A Huf Haus, GSHP, Suffolk

The customer contacted R A Brown as he had been recommended by NIBE UK as we are a NIBE VIP Installer.

The customer had previously built a German Huf Haus which also had a swimming pool. During the building of the property, he had installed a NIBE 1130 Ground Source Heat Pump.

With the launch of the Renewable Heat Incentive and the current financial benefits of the scheme, Mr D felt he would like to take advantage of this and therefore wanted to upgrade his existing heat pump to be eligible to apply for the RHI. The payments of the RHI, outweighed the cost of upgrading his heat pump. The customer also wished to benefit from some additional control features which were available on the new heat pump. E.g. Hot water & heating scheduling, temporary increased hot water temperature, an easy control panel and internet access.

R A Brown completed heat calculations on the property and a NIBE F1145 15KW was recommended and installed.

The existing ground collector pipes, buffer and hot water cylinder were all still suitable and compatible with the new generation 1145 heat pump. Alterations were made to the swimming pool controls which is also heated by the heat pump.

When the Huf Haus was originally built the heat pump had been craned into position, into the basement of the property. The building structure was then put together over the basement and heat pump.

It was a big challenge to remove the existing heat pump from its position. The weight of the heat pump is around 200 kilograms and the passage it needed to take to be removed was not as straight forward as when it was originally fitted. Lifting the heat pump through a confined space in the stair well, whilst being careful not to damage the customer’s property was an additional concern. Once the heat pump was clear of the stairs, the engineers used a Goodsman 300 electric powered sack truck to help them lift the heat pump out of the property.

The benefits to the client of the new NIBE F1145 15KW are greater efficiency due to the additional features available. NIBE uplink is one of these features, which provides complete control and freedom for clients anytime, no matter where they are. With the NIBE uplink it means you can monitor and control the heating and hot water system via the internet. You can see a quick overview and present status of the heat pump and the heating in your property. If your system is affected by an operational disturbance, you receive an alert via email which allows you to react quickly.

The customer said “it is especially useful when we are away on holiday as we are able to set our heating and hot water to our normal settings for our return, even when the date of our return changes” These adjustments are made remotely through the NIBE uplink. “When you combine this with our ability to remotely control all the heating variables by controlling the room thermostats, lighting and external shutters (for solar gain) this means the house can be kept warm with minimal purchased energy usage”

A heat pump installation makes a home more energy efficient with lower fuel costs. The property owner has said he would recommend this installation to others because it has enabled him to save money.

What is a Huf Haus?

A Huf Haus is a bespoke timber and glass house, with windows on all sides, maximising the outside environment. The post and beam design means there are no load-bearing walls, so the interior is truly open plan. The houses are modern, light and airy, and the layout of each is designed to the owner’s specifications. The components are made in Huf’s Germany factory, brought over to the UK and assembled in just a few days by Huf’s impressive workforce.

A Huf Haus is considered to be a design classic. They are built to a very high standard and are extremely energy efficient, incorporating sustainably sourced materials, high-end insulation techniques, toxin-free paints, and utilising solar energy and rainwater recycling.

Information provided by the Huf Haus Owners Group