Author Description

<p>By law the UK is committed to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. To achieve this goal our power grid has already begun to decarbonise and, to make the most of this, much of our building stock is destined to become 'all-electric' – as well as being cooled, lit and powered by electricity many of our buildings will also be heated with electricity.Heat pumps are the most efficient way to generate heat from electricity. Consequently, they have a crucial role to play in the transition to net zero, particularly in the residential sector where traditionally their market penetration has been low. AM16 aims to help our engineering community understand how heat pump technology can be best applied to multi-unit residential buildings, including apartment blocks, student accommodation and care homes.The manual begins with a reminder that a good residential building design is like any other – it starts by reducing demand. In residential buildings this is as much about reducing hot water use as it is passive building design. The guide deals with the choice of temperatures, decisions about centralisation, the use of ambient loops and the architectural implications of using heat pumps.The manual deals predominantly with the design and optimisation of heat pump systems. It also covers the full life cycle, including installation, commissioning, operation, maintenance and decommissioning. Cost is always a key project driver – perhaps more so in residential construction than many others – and guidance on relative capital, energy and maintenance costs is included to help designers keep a weather eye on their client's investment and the homeowners' bills.A series of case studies are included detailing where heat pumps have been applied to new and existing multi-unit residential projects. In time, as heat pumps grow in popularity, so will the industry's portfolio of success stories.Heat pumps will be a big part of our future as building services engineers and AM16 p