Energy efficient heating proves ideal for Suffolk new build

A modern three-bedroom home near Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, is receiving the benefits of energy efficient renewable heating thanks to an air source heat pump installed by Finn Geotherm.

The new build detached property was sold to David Bradbury with a conventional gas boiler fitted as standard. A District Councillor and member of the Green Party, David is passionate about doing his bit to reduce household carbon emissions. He was keen to replace the gas boiler with a heat pump which, when financed through a fixed interest loan, would also enable him to regulate his monthly outgoings.

David explains:

“I’m concerned about climate change, but I also needed financial stability. After researching the most efficient way to heat my home, I decided early on it would be better for the environment to invest in an air source heat pump. The system would be more cost effective than gas. I decided to use finance to pay for it to enable me to have a fixed monthly price for heating which would make budgeting easier. I wanted the system to be powered as much as possible by solar PV and batteries too.”

Having surveyed the requirements of the property, Finn Geotherm specified and installed a Panasonic Aquarea 5kW air source heat pump alongside a Joule combined 150 litre cylinder with 75 litre buffer. At the same time, two radiators were also upgraded, plus a water softener, solar PV panels and a battery storage system fitted by another contractor.

The heat pump is now providing all heating and hot water for the home, running on electricity mainly generated by the solar PV array. David can easily control the temperature of the heating and hot water through a handy smartphone app. With the additional benefits of using solar PV, the system is expected to payback in just five years. His now redundant gas main has been disconnected, also saving him the standing charge of around £100 per year.

Commenting on his new heat pump, David said:

“I’m very happy with my air source system. The house is warm 24/7, even in winter. Visitors were astounded how warm it was, and yet the radiators weren’t scalding hot (because the system provides low level, steady state heat). It is amazingly quiet, but more importantly, it is cheap to run. Without my solar panels, it would cost me about £800 per year, but with my panels, I actually I get a refund from the electric provider in the summer, which is more that the cost of powering the heat pump in the winter.”

“Finn Geotherm were expert installers – getting the job completed quickly, neatly and to the timescales promised. This job shows that heat pumps aren’t for old properties only – new builds can be superbly heated by them too.”

David’s heat pump has been installed neatly in his back garden and he’s planted a beautiful wildflower garden around it with bug hotels nearby.