Energy Technologies: Space Heating
Heating spaces takes a lot of energy and has large energy saving potential. With Emsol, you should be able to achieve savings of between 10% to 50% in most space heating applications.Overview
Space heating is a large energy user and has large energy saving potential. With heat pump technology becoming cost effective, this has also opened up new energy saving options. Space heating energy is 30%-50% of total energy use in many commercial buildings and offices. At industrial sites, space heating energy is typically 5%-10% of total energy use.
The aim with space heating is to reduce unnecessary heat losses, improve fuel conversion efficiency and increase heat recovery. All space heating efficiency improvements should result in one or more of these, which will save energy while maintaining required temperatures.
A common and large energy saving opportunity is to ensure heating and cooling does not occur at the same time. This happens when doors are left open or other draughts occur while heating is on. Control set points in central heating and cooling systems are the cause of most large inefficiencies. A systematic re-commissioning of heating, ventilation and cooling system often results in energy savings of more than 20%.
A rule of thumb is to supply fresh air from outside at 10 litres per second per person. Ensure there is no more than this amount when heating is on and it will minimise heating energy.
Heating technologies have wide ranging efficiencies. Some old coal boilers operate at 50% efficiency, while modern heat pumps can operate up to 500% efficiency (i.e. supply five times as much heat energy as the amount of electricity used). It is important to evaluate a range of options, including the cost of each fuel type.
A number of different heating technologies and facilities have potential for heat recovery, which reduces the amount of energy needed. For example, heat can be recovered from boiler flues or from compressed air or refrigeration systems. A payback period for heat recovery technology is in the order of five years. The payback period can be much quicker than this depending on operating hours, the source of heat recovery and cost of fuel.
Tips:
Some of the more effective tips for saving energy with space heating include:
- Keep doors and windows closed when heating.
- Stop all unnecessary draughts.
- Re-commission central heating systems.
- Ensure that cooling and heating do not occur at the same time.
- Investigate options of heat recovery.
- Tune boilers every 6 or 12 months, depending on the amount of improvement each time.
- Use radiant heaters projected toward occupants in large open spaces.
- Increase insulation levels.