Construction World March 2016

CONSTRUCTION WORLD

MARCH

2016

This is according to Leon Laubscher, HVAC engineer at Energy Part-

ners – a leading energy solutions provider in South Africa, who says

that heating via electrical elements is outdated and highly inefficient.

“Heat pumps are a mature and reliable technology that has become much

more affordable than pure electrical heating, especially in light of the rapid

rise in electricity costs. This enables energy solutions providers to ‘lease’

heat pumps to consumers or business owners at a cost below the actual

monetary savings that are achieved”

Laubscher says that it is reassuring to see that more South Africans are

beginning to invest in heat pump technology and says that the organisa-

tion saw a massive spike in demand for heat pumps in 2015. “The wider

installation of heat pumps in the country will result in significant pressure

being taken off the national energy grid due to the decrease in electricity

usage required for water heating applications.”

While all industries and households with hot water requirements can

benefit from the installation of heat pumps, organisations with large hot

water requirements stand to benefit the most. Processes such as electro-

plating, clean-in-place (CIP) processes and industrial cooking are just some

examples of where these savings can be realised by replacing electrical

heating with heat pumps, adds Laubscher. “We are also now developing

centralised plants for high density housing, which will have more benefits

for the developer and end-user.”

Laubscher warns however that heat pumps must be well maintained

to yield optimum results and that many users do not have the resources

or expertise to maintain these systems for the duration of their life-cycles.

“Many suppliers and installers also take shortcuts and provide an inefficient

solution that requires significant upfront capital investment.”

By outsourcing the heat pump solution, the client only pays a monthly

outsourcing fee (which is exceeded by the monthly savings), no upfront

capital is required and the heat pump is maintained by the supplier, he

explains.“Outsourcing hot water requirements is therefore an ideal solution

for companies or consumers to test the waters in a risk and hassle free

manner, while maintaining the option to purchase the heat pump solution

at any time.”

Laubscher explains that a single industrial heat pump solution – including

pipework, tanks and pumps – typically takes about five days from start to end

of commissioning. “For

residential applications

this is reduced to less than

a day and ‘down-time’

of only half a day can be

expected.”

“In light of the option

to outsource hot water

production now being

available for industrial

and residential users, this

is an ideal time for South

Africans to invest in

the technology in order

to s ave mone y and

lessen the energy de-

mand in the country,”

concludes Laubscher.

ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY

A total of 25 Green Building Councils from around the world

unveiled national commitments to transform the sustaina-

bility of their buildings to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

and ensure that the building and construction industry plays

its part in limiting global warming to 2 degrees.

Buildings currently account for around one third of global emis-

sions. But green building is one of the most cost-effective solutions to

climate change, which generates significant environmental, economic

and societal benefits.

Brian Wilkinson, CEO of Green Building Council South Africa,

explains its commitment to introduce a Net Zero/Positive building certi-

fication will cover energy and carbon emissions, and possibly also cover

water and waste. It will leverage and be built upon the GBCSA’s current

Green Star SA and Energy Water Performance certification schemes

that already can assess whether a building is water or energy neutral

or positive. However, it will also allow for specific recognition and

acknowledgment of this net zero/positive aspect only, so as to elevate

its importance.

GBCSA also committed to six further significant goals by 2020.

They are:

• To secure statements of commitment in respect of the green

building principles and practices for 60% of 50 of the leading and

largest property owners in the country.

INCREASED USE CAN

EASE SA ENERGY CRISIS

As old and inefficient technologies, like electrical

geysers are still being used, hot water production

in the industrial and residential sectors accounts

for a large portion of national energy demand. Heat

pumps that have the potential to provide hot water

at the same temperature while utilising up to 70%

less electricity could replace this technology.

Leon Laubscher, HVAC

engineer at Energy

Partners.

GBCSA commits to introduce

The Green Building Council South Africa

(GBCSA) has made an ambitious commit-

ment to introduce a Net Zero/Positive

building certification scheme by 2020,

and six more meaningful goals, at COP21

in Paris recently.