Abstract
UK buildings and energy infrastructures are heavily dependent on natural gas, and a large proportion is used for domestic space heating; but 50% is imported. Improving energy security and reducing carbon emissions are major government drivers for reducing gas dependency. So, there needs to be a wholesale shift in the energy provision to householders without impacting on thermal comfort levels, convenience or cost of supply. Electrical powered heat pumps are seen as a potential alternative system for heating new dwellings, but will they work in dwellings built prior to 1919? This paper investigates the energy demand of pre-1919 dwellings in Wales, UK as part of a feasibility study to extract water from disused coal mines to supply a district heat network. A holistic surveying protocol providing a more accurate/realistic assessment of total household heat demand is considered. The protocol’s techniques include condition surveys, air permeability and thermography tests, and heat loss calculations are discussed. The results were used to predict future (beyond 2019) heat demand after potential retrofit improvements, thereby informing the size of heat pumps required. The findings show estimated heat demand to be in close correlation to household energy bills, and that the use of heat pumps in pre-1919 dwellings is viable, provided sufficient improvement to thermal performance is possible.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
WG: Wales Part L: Conservation of fuel and power (2019). https://www.labc.co.uk/professionals/building-regulations-guidance-documents/approved-documents-and-technical-guidance-wales/wales-approved-document-l-conservation-fuel-and-power. Accessed 22 May 2019
Atkinson, J., Littlewood, J., Geens, A., Karani, G.: Relieving fuel poverty in Wales with external wall insulation. Eng. Sustain. 170(2), pp. 93–101 (2017)
Welsh Government: Arbed—strategic energy performance investment programme (2013). http://gov.wales/topics/environmentcountryside/energy/efficiency/Arbed/?lang=en. Accessed 22 May 2019
Jahic, D., Littlewood, J.R., Karani, G., Atkinson, J., Bolton, D.: Evaluating occupant wellbeing in retrofitted dwellings with the short form 36 questionnaire, in Vol 131. Smart Innovation, Systems and Technologies series. SEB18 International Conference Australia, Springer, UK (2018)
Atkinson, J., Littlewood, J.R., Geens, A.J., Karani, G.: Did ARBED I save energy in Wales’ deprived dwellings. Energy Proced. 63 (2015)
Anon: Caerau set to be at heart of £6.5 m green energy revolution (2018). http://welshbusinessnews.co.uk/regions/maesteg-caerau/caerau-set-to-be-at-heart-of-6-5m-green-energy-revolution/. Accessed 1 May 2019
BBC: The Welsh county that wants to change the way its residents heat their homes (2019). https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/local-news/welsh-county-wants-change-way-15865549. Accessed 1 May 2019
Carbon Connect: Report: Future Heat Series Part 2—Policy for Heat (2018). https://www.policyconnect.org.uk/cc/research/report-future-heat-series-part-2-policy-heat. Accessed 1 May 2019
Anon: UK Energy in Brief 2018 (2018). https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attach-ent_data/file/728374/UK_Energy_in_Brief_2018.pdf. Accessed 1 May 2019
WG: Fuel Poverty (2018). https://gov.wales/topics/environmentcountryside/energy/fuelpoverty/?lang=en. Accessed 1 May 2019
Anon: Revision to Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation (WIMD) 2014 Note on key changes (2015). https://gov.wales/sites/default/files/statistics-and-research/2019-05/revision-to-welsh-index-of-multiple-deprivation-wimd-2014-note-on-key-changes.pdf. Accessed 1 May 2019
Bridgend Council: Smart System and Heat Programme (2016). https://democratic.bridgend.gov.uk/documents/s8887/160510%20Smart%20System%20and%20Heat%20Programme.pdf. Accessed 1 May 2019
Busby, J., Lewis, M., Reeves, H., Lawley, R.: Initial geological considerations before installing ground source heat pumps (2019). https://www.bgs.ac.uk/research/energy/docs/final_paper.pdf. Accessed 1 May 2019
BRE: The Government’s Standard Assessment Procedure for Energy Rating of Dwellings (2012). https://www.bre.co.uk/filelibrary/SAP/2012/SAP-2012_9-92.pdf. Accessed 1 May 2019
Roof and loft (2019). https://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/home-insulation/roof-and-loft. Accessed 1 May 2019
ATTMA: Technical Standard L1, September 2016 edition (2016). https://www.attma.org/attma-release-new-2016-version-of-attma-tsl1/. Accessed 1 May 2019
Littlewood, J.R.: Chapter Four—Assessing and monitoring the thermal performance of dwellings, Chapter Four. In: Emmitt, S. (ed.) Architectural Technology: Research & Practice. Wiley Blackwell, Oxford, UK
Pearson, C.: Thermal Imaging of Building Fabric. BSRIA, Berkshire (2011)
Thomsen, K.E., Rose, J.: Analysis of Execution Quality Related to Thermal Bridges. Danish Building Research Institute, Denmark (2009)
Atkinson, J.: Evaluating exterior wall insulation. Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis. Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff, UK (2015)
Immendoerfer, A., Houh, C., Andrews, A., Mathias, A.: Fit for the Future: The Green Homes Retrofit Manual—Technical Supplement. Housing Corporation, London (2008)
Construction Products Association: An Introduction to Low Carbon Domestic Refurbishment. Construction Products Association, London (2010)
Heritage, E.: Energy Efficiency in Historic Buildings—Insulating Solid Walls. English Heritage, London (2010)
King, C.W.: Sustainable Refurbishment of Non-Traditional Housing and Pre-1920s Solid Wall Housing. IHS BRE Press, Watford (2010)
Ward, T.: Information Paper 1/06: Assessing the Effects of Thermal Bridging at Junctions and Around Openings. BRE, Watford (2006)
Burberry, P.: Environment and Services, 8th edn. Pearson Education Limited, Essex (1997)
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Bridgend Borough Council, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, Innovate UK, and the WG for the financial support of this work.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2020 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.
About this paper
Cite this paper
Littlewood, J.R., Philip, B., Evans, N., Radford, R., Whyman, A., Jones, P. (2020). Holistic Dwelling Energy Assessment Protocol for Mine Water District Heat Network. In: Littlewood, J., Howlett, R., Capozzoli, A., Jain, L. (eds) Sustainability in Energy and Buildings. Smart Innovation, Systems and Technologies, vol 163. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-32-9868-2_65
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-32-9868-2_65
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore
Print ISBN: 978-981-32-9867-5
Online ISBN: 978-981-32-9868-2
eBook Packages: Intelligent Technologies and RoboticsIntelligent Technologies and Robotics (R0)