GROUND SOURCE HEATING
Why we are installing Ground Source Heating
- Bassetlaw is committed to providing renewable energy to 20% of our housing stock by 2020.
- To reduce fuel poverty.
- To reduce Bassetlaw's carbon footprint.
- To improve the living conditions of tenants where there is no mains gas supply
How Ground Source Heating Works
A hole is drilled in the ground to a depth of 60 - 100 metres, depending on whether the property is a house or a bungalow. The hole is about 150 mm. across, (which is about 6 inches). A u-shaped pipe is installed into the bore-hole.
Instead of a boiler, a compressor unit is installed, which pumps water through the pipe and back into the unit. While the water is in the underground pipes it is heated by energy from the sun which has been naturally stored in the ground. The water gets as warm as 10-15°C. When the water returns to the unit, heat is removed from it.
The cooled water then goes round the pipes again to be heated up. The water in the Ground Source system is completely separate from the water circulating in the radiators in the property.
The system works rather like a domestic fridge in reverse; a fridge removes heat from the food storage area and wastes the heat it removes by sending it into the air, but the the Ground Source unit removes heat from the water then sends the heat into the domestic heating system.
New radiators are fitted which are bigger than standard radiators and run at a slightly lower temperature. There is no need for a flue, or for an immersion heater inside the hot water cylinder.
Ground Source systems can provide domestic hot water up to 60°C and enough heat to run radiators.
Advantages of Ground Source
- It is much cheaper to run than electric, coal, or oil-fired heating systems.
- It massively reduces carbon dioxide emissions compared with any conventional heating system.
- The unit lasts for about 20 years whereas a normal boiler lasts 10-15 years. The pipes in the ground last for about 50 years.
- The unit can be installed outside in an outhouse, so it takes less space indoors than a system with a boiler.
- There is no need to store coal, oil, or gas cylinders.
- No need for a flue.
- The system is low-maintenance.
The First Installations
Six properties have had Ground Source Heating Systems since May 2007 and residents are delighted with them. Roy's house has one of the first installations. He says:
I have used various types of heating including coke, storage heaters and normal central heating. There is nothing better than Ground Source.
The Ground Source Unit is in the box behind him. It contains a compressor unit which is about the same size as a domestic fridge, and some pipes. Where properties have an outhouse, the unit can be installed in there.
Installations 2009/10
These installations are in properties that have no mains gas supply, as they will benefit most. They are listed below:
Worksop
Bracebridge and Bracebridge Avenue
Rampton
Greenside Avenue and Birch Close
Sturton le Steeple
Leverton Road, Watkins Lane, North Street, and Cross Street
Consultation with tenants
Full consultation has taken place with all tenants affected. Home visits, consultation events and site visits to Cuckney (where ground source heating has been installed) and to our Training and Development Centre have taken place in June 2009.
Rayton Spur Community Centre was the venue for the ground source heating consultation event for the Bracebridge tenants. Representatives from A1 Housing, E-On, Calorex, and Earth Energy provided detailed information and also gave a presentation on the installation process and the benefits of having ground source heating installed. Tenants living at Sturton le Steeple and Rampton were given the same presentation at the Rampton Village Hall.
