Off-grid Barn Conversion benefits from energy efficient Ground Source Heating
The four-bedroom barn conversion in Chart Sutton was originally built in 1870. Solaris Energy installed a three phase Thermia Solid Eco 22kW Ground Source Heat Pump. Providing all the heating and hot water, harvesting heat from a 1000 metre ground array laid one metre underground in the garden. The Thermia system is connected to the internet, which enables heating to be remotely controlled and monitored.
Location
Near Maidstone, Kent
Products
- Thermia Solid Eco 22kW GSHP
- 4x 250m horizontal ground loop
- 500 litre buffer vessel
- 500 litre thermal store
The challenge: heating a large Victorian home efficiently
A grand Victorian property that served as a private hospital before passing to the NHS in 1948, Sovereign House sits atop West Hill Road in the town of St Leonards on Sea, open to the cooling sea breeze of the West Sussex coast. Owner Anna Sabin purchased the property in 2019, transforming what used to be Eversfield Chest Hospital into a five-bedroom residential dwelling that looks out unimpeded across the English Channel.
The elegant property - which covers 3,500 square feet over four floors - offers magnificent 13-foot high ceilings, meaning heating the individual rooms would be a costly - and inefficient - exercise for residential purposes.
“We bought a big Victorian era house two years ago with a gas boiler, single glazing and rattling windows,” said Anna. When it came to heating, “it was either freeze or wreck the planet, so the first step was to install double glazing and loft insulation.”
The solution: two Vaillant aroTHERM plus heat pumps
The installation of two Valiant aroTHERM plus 10kw air source heat pumps, alongside a 200-litre buffer vessel and 300-litre joule cyclone cylinder, ensures that Sovereign House is efficiently heated throughout.
As one of the leading next-generation air-to-water heating pumps available, the Valiant aroTHERM embraces innovative monobloc technology to provide a low Global Warming Potential (GWP). It also has low energy consumption performance, with the Seasonal Coefficient of Performance (SCOP) figure an impressive 4.88. Designed to be installed in properties located within 150 metres of the sea, this intelligent solution provides quiet operation and is ideal for underfloor heating and radiators.
“We would definitely recommend Solaris Energy - they were one of the few who’d do more than just talk about taking our money and installation. And the benefits of their work include constant comfort from the floor-up warmth from the magic boxes in the garden!”
Planning a similar project?
Seen what's possible with a low-carbon heating solution? If you're considering a similar upgrade, tell us a little about your property and what you'd like to achieve. A member of the Solaris Energy team will be in touch to talk through your options.
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