Hello everyone,
We are planning a new build with approximately 190 sqm (2,045 sq ft), two stories, without a basement. The attic, about 65 sqm (700 sq ft), will be converted to include a bathroom and a storage room. The house will have a brick veneer exterior and will be built according to the energy-saving regulations. It is for a household of five people (2 adults + 3 children).
A mechanical ventilation system with heat recovery and KNX home automation are planned (if the budget allows, specifically for the KNX).
Once the house is completed, I would like to add solar thermal and photovoltaic systems after a few years.
I’m having trouble deciding between gas heating or a heat pump.
The gas connection costs me €2,500.
Could you help me make this decision?
And which manufacturer would you recommend?
Thanks!!!
Regards
We are planning a new build with approximately 190 sqm (2,045 sq ft), two stories, without a basement. The attic, about 65 sqm (700 sq ft), will be converted to include a bathroom and a storage room. The house will have a brick veneer exterior and will be built according to the energy-saving regulations. It is for a household of five people (2 adults + 3 children).
A mechanical ventilation system with heat recovery and KNX home automation are planned (if the budget allows, specifically for the KNX).
Once the house is completed, I would like to add solar thermal and photovoltaic systems after a few years.
I’m having trouble deciding between gas heating or a heat pump.
The gas connection costs me €2,500.
Could you help me make this decision?
And which manufacturer would you recommend?
Thanks!!!
Regards
Alexander38 schrieb:
But of course, we don’t force people to strictly comply with KfW 55 standards.
We trust each individual. You should still have a calculation showing whether the energy saving ordinance is met or even KfW 55, and exactly what measures are being taken. But you haven’t applied for a KfW loan?
F
Frank Hartung28 May 2019 16:42The Problem with Gas Heating
Unfortunately, the days of simply installing a modern condensing gas boiler in your house are over. Today, you are required to have at least a solar system for domestic hot water preparation and heating support. This results from the Energy Saving Ordinance (Energieeinsparverordnung) on the one hand and the Renewable Energies Heat Act on the other. The latter regulation aims to help conserve fossil energy resources while simultaneously reducing dependence on imports of gas, oil, and coal. The Energy Saving Ordinance, in turn, effectively "forces" you to build an energy-efficient house.
This creates the following "problem" for you:
During the planning phase, when calculating the thermal protection verification, all heat-transferring building components must be specified with regard to their geographic orientation, area, and layered building materials. These components include the slab-on-grade foundation, walls, windows, roller shutters and doors, as well as pitched roofs or top floor ceilings.
Next follows the technical system part, namely the type of heating system including hot water preparation, distribution pipes, circulation systems, and several other details. All points relate to the newly constructed residential building. In the background of this calculation, a so-called reference building is calculated simultaneously. This is an identical house in terms of volume but uses fixed values (according to the Energy Saving Ordinance) for the building components and system technology. The resulting values for transmission (building components) and primary energy (system technology) thus represent the minimum requirements for your "new" building.
The problem arises when you enter "gas heating + solar system" because the reference building is generally calculated using an exhaust air ventilation system, which consumes less energy. You could compensate for this with additional insulation and a chimney for a future wood stove connection. The chimney works in this case because the planner can add a decentralized wood stove with up to 10% heat output credit. Together with somewhat more insulation, this might barely suffice to meet the standards of the aforementioned regulations. However, when considering all these measures economically, you reach the price range of a decent heat pump, making the installation of a gas boiler completely illogical. The fact that gas heating is no longer preferred is also evident because heat pumps receive a better assessment in these calculations from the outset.
That leaves heat pumps, electric heating, and combined heat and power units (CHP).
The CHP units are still very expensive. So, the choice comes down to heat pumps.
Personally, I would install an air-to-water heat pump listed with BAFA today. This option is both cheaper than gas heating + solar system + gas connection and currently the most economical heating system available on the market.
Unfortunately, the days of simply installing a modern condensing gas boiler in your house are over. Today, you are required to have at least a solar system for domestic hot water preparation and heating support. This results from the Energy Saving Ordinance (Energieeinsparverordnung) on the one hand and the Renewable Energies Heat Act on the other. The latter regulation aims to help conserve fossil energy resources while simultaneously reducing dependence on imports of gas, oil, and coal. The Energy Saving Ordinance, in turn, effectively "forces" you to build an energy-efficient house.
