Heating holiday let's

[robin banks]

I am putting this here as my question is basically all about renewable heating sources.
Am going to go for planning for some holiday let's. In a courtyard type setting. Am in Eire so no FITs or anything like that. So whatever goes in has to stand up financially on its own. Also our planning rules mean we got to use renewables.
Architect is keen on pv solar 2kw per apartment with electric heaters. As you might save on the plumbing. Other option is wet radiators with air to water and then solar but I think it maybe a smaller pv solar.
The first option is less efficient but very simple probably cheaper day 1 but dearer over time.
Am asking here. As you may know what other options may suit farm situation better. Could be 6 or 8 units in total over time. With other farm buildings close by which could be used for mounting pv on or house boiler etc

 

[farmerm]

PV Solar, for heating, in Ireland I am no expert but surely you need at least 2Kw to heat an average size room and your 2Kw pv panel will be lucky to output 1Kw on a typical Irish overcast day and will output 0Kw at night or when covered in snow which is when you really need the heat?

Perhaps if you have room for this and some night time storage you could at least keep the chill off....

 

[renewablejohn]

Why are you looking at heating. A new build built to passiv house standards does not require any heating.

 

[Mur Huwcun]

Why are you looking at heating. A new build built to passiv house standards does not require any heating.

Allegedly but I’m still to see one yet!!!

 

[robin banks]

The rules in Ireland are all new builds have to include some renewables. So of course solar won't heat the house but it's one of the easier options. They are new builds but not to passive standards but would be very well insulated

 

[farmerm]

The rules in Ireland are all new builds have to include some renewables. So of course solar won't heat the house but it's one of the easier options. They are new builds but not to passive standards but would be very well insulated

"some renewables" seems a bit of a vague requirement couple of these solar lights around the building and you would be sorted

 

[renewablejohn]

Allegedly but I’m still to see one yet!!!

Plenty in Sweden and its a lot colder there. To get round the renewable requirement just put in a very small log burning stove in a passiv house as a focal point just dont bother to light it.

 

[Kidds]

Son's newbuild was bloody freezing. He put in a logburner and needs to light it to keep warm.

 

[robin banks]

Ok there are definite requirements. Which are all inter linked. More efficient heating systems with more insulation requires less solar or there renewable. But that is for an expert to decipher.
I am more asking how are others here heating group housing. And take away subsidies which still stack up.
Also there is a important consideration of having guest coming for a week's stay you don't want anything complicated. Which is where a simple electric radiator with basic controls are attractive.
Also holiday let's will not be let as much in winter as summer so while less efficient my architect plan of electric heaters stack up. But maybe a big boiler run on wood or straw might be good idea.

 

[renewablejohn]

Ok there are definite requirements. Which are all inter linked. More efficient heating systems with more insulation requires less solar or there renewable. But that is for an expert to decipher.
I am more asking how are others here heating group housing. And take away subsidies which still stack up.
Also there is a important consideration of having guest coming for a week's stay you don't want anything complicated. Which is where a simple electric radiator with basic controls are attractive.
Also holiday let's will not be let as much in winter as summer so while less efficient my architect plan of electric heaters stack up. But maybe a big boiler run on wood or straw might be good idea.

Quite frankly a lot of experts are useless when it comes to modern passiv house building and MVHR systems. If you do want electric then an immersion heater for hot water run off solar would keep a base load heat in the house with any excess into a heated towel rail.

 

[Still Farming]

Biomass and rhi etc would have suited you possibly but think you missed that maybe??

 

[Giles1]

Is a barn conversion classed as a new build?

 

[ollie989898]

If you have your own woodland and supply f timber then a big biomass boiler could work.

 

[Still Farming]

Guests(if you can call some that)will use and abuse ,leave all on flat out and open ALL windows wide open ,THEN when boiler runs low they want more heat instantly?
Wasters out there?

 

[suffolksmallholder]

@robin banks

I've been building to the best standards that I can afford and once upon a time thought a wood pellet boiler would be great BUT with the pressure on to be carbon neutral I made the decision to go all electric. I still have the 'wet' system in the floor and will probably continue to install the pipework as I go forward with the final phase of building as you can't undo buildings easily.
I am a great believer in 'future proofing'!

I used to be a property manager for a large landowner in a past life and it was up to me to fit/install/improve the buildings as the long term tenants moved or died. I had some gas, some oil, two heat pumps and several enclosed fired properties (Rayburn type). All had their pitfalls, servicing, failure and supply issues happened ALWAYS during the cold weather!!!!

I'm still involved with one tenanted property 150 miles from me so all issues have to be dealt with remotely and this happens to be on one of those maintenance 'contracts' and both my wife and I are satisfied that this works well. The pitfall here is a gas boiler that was new seven years ago and is just coming up to its 'problematic' time-of-life. So far just about everything has been replaced to keep it going this winter. Decision time soon as to a posible replacement but as everything is new we may wait a while yet.

I'm just glad I had this experience as I built slowly so could make informed decisions.

On the back of all the hoo-ha I'm very glad I opted to go for electric underfloor and solar hot water three years ago. I'm playing the long game and will fit PV last as this is improving in leaps and bounds so when I finally come to install a system it will be more cost effective than if I'd done it a decade ago. I'd like to be able to have my own electric supply to save on running costs obviously!

The benefits of a well fitted electric installation is that is completely maintenance free and the programmers are really quite sophisticated. In winter time I'm looking at roughly per day £5.50 at the moment, with outside being around a max of 10 degrees in the day time and 0 degrees at night, to heat all that I need including keeping up with the leigonella rules for domestic properties re hot water supply. This includes x2 electric towel rails, a bar heater in the airing cupboard, electric oven (gas hob) and all lighting. Obviously this drops to almost nothing in the summer but I haven't had a smart metre for that long.
So there you have some costing from a two bed spacious barn with the insides currently operating at 20 to 24 degrees. FYI, I was confident enough to not have any heating upstairs and this has paid off.

As an aside, firewood costs £750PA to do a similar job! Without the cost of time, physical effort and machinery to 'do' it to the point-of-use. 25 tons moved X3 times is bl**dy hard work.....

SS

 

[Puff]

How many holiday lets?

If you have the land, why not go for a GSHP and back it up with some solar?