Showersave, part of The Keystone Group, has published a new report and executive summary exploring hot water cylinder sizing for domestic heat pump systems with showers. The report comes ahead of the expected publication of the Future Homes Standard (FHS), under which new-build homes will have to meet a ‘zero-carbon ready’ standard modelled on a notional air source heat pump (ASHP).
Titled, ‘Hot water cylinder sizing for domestic heat pump systems with showers: Accounting for Waste Water Heat Recovery and Instantaneous Electric Showers’, the report seeks to clarify shortcomings in existing guidance on hot water cylinder sizing.
With heat pumps expected to play a central role in the Future Homes Standard, Showersave is urging housebuilders to consider the benefits of Waste Water Heat Recovery Systems (WWHRS) and Instantaneous Electric Showers (IES). These technologies can improve the performance of domestic hot water systems, reduce hot water demand, and cut household electricity demand for heating.
Developed in collaboration with Chris Martin – formerly of the Energy Monitoring Company – and Triton Showers, the report explores how WWHRS and IES can reduce hot water demand, how WWHRS can lower electricity consumption by pre-heating the incoming cold water, and why improved hot water cylinder-sizing models are needed to accurately reflect the impact of these technologies.
The report calls for the following actions:
- Industry bodies, including NHBC, MCS and CIBSE, should update their guidance to reflect WWHRS and IES.
- Housebuilders should consider incorporating WWHRS and IES as standard features in energy-conscious developments.
- System designers should make use of more accurate sizing models, such as those based on BS EN 15316, or other dynamic modelling that accounts for variable demand.
Tony Gordon, Managing Director at Showersave, comments: “Our customers, including housebuilders and housing associations, face several challenges when installing heat pumps, particularly finding space for a hot water cylinder in homes that previously didn’t require one. This report demonstrates why the current guidance on hot water cylinder sizing must evolve to reflect new technologies such as WWHRS and IES.
“Working alongside Chris Martin and Triton Showers has allowed a detailed examination of how both housebuilders and homeowners can be supported to reduce energy bills, enhance hot water system performance and meet the Future Homes Standard.”
As the UK’s first WWHRS provider, Showersave has now been installed in over 200,000 homes across the UK and Europe. Recognised in SAP by BRE and certified as a Passive House Component, Showersave is proven to help housebuilders meet Building Regulations such as Part L, while delivering sustainable, low-maintenance, ‘fit-and-forget’ performance.
To download the report and executive summary, visit: https://showersave.com/future-homes/?utm_source=PR&utm_medium=PR+House+Builder&utm_campaign=Future+Homes.
For more information on Showersave’s Waste Water Heat Recovery solutions, call 028 9334 4488 or email sales@showersave.com.