This creates the following "problem" for you:
During the planning phase, when calculating the thermal protection verification, all heat-transferring building components must be specified with regard to their geographic orientation, area, and layered building materials. These components include the slab-on-grade foundation, walls, windows, roller shutters and doors, as well as pitched roofs or top floor ceilings.
Next follows the technical system part, namely the type of heating system including hot water preparation, distribution pipes, circulation systems, and several other details. All points relate to the newly constructed residential building. In the background of this calculation, a so-called reference building is calculated simultaneously. This is an identical house in terms of volume but uses fixed values (according to the Energy Saving Ordinance) for the building components and system technology. The resulting values for transmission (building components) and primary energy (system technology) thus represent the minimum requirements for your "new" building.
The problem arises when you enter "gas heating + solar system" because the reference building is generally calculated using an exhaust air ventilation system, which consumes less energy. You could compensate for this with additional insulation and a chimney for a future wood stove connection. The chimney works in this case because the planner can add a decentralized wood stove with up to 10% heat output credit. Together with somewhat more insulation, this might barely suffice to meet the standards of the aforementioned regulations. However, when considering all these measures economically, you reach the price range of a decent heat pump, making the installation of a gas boiler completely illogical. The fact that gas heating is no longer preferred is also evident because heat pumps receive a better assessment in these calculations from the outset.
That leaves heat pumps, electric heating, and combined heat and power units (CHP).
The CHP units are still very expensive. So, the choice comes down to heat pumps.
Personally, I would install an air-to-water heat pump listed with BAFA today. This option is both cheaper than gas heating + solar system + gas connection and currently the most economical heating system available on the market.
B
boxandroof29 May 2019 09:53Frank Hartung schrieb:
If I were to build today, I would install an air-to-water heat pump listed by BAFA. This way, I would come out cheaper compared to a gas heating system with solar panels and gas connection, and currently, it is probably the most cost-effective heating system on the market. I agree, and that’s how I implemented it myself, but a heat pump is not always a practical solution.
In reality, there are reasons why a heat pump may not be suitable:
- High quoted prices for installing simple heat pumps
- Neglected planning seems more the rule than the exception: sizing, hydraulics, heating surfaces
- The homeowner just wants "warmth" and doesn’t want to deal with the heating system
These are all factors that can drastically reduce the cost-effectiveness of a heat pump. Gas is often the more economically risk-free option.
Additionally, inexpensive heat pumps benefit from legal incentives, making it easy to make a house look good on paper despite relatively simple insulation and low installation costs for the provider.
A noteworthy alternative to the air-to-water heat pump is the horizontal ground heat exchanger (ring trench collector). After subsidies and when installed as a DIY project, the costs are similar to those of an air-to-water heat pump, and it is a somewhat more elegant technology.
boxandroof schrieb:
I agree, and that’s how I implemented it myself, but a heat pump is not always a practical option.
In reality, there are reasons against using a heat pump:
- High installation costs for basic heat pumps
- Poor planning seems to be more common than the exception: sizing, hydraulics, heating surfaces
- The homeowner just wants "warmth" and doesn’t want to deal with the heating system
All of these factors can severely affect the cost-effectiveness of a heat pump. Gas heating is often a more economically low-risk choice.
Cheap heat pumps are ideal, due to legal incentives, to make a house look good on paper despite relatively basic insulation and low provider costs.
The noteworthy alternative to air-to-water heat pumps is the horizontal trench collector. After subsidies and if installed as a DIY project, the costs are comparable to those of an air-to-water heat pump, and it is a somewhat nicer technology. At first, I wanted to go with the horizontal trench collector; it’s really only worthwhile in lower electricity price regions, but it’s a great solution.
I requested a quote for drilling: 10,000 Euros, with two drillings of 70 meters (230 feet) each.
I informed the shell contractor, and he will handle the preparations.
Air-source heat pumps have reportedly improved a lot in recent years, but I don’t like the outdoor unit. In winter, they supposedly do not really compete with geothermal heat pumps. Another advantage is that passive cooling can be used with geothermal heat pumps, while with air-source heat pumps the compressor activates; it’s better without that.
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