InitiativeCase Study - Nuaire captures the benefit of the Sun
- Save Energy
- Reduce Carbon Emissions
- Reduce Damp
- Reduce mould caused by condensation
- Improve air quality
- Create a healthy home
The development at Hoebridge Works comprises 154 residential units ranging from 1 bedroom apartments to 4 bedroom houses on a brownfield site. There are 133 typically terraced houses of varying sizes and includes 40% affordable housing. All private and affordable homes are to achieve EcoHomes Very Good rating.
Nuaire manufactures a wide range of energy efficient, innovative home ventilation products from a basic “Drimaster” which is a low cost, low energy, positive input ventilation unit to “Sunwarm”, a combined heating and ventilation system that is affordable, easy to maintain and which provides space heating and cooling, whole home ventilation and the pre-heating of water by harnessing the sun's energy.
Three Nuaire systems were used on the Hoebridge Works Development: Drimaster, Sunwarm Tile and Sunwarm. Ten units of each type were monitored over a 12 month period to determine their energy output in kWh.
The Nuaire Drimaster unit is located in the loft space and is a direct replacement for the home’s mechanical extract fans. It uses the air within a loft space and forces it into the home (usually via the ceiling in the landing area). This pressurises the home and drives out air through the naturally occurring gaps in the structure improving air quality. Not only does this remove stale damp air from the air, providing an internal environment ideal for allergy and asthma sufferers, but also removes condensation and the associated mould growth in the process.
Air within the loft provides the renewable input into the home, helping to pre-warm the house and therefore reducing the amount of energy that the gas boiler needs to input into the home.
Sunwarm Tile is an all year round, low energy positive input ventilation unit that takes advantage of the solar energy collected by the roof tiles/slates. Sunwarm Tile operates 24 hrs a day, 365 days a year. Unlike conventional positive input ventilation units which only draw in air from the loft, Sunwarm Tile is also capable of drawing air directly from outside. The unit control will automatically select air from either outside the home, the loft, or under the slates/tiles by a simple adjustment of the control setting from heating to cooling.
The Sunwarm system provides solar air heating and cooling, pre-heated water, and whole home ventilation using solar air collectors fitted to the roof. Sunwarm can save up to 50% of the energy used to heat a home and pre-heat water, even if the home is well insulated and energy efficient.
The ventilation part of Sunwarm, similar to that of a Drimaster, can help deal with cigarette smoke, dust mite deposits and carbon monoxide, as well as pollen, traffic fumes and noise. As a result many asthma sufferers have seen improvements in their symptoms following installation of this type of ventilation.
Sunwarm’s ability to radically reduce the energy needed to heat a home is particularly beneficial to communities which are susceptible to fuel poverty. Fuel poverty is defined as any household where 10% or more of income is spent on heating or energy costs.
Unlike the majority of energy calculations which are submitted to show how the 10% renewable energy will be met, the data at the Hoebridge Works development was based on real life calculations measured over a twelve month period. The actual contribution of onsite renewable energy was 11.6% therefore exceeding the commitment that Linden Homes had made to Woking Borough Council.
As the industry moves towards 2016 and zero carbon homes the contribution of energy efficient ventilation solutions such as positive input ventilation and renewable energy solutions like Sunwarm will have a growing importance to the conservation of fuel and power.
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