Professional Documents
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1. Introduction 3
Appendix E - Acknowledgements 18
Introduction
The UK government is calling for registered builders specifying or necessary for systems to work well and
carbon dioxide emissions to be cut in installing renewable energy technology. deliver environmental benefit, without
order to address climate change and It covers the most commonly used giving rise to unexpected problems.
has identified housing as a sector that ‘microgeneration’ technologies:
can make a significant contribution. Renewable energy is an emerging field
The consultation document ’Building A Solar thermal (solar water in the UK and there are currently few
Greener Future: Towards Zero Carbon heating systems) systems that have been independently
Development’1 suggests challenging assessed and certificated. BRE is
Solar electric (photovoltaic) working with the Department of Trade
energy efficiency targets for new build
homes, which will require the use of Heat pumps (ground source and and Industry to develop the
renewable energy technologies. air source) ’Microgeneration Certification Scheme‘.
Further information is available at
Already, planning authorities are Wind turbines (small scale, Appendix C, and up-to-date information
implementing the ’Merton Rule‘, building mounted) can be obtained from the Scheme’s
requiring some of the energy demand website: www.ukmicrogeneration.org.
in new developments to be met by Biomass (domestic biomass)
renewable energy and the heating systems.
implementation of the Code for It brings together useful information
Sustainable Homes2 will give This guidance does not form part of the
from a variety of sources, and presents
further encouragement. NHBC Standards.
it in a single, concise publication that
will help readers identify those aspects 1&2
This guide, prepared with assistance Communities and Local Government,
from BRE, provides guidance to NHBC of specification and installation December 2006
N
Building mounted Solar electric
wind turbine (PV panels) W E
S
Solar thermal
Biomass
heating system
Insulation
2.1 Flat plate and evacuated
tube solar collectors Box
Glazing
Cold water in
Various systems are available, but
generally a solar thermal collector,
installed at roof level, absorbs the sun’s Evacuated Tube Collector
energy and transfers it into a liquid
(normally a water/antifreeze solution).
Heat exchanger which sits in the manifold
This liquid is circulated through a heat
exchange coil in the hot water cylinder
where its heat is transferred to the Connecting screw
Solar thermal systems can be used to the collectors – it may be necessary to Ensure that the system is
provide pre-heated water to solar seek the advice of a structural engineer commissioned properly and test for
compatible combination boilers. Water or the designer of the roof-structure. correct operation.
preheated by the system is stored in a
Additional space will need to be Provide operating instructions and
small cylinder and feeds the boiler to
available inside the building to maintenance recommendations for
reduce the energy needed from gas or
accommodate the larger cylinders or the homeowner.
oil. The boiler manufacturer should be
thermal stores necessary and the floor
asked to confirm suitability.
construction will need to be capable of
Solar thermal systems reduce the withstanding their load. Health and safety
consumption of fossil fuel for domestic
The system control panel and display Care should be taken to address all
water heating, and systems can
should preferably be located in a issues, including:
typically provide between 55 and 70%
prominent position, such as in the
of the hot water requirement. A solar the potential for excessive
kitchen or alongside the central
collector area of 3-4m2 is normally
heating programmer. An electrical temperature and pressure in heat
required for a three-bedroom house.
fused spur outlet will normally be transfer fluids and stored water
required. Pumps and controls should
the risk of Legionnaires’ disease -
Design considerations be located so that they are accessible
this is a potentially fatal form of
for maintenance.
The solar energy resource varies pneumonia that can thrive in
across the UK (see ‘Annual total solar Planning permission may be required purpose built water systems unless
irradiation’ map at Appendix A). The for solar collectors. they are properly managed. Further
further north, the less solar energy
guidance can be found at
there is and the greater is the collector
area required to capture it. Installation tips www.hse.gov.uk/legionnaires/index.
htm and in the HSE’s Approved
Collectors should be sited on Ensure solar collectors are securely
Code of Practice & Guidance
unobstructed roofs, ideally facing fixed to withstand wind loads, etc.
document, L8
south, southeast or southwest. It is not Weatherproof all penetrations
advisable to install them on north- through the roof covering with working at height
facing roofs. Shadows from adjacent suitable flashings, purpose-made electrical safety.
buildings, trees and chimneys, etc. will tiles, etc. Sealant is not suitable for
reduce the amount of energy collected. this purpose and will not be
Collectors should be located so that
they can be safely accessed for
sufficiently durable. Additional information
cleaning and maintenance, although at Install pipes to falls and provide See Appendix C for information on the
a pitch of more than 15° they are insulation to them as required by Department of Trade and Industry’s
normally self-cleaning. the design. ’Microgeneration Certification Scheme’.
