Hello dear community,
we have finally found a plot of land and are now in the planning phase for our house. We are still at the very beginning, so nothing has been signed yet. We are thinking of a size of about 160 sqm (1722 sq ft), probably a prefabricated house built to KfW 40+ or KfW 55 standard with a solar power system.
The plot is located in a new housing development (eco-settlement), a pilot project by the city of Kassel. Fossil fuels are not allowed for heating in this development, so gas and oil are ruled out, and installing a fireplace is also prohibited. For the heating system, we are considering an air-to-water heat pump or connecting to the local district heating network operated by the municipal utility of Kassel. An air-to-air heat pump is more or less off the table, as we have read many negative reports about it here on the forum.
We find it really difficult to make a decision, especially since we have no experience at all. The municipal utility provided an example calculation that seems quite high to us; without any prior experience, it’s hard to estimate or compare.
District heating example:
Single-family house KfW 55, approx. 150 sqm (1615 sq ft)
Heat consumption: 7000 kWh
Basic fee (approx.): €1700 per year
Usage fee (approx.): €1100 per year
From what I have researched here on the forum, costs for an air-to-air heat pump seem to be noticeably lower, although these figures vary considerably. The advantage of district heating, of course, is that the entire heating system is eliminated, leaving only a small unit in the utility room, so initial costs are very low.
What do you think about the offer from the municipal utility? The fact that you are very much tied to the monopoly and cannot just switch providers if prices go up worries us the most.
Thank you in advance for your answers.
we have finally found a plot of land and are now in the planning phase for our house. We are still at the very beginning, so nothing has been signed yet. We are thinking of a size of about 160 sqm (1722 sq ft), probably a prefabricated house built to KfW 40+ or KfW 55 standard with a solar power system.
The plot is located in a new housing development (eco-settlement), a pilot project by the city of Kassel. Fossil fuels are not allowed for heating in this development, so gas and oil are ruled out, and installing a fireplace is also prohibited. For the heating system, we are considering an air-to-water heat pump or connecting to the local district heating network operated by the municipal utility of Kassel. An air-to-air heat pump is more or less off the table, as we have read many negative reports about it here on the forum.
We find it really difficult to make a decision, especially since we have no experience at all. The municipal utility provided an example calculation that seems quite high to us; without any prior experience, it’s hard to estimate or compare.
District heating example:
Single-family house KfW 55, approx. 150 sqm (1615 sq ft)
Heat consumption: 7000 kWh
Basic fee (approx.): €1700 per year
Usage fee (approx.): €1100 per year
From what I have researched here on the forum, costs for an air-to-air heat pump seem to be noticeably lower, although these figures vary considerably. The advantage of district heating, of course, is that the entire heating system is eliminated, leaving only a small unit in the utility room, so initial costs are very low.
What do you think about the offer from the municipal utility? The fact that you are very much tied to the monopoly and cannot just switch providers if prices go up worries us the most.
Thank you in advance for your answers.
nordanney schrieb:
Expensive! So 500-700€ (about 540-760 USD) more than with a well-adjusted heat pump and complete dependence on a monopoly supplier.Yes and no. As I already mentioned, we have no maintenance or replacement costs.
And the (mandatory) contract (when purchasing the plot) only applies for 10 years. After that, everyone is free to switch to a heat pump, geothermal energy, or whatever else.
seat88 schrieb:
But don’t forget that the heat pump costs at least 10,000 (currency) for purchase and installation.And 0€ for maintenance, repairs, upkeep, and, if necessary, replacement.N
nordanney24 Jan 2020 09:47seat88 schrieb:
But you shouldn’t forget that the heat pump costs at least 10,000 for purchase and installation. That’s quite a generous estimate. Don’t forget about subsidies. And the heating engineer is already working in the house for the underfloor heating anyway.
I expect the heat pump to be significantly cheaper than the district heating option.
B
boxandroof24 Jan 2020 09:50I don’t think so, but this contract is not the issue here anyway.
S
Schlauerfuchs28 Oct 2020 15:29Hello TitusPullo,
we are also about to build in Kassel in the "ecovillage," and the "eco" combined heat and power (CHP) plant with an impressive V8 engine is practically right next door.
Which system have you chosen? An air source heat pump is not permitted to be installed out there.
Some people don’t know this yet and will soon have to modify their heating system.
Many homeowners have opted for geothermal drilling and have already successfully completed their boreholes – however, the maximum drilling depth is limited to 45 meters (148 feet).
The base price for the local heating network is 1700 euros/year only for the first 10 years; after that, the price will certainly increase.
we are also about to build in Kassel in the "ecovillage," and the "eco" combined heat and power (CHP) plant with an impressive V8 engine is practically right next door.
Which system have you chosen? An air source heat pump is not permitted to be installed out there.
Some people don’t know this yet and will soon have to modify their heating system.
Many homeowners have opted for geothermal drilling and have already successfully completed their boreholes – however, the maximum drilling depth is limited to 45 meters (148 feet).
The base price for the local heating network is 1700 euros/year only for the first 10 years; after that, the price will certainly increase.
T
TitusPullo28 Oct 2020 15:36Hello Schlauerfuchs,
we have now decided on the air-to-water heat pump; it is a single unit installed in the utility room, as we were not allowed to set anything up outside either. Whether it was worth it remains to be seen. I spoke with an energy consultant and the construction manager, and both said that with the heat pump I should stay well below the costs of local district heating. For me, it was simply very frustrating to be so dependent on a single provider. Otherwise, it’s basically a pretty good solution, with low initial investment and requiring very little space.
we have now decided on the air-to-water heat pump; it is a single unit installed in the utility room, as we were not allowed to set anything up outside either. Whether it was worth it remains to be seen. I spoke with an energy consultant and the construction manager, and both said that with the heat pump I should stay well below the costs of local district heating. For me, it was simply very frustrating to be so dependent on a single provider. Otherwise, it’s basically a pretty good solution, with low initial investment and requiring very little space.
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