Economical Heating and Cooling Systems for Low Energy Houses

This Annex investigated different configurations of integrated multifunctional heat pump systems for space heating, DHW production, space cooling, ventilation and de-/humidification of the ventilation air for the application in low and ultra-low energy houses.

The objective was to find the best system configurations to minimise the overall energy use for the different building needs under the boundary conditions of thermal comfort and costs.

• Start date: 1 January 2006
• End date: 31 December 2010

Publications

The publications from this annex are:

• A written full report detailing all information
• An executive summary
• A 2-page flyer

These can be downloaded from this website. Go to the Annex 32 Publications in the right margin for more information. 

Objectives

The objective was to evaluate, assess and enhance integrated heat pumps systems for low energy houses with regard to overall energy use and costs under the boundary conditions of thermal comfort.

Project manager and participating countries

Switzerland was the Operating Agent acting through the Swiss Federal Office of Energy. The following other countries were participating: Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United States.

Activities 

Task 1 - Systems to be investigated

• Evaluation of the most common systems for integrated multifunctional heat pumps system
• Evaluation of heat sources used for integrated heat pump systems
• Demand structures (space heating/cooling, DHW, ventilation) for low energy houses and possibilities of passive measures (shading, natural cooling, ventilation etc.)
  
• Distributions systems (surface heating/cooling, air distribution)

Task 2 - Calculation, comparison and assessment of system solutions

• Calculation and assessment of the most common system configurations resulting from Task 1
• Comparison of system solutions among each other and with non heat pump systems with regard to overall energy use and costs
• Evaluation of adequate control for the investigated systems

Task 3 - Field testing of integrated heat pump systems

Task 3 is carried out in parallel to Task 2 to cross check results of Task 2

• Establishing of an appropriate measuring concept and instrumentation for comparison with the assessment carried out in Task 2
• Functionality check and commissioning of test plants and derivation of key values for system performance
• Summarising and comparison of results for best practice samples in the design guidelines to be developed in Task 4

Task 4 - Design guidelines for integrated heat pump systems for low energy houses including its  control

• Derivation of design guidelines of the results of Task 2 and Task 3 with regards to the requirements
• Transfer of the results to standardisation committees to be integrated in standard calculation

Information

More information can be found on the Annex 32 website (link in the right margin).