Case Study | Bedfordshire Period Home
Retrofitting a 19th Century Rural Home with Heat Pump Technology
Hilary and Peter Foot
Property
Hilary and Peter Foot Four-bedroom, 1890’s-built rural home in Bedfordshire
Tenure
Hilary and Peter Foot 34 years of residence
Previous Setup:
Inefficient, traditional heating system with supplementary open fire
Existing Renewable Infrastructure
Hilary and Peter Foot 11 solar PV panels and energy storage battery for EVs
The homeowners faced multiple challenges with their existing heating system:
- High running costs
- Inconsistent heating performance
- Reliance on open fires during cold weather
- Desire to transition to more sustainable energy sources
The 130+ year old property presented additional installation complexities, with a mix of original wooden floorboards and concrete flooring in the extended areas.
After consultation and assessment, Clima Renewables recommended and installed:
Primary System:
- Panasonic Aquarea J Series T-Cap Monobloc Air to Water heat pump
- Underfloor heating throughout the ground floor
- Radiators in upstairs rooms
- Panasonic Aquarea Smart Cloud control system
Key System Features:
- A+++ Energy Class rating
- Maximum output temperatures of 60°C
- Available in 9kW, 12kW and 16kW models
- Internal domestic hot water tank
- External unit for easier installation
- Minimal capacity drop even at -20°C outdoor temperature
- No electrical booster heater required
- Initial consultation and system maintenance of the existing heating system
- System recommendation in partnership with Ultimate Renewables
- Installation completed in August 2023
- Floor modifications to accommodate mixed flooring types
- Integration with existing renewable energy infrastructure
- Smart control system setup and user training
- 12-month service and system optimisation in 2024
- Measured SCOP (Seasonal Coefficient of Performance) of 4.47 for 2024
- Expected improvement following minor adjustments
- ignificant reduction in energy bills
- Consistent, comfortable warmth throughout the property
- Easy remote temperature control via smartphone app
- Access to historical performance data
- Successful integration with existing solar PV and battery systems
“We have lived in the property for the last 34 years but found the old heating system to be very expensive to run. The Panasonic heat pump system was installed in August 2023, and we’ve noticed a significant reduction in our energy bills. At the same time our home maintains a consistent, comfortable warmth throughout. We also find the Aquarea Smart Cloud app easy to use to control the temperature, and it’s useful to track historical data… We are extremely pleased with our decision and love the consistent, steady warmth throughout our home.”
— Hilary and Peter Foot, Homeowners
Clima Renewables' Experience
As Panasonic Pro Partners, Clima Renewables Directors David Codona and Marc Umney have found the Panasonic units to be:
- More straightforward and quicker to install
- Noticeably better quality overall
- Highly reliable performers, especially in older properties
- Ideal for retrofit projects with demanding output