The roof structure will need to be Fix permanent labels and flow See Appendix D for relevant standards
designed to accommodate the load of arrows to pipework, valves, etc. and additional information.
The technology
Solar electric systems harness energy
from the sun to generate electricity.
Solar electric panels or modules, which
incorporate photovoltaic cells made
from semiconductor material, are
installed at roof level. When sunlight
reaches the semiconductor material,
direct current is generated. In most
systems, this is then converted into
alternating current by means of an
inverter, which is fed into the dwelling’s
mains electrical system.
There are two main types of
photovoltaic cell:
Monocrystalline cells offer the
highest conversion of sunlight to
electricity but are expensive
to produce.
Thin film cells are considerably
cheaper, but less efficient and so 3.1 Roof-mounted solar electric panels
larger panel areas are needed to
generate significant power.
The traditional ‘building block’ of solar
electric power generation is the
photovoltaic panel or module. This
comprises a weatherproof double
glazed metal frame, enclosing a
toughened glass front plate and a
metal or plastic back plate with solar
cells sandwiched in between. Typically,
solar electric panels are mounted onto
a metal support frame fixed to the roof
(or walls) of a building.
Alternatives to photovoltaic panels are
photovoltaic slates and tiles, which
make up the complete photovoltaic
‘array’. These are interchangeable with
ordinary roofing components and can
be used to produce a solar electric
installation, which is fully building- 3.2 A grid-connected system
integrated. Photovoltaic cells can also
be incorporated into glazing and
cladding, skylights, conservatory
panels and external shading louvres. across the UK (see ‘Annual total solar standard formula. Typically 10m2 of
Dedicated wiring is used to collect the irradiation’ map at Appendix A). The monocrystalline cells are needed per
power generated by the solar electric further north, the less solar energy kWp. The energy yield rule of thumb
panel or array. In mains-connected there is and the greater is the area of for the UK is 750 kilowatt hours of
installations, the electricity generated solar electric panel required to electricity generated per kWp
is fed to an inverter, which is connected capture it. per annum.
to the electrical consumer unit.
The rating of a solar electric Solar electric should be considered
installation is given by its peak power from the outset in order to maximise
Design considerations output measured in kilowatts (kWp), the benefits. Ideally, systems should be
The solar energy resource varies which is defined according to a designed integrally with the building
The technology
Heat pumps upgrade low temperature
heat extracted from the ground or air
into higher temperature heat that can
be used for space and water heating.
Heat pumps work on the same
principle as a refrigerator’s cooling
circuit - they absorb heat at a low
temperature (from the surrounding
ground or air) and ‘upgrade’ it to a
higher temperature. Most heat pumps
are electrically driven and work by
absorbing ambient heat from the air or
ground surrounding the building and
depositing it inside at a high enough
temperature to provide space heating
and/or hot water. In a typical system,
for every unit of energy used to drive
the system, between 3 and 4 units of 4.1 Ground source heat pump unit 4.2 Horizontal trench
heat are produced.
Because heat pumps require energy to
drive them, the energy produced is not
strictly renewable. However, the pump
can be run from a “green” source
(electricity generated from renewable
resources or purchased from a supplier
on a “green” tariff) to minimise
carbon emissions.
Heat pump performance is measured in
terms of Coefficient of Performance
(COP), which is the ratio [heat
delivered ÷ compressor power input].
Air source heat pumps Test all pipework after installation purpose built water systems unless
and backfilling to ensure that it they are properly managed. Further
The location for the installation of an is sound. guidance can be found at
ASHP needs to be considered carefully
Fix permanent labels and flow www.hse.gov.uk/legionnaires/index.
as they can generate significant noise
in operation. arrows to pipework, valves, etc. htm and in the HSE’s Approved
Code of Practice & Guidance
Consideration should be given to their Ensure that the system is document, L8
aesthetic appearance of external commissioned properly and test for
ASHPs and planning permission may correct operation. electrical safety
be required.
Provide operating instructions and for GSHPs, damage to services
maintenance recommendations for below ground, membranes, capping
Installation tips the homeowner. layers, etc. (where present).
Consider drilling vertical bore holes
and installing the pipework loop at
Health and safety Additional information
an early stage in the construction of
the homes – heavy plant is needed Care should be taken to address all See Appendix C for information on the
and it can be a messy operation. issues, including: Department of Trade and Industry’s
’Microgeneration Certification Scheme’.
