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Science/nature/environment

New renewable project at NT house

(9 Posts)
JessM Thu 22-May-14 07:49:01

This is a great project. It is just up the road from here. Been wondering what the engineering work over the winter was about. Sucking heat out of the sea to heat the historic house.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-27505207

Oldgreymare Thu 22-May-14 08:22:37

A 'good news' story, and from Sir Fon too! smile

janerowena Thu 22-May-14 09:59:00

That sounds great. I looked at heat pumps for our house, but we would have had to dig up our entire front garden, find somewhere at the side of the house to store something the size of a small car, and even then we would have only had a background heat. They work better on larger properties where there is room to store a huge pump, and where the house is already built to a very high standard - which ours is not. But I presume the NT are only looking for just enough heat to keep things from going mouldy, not to heat it to 23C in the winter.

FlicketyB Thu 22-May-14 15:26:34

Brilliant idea! works 24/365 not only when the wind is blowing, or it is daylight.

Mishap Thu 22-May-14 18:08:14

Our neighbours have this, and as they live on a hill, they had to bore down rather than out across the garden, so it may not be necessary to dig up the whole garden. It does only give background heat as I understand it.

janerowena Thu 22-May-14 18:11:48

Definitely across the whole garden for us. Also far more expensive than we had thought, so maybe we will do it if a very rich relative dies, but I think I'd rather keep him a bit longer!

JessM Thu 22-May-14 18:37:59

I think a steady 55 deg in old money is the temperature they will achieve in the NT. Not bad. Might work nicely for seaside hotels? Brighton Pavilion etc?

grannyactivist Thu 22-May-14 19:09:46

A friend in Norway put in an underground heat exchanger and his house is warm in the (very) cold winters and cool in the summer. He designed and built the house himself and it's hugely energy efficient.

janerowena Thu 22-May-14 23:43:36

If the house is an energy efficient new build they work really well. Our own house would be very hard to bring up to that standard. there are quite a few around here that they are trialling, one lot was so good that their total electricity bill for the year was £30.