Sustainable Heating: Panasonic Heat Pump Cuts Energy Costs for Rural 19th Century Bedfordshire home

An environmentally conscious retired couple in Bedfordshire sought to replace their expensive running and inefficient old traditional heating system in their four-bedroom, 1890’s-built rural property with a more sustainable heating system. After consulting with Clima Renewables, who had been maintaining the old system, the couple opted to install a Panasonic Aquarea J Series T-Cap Monobloc Air to Water heat pump unit. The installation was completed with the Panasonic Aquarea Smart Cloud control system which allows the couple and the installer to remotely control the heating system.

Homeowners, Hilary and Peter Foot commented, “We have lived in the property for the last 34 years but found the old heating system to be very expensive to run. The Panasonic heat pump system was installed in August 2023, and we’ve noticed a significant reduction in our energy bills. At the same time our home maintains a consistent, comfortable warmth throughout. We also find the Aquarea Smart Cloud app easy to use to control the temperature, and it’s useful to track historical data.”

David Codona and Marc Umney, Directors of Clima Renewables, have been installing air to water heat pumps for a number of years, often sourcing units through distributors Ultimate Renewables. When discussing the Bedfordshire project, Simon at Ultimate Renewables recommended the Panasonic units to be the best solution for this older property due to their proven and reliable energy efficient performance. David added, “We attended the Panasonic A2W training, and when installing the units, we found them to be more straightforward and quicker to install, with noticeably better quality overall. Since then, we have become Panasonic Pro Partners and installed many more Panasonic units and will continue to do so”.

The old heating system failed to provide adequate warmth, often forcing homeowners, Hilary and Peter, to resort to using their open fire on colder days. Wanting to futureproof their home with a more sustainable energy source, they explored heat pump technology. Having already installed 11 solar PV panels and an energy storage battery to help power their electric vehicles and other household utilities, the couple were open to transitioning their heating system as well.

Their home now features underfloor heating to the ground floor and radiators upstairs rooms.  Due to the age of the property, installation presented challenges - some rooms retained original wooden floorboards, while the extended part of the house had concrete flooring, requiring additional effort. However, the homeowners found the results well worth it. Hilary and Peter added, “We are extremely pleased with our decision and love the consistent, steady warmth throughout our home.”

Clima Renewables recently conducted a 12-month service of the heating system, which showed a good average SCOP of 4.47 for 2024. David noted that they have made a few more minor adjustments and expect to see even better results next year.

The Panasonic J Series heat pump boasts an A+++ Energy Class, and maximum output temperatures of 60°C. Bespoke software for maximum efficiency delivers low output temperatures. The Panasonic smart cloud control app and service app, with an easy-to-use remote controller for end user accessibility, enables a low carbon and holistic solution to heating. The unit in this project is a T-Cap and available in 9 kW, 12 and 16kW models, with an internal domestic hot water tank and external unit for ease of installation. The Aquarea T-Cap Monobloc unit is ideal for retrofit and new build projects where the output capacity is demanding. The unit is easy to install and is excellent for replacing gas, oil or electric boilers and for connecting to new underfloor heating, radiators or fan coil units. The Aquarea T-CAP has very little drop off down to -20 °C outdoor temperature, without the help of an electrical booster heater, offering a highly efficient heating capacity even at low ambient temperatures.

To find out more, please visit https://www.aircon.panasonic.eu/GB_en/.