Install the pipework loop carefully the risk of Legionnaires’ disease -
and protect it from damage during this is a potentially fatal form of See Appendix D for relevant standards
backfilling and after installation. pneumonia that can thrive in and additional information.
The technology
Wind turbines harness energy from
wind and convert it into electricity.
Wind passing over the blades causes
them to rotate and the blade rotor axle
passes through an electricity
generator. The electrical output is
passed through a control system and
then an inverter which is connected to
the dwelling’s mains electrical system.
The inverter ensures that the
alternating current electricity produced
by the turbine is synchronous and in
phase with the mains electrical supply.
Generally, wind turbines yield
maximum power during winter when a
household’s demand is typically highest
but obviously, the yield on a particular 5.1 Small scale, building mounted wind turbines
day is variable.
The technology
Biomass is the oldest form of
renewable energy and is derived from
biomass fuels such as trees and crops.
It can be processed by burning,
fermentation or extraction to provide
the energy for domestic heating.
Modern wood-fuelled systems offer a
clean, highly efficient alternative to
fossil fuel systems.
The two main types of biomass heating
device are:
‘automatic’ stoves - normally used
for producing radiant heat in
houses, and
boilers – normally used for larger
installations, including heating
blocks of flats. 6.1 A biomass boiler 6.2 A biomass stove
Depending on the make and model,
biomass stoves and boilers may be
used to provide space heating only or
space heating and domestic hot water.
The three main types of biomass FUEL STORE BUILDING
fuel are:
logs (cut to size with a maximum
acceptable moisture content).
To Chimney
wood chips or wood waste (again
cut to size with a maximum
Sacks of pellets
acceptable moisture content). stacked on a
Auger Drive Wood
pallet Wood
wood pellets (manufactured from (as delivered) Pellets Pellet
Boiler
wood waste to a tight specification
covering dimensions, moisture Rotary
Valve
content and calorific value).
LPHW
Stoker
Design considerations
Some biomass devices do not have the
facility to shut down and then
automatically restart according to heat
demand. These systems have a certain 6.3 A biomass boiler system
minimum fuel burning rate – and
therefore a minimum heat output when
they are ‘slumbering’ (i.e. alight, but
the control system is not calling for
heat) and are suited to buildings with a environmentally friendly to run a single be provided for fuel deliveries and
high thermal mass. central boiler at low output than it is to chimneys will be required.
have numerous small boilers each
A great advantage to biomass As biomass heating devices require
alternating between slumbering and
technology is that the capital more in the way of infrastructure than
low firing.
expenditure per dwelling can be their oil or gas equivalents, designers
reduced by installing a central biomass The provision of biomass heating should always question their suitability
boiler installation which serves a systems may need to be discussed with before installation. Some devices can
number of properties via a heat the planning authority because be noisy or require regular refilling.
distribution network. It is also much additional buildings may be needed for Moreover, not all homeowners have the
more energy efficient and fuel storage. Also access will need to ability nor the inclination to receive
900
1000
1100
1200
Source: BRE (based on figures from the Clear Skies and Low Carbon Buildings Programmes)
This new scheme, currently under that the Government’s grant money is of Environmental Standards (ES).
development by BRE, will underpin the spent in an effective manner. These are free and publicly available at
DTI’s grant scheme, the Low Carbon www.ukmicrogeneration.org and
The aim is to help build a rapidly
Buildings Programme. Grants will only growing microgeneration industry www.greenbooklive.com. For example,
be available to applicants using both based on quality and reliability, which ES3003 covers small scale wind
products and installers certificated will make a substantial contribution to turbines and other renewable
under the UK Microgeneration cutting the UK’s dependency on fossil technologies are also covered in
Certification Scheme. fuels and its carbon dioxide emissions.
the series.
The new scheme will evaluate products Further information can be found at
and installers against robust criteria www.ukmicrogeneration.org and These standards will be regularly
www.greenbooklive.com. updated and include all relevant BS &
for each of the microgeneration
technologies, providing greater The UK Microgeneration Certification EN standards within them and will be a
protection for consumers and ensuring Scheme will operate according to a set vital resource for builders.
Appendix E - Acknowledgements
Image Credit
2.1 BRE and Energy Saving Trust
3.1 BRE
4.1 EarthEnergy Limited
4.2 EarthEnergy Limited
4.3 EarthEnergy Limited
4.4 Dimplex
5.1 Swift
6.1 Dulas Ltd.
6.2 Centre for Alternative Technology