offered?
“Our decision to introduce the Tyneham heat pump range was carefully considered and has been driven by a combination of legislation, building regulations, and market demand.”
How long did it take to go from an idea to the range launch?
“Hamworthy Heating is part of Groupe Atlantic, which has been successfully manufacturing heat pumps for many years. Having this parent company meant that we had a tried and tested technology that could be successfully applied to meet UK efficiency requirements in commercial applications.”
Is there anything you have tried to do differently from other heat pumps already on the market?
“Being able to offer a ‘plant room of the future’ solution was a key consideration for us, so developing a product that can be combined with our existing product range (commercial boilers and hot water heaters) to offer our customers a low-carbon hybrid heating solution was a must. Another key issue was sustainability. The Tyneham heat pump range uses an R32 refrigerant, which is more environmentally friendly compared to other traditional refrigerants.
“In addition, as Tyneham heat pumps components are conveniently housed in the mono block unit, which is compact and lightweight (in comparison to other commercial heat pumps on the market), installation and commissioning are easier.”
Have you had any issues sourcing materials/parts to create the products?
“We understand it can be difficult to source materials and parts in the current environment. However, being a part of Groupe Atlantic means we can take benefit of economies of scale and, as such, have limited the impact on supply and demand.”
Will you be looking to add any other renewable tech to the product range?
“With decades of commercial heating experience behind us, we understand the importance and value in finding ecologically efficient solutions. By following legislative updates carefully, we will continue to support the market with the right technologies at the right time.”
Have you had customers or installers asking for more renewable tech solutions?
“Yes, we are seeing an increasing amount of specification and heating design where heat pump technology is being called for. Traditional heating technologies are evolving, and the new Tyneham heat pump range is part of that evolution for our customers and for us. We’re also seeing an increasing opportunity for specifiers and heating engineers to upskill, so helping our customers with the right knowledge and training is key.”
Will you be offering training on the new range?
“Yes, we offer training to all our customers in the UK. Delivered on-site or at one of our training centres (based in Leeds, Dorset or at our new state-of-the-art training academy in Bridgend, Hull), courses are designed to cover all levels of experience. We not only explain how heat pumps work but also provide hands-on product training, guiding participants through the servicing of products to ensure they are operating at their maximum efficiencies.
“With heat pumps still a relatively new technology, our courses are perfect for building managers, installers, and specifiers. We’re also accredited with CIBSE to deliver approved Continuing Professional Development (CPD) courses, which are available on request.”
Do you envisage the range being selected for purely commercial requirements, or is it also suited to domestic settings?
“The Tyneham range is designed for light to large commercial requirements. However, there are domestic requirements within the Groupe Atlantic product offering.”
Heat pumps basics
Heat pumps are simple and efficient appliances that extract heat energy from the environment and upgrade it to heat for central heating and hot water requirements. They generate heat without releasing any carbon emissions by taking free energy from the air via a refrigerant cycle. Furthermore, with fewer moving parts to go wrong, they have a long life expectancy with reduced service and maintenance costs.
The market’s new complexity is correctly implementing this technology by considering the best selection, operation and system design to get the best comfort and performance from heat pumps. Simply installing a heat pump in place of an existing boiler is rarely the solution, but we are here to support our customers with this transition.
COP rating of up to 4.85
The new Tyneham heat pump range is one of the lightest commercial heat pumps on the market. The new product offers a co-efficiency of performance (COP) rating of up to 4.85 to provide efficient, low-carbon heating. The seven models in the range boast six nominal outputs of between 14 to 70kW, which can also be cascaded to achieve higher outputs in larger installations. Incorporating an inverter controller compressor to match the heat demand accurately, R32 refrigerant also maximises low global warming potential.
Quiet running and featuring a monobloc design, all components are conveniently housed in the main unit, which is compact and lightweight for ease of commission and installation.
Available to purchase with various options such as buffer vessels, flexible hoses, anti-vibration feet and externally mounted control units, Tyneham air source heat pumps can also be combined with Hamworthy modular boilers for a hybrid heating system.
Ecologically efficient
Kevin Potter continued: “With decades of commercial heating experience behind us, we understand the importance and value in finding ecologically efficient solutions, now more than ever. As heat pumps play an important role in this, we’re proud to be adding our new Tyneham range to our innovative product offering.”