ECO HOUSE HEAT PUMP

Eco House Heat Pump



ABSTRACT

A reversible ground source heat pump has been installed and tested at the Eco House, University of Nottingham. Results obtained during experimental testing are presented and discussed here. Various loop designs were considered including a tank coil system that aids the heat transfer process via rainwater drainage. The results show that the design coefficient of performance (COP) of a heat pump unit can be achieved through proper installation and careful consideration of the operation of the system as a whole.

Eco House Heat Pump

Introduction

Overview of current status and technological developments in the UK

The energy crisis of the 1970s served as a wake-up call for many appliance manufacturers, resulting in appliances that consumed less energy than ever before. Over the following decades, it became clear to large segments of the scientific community and to the public that there was a significant connection between irresponsible human energy use and global warming. In response to these demands for decreased energy use, appliances have become increasingly more energy efficient, particularly since the 1990s. While energy-efficient appliances may be more costly than others types of appliances, large savings in utility bills make them more cost-effective in the long run. International energy experts are constantly considering numerous ways in which both industrialized and developing nations can reduce their carbon footprints.

Swiss economist Eberhard K. Jochem, for instance, suggests that one of the most effective ways to save energy in member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and in the large cities evolving in emerging countries is through making homes, businesses, and public buildings more energy efficient. That effort includes seeking out the most energy-efficient appliances that are appropriate for individual purposes and budgets. The LEED rating system for both domestic and professional buildings promotes the use of such appliances by stipulating the use of energy-efficient lighting and heating and cooling systems as standards for LEED certification.

There are a number of simple and inexpensive measures that most consumers at any economic level can take to increase energy savings even further. These steps include switching from traditional light bulbs to compact fluorescent light bulbs that can last for several years at great energy savings, turning off lights when not in use, changing heating and cooling filters regularly, adding additional insulation, and installing energy-saving window treatments. Replacing old showerheads that can consume some 42 gallons a minute with low-flow heads can save both water and energy. In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency aids consumers by issuing Energy Star labels for most appliances and WaterSense labels to identify products that it deems water efficient. Consumers who are interested in determining whether or not older appliances are energy efficient can purchase the Kill a Watt, a handheld device that will provide assessments of energy use.

However, there has been considerable criticism of the program because standards are considered so lax that most appliance manufacturers have been able to obtain the Energy Star seal of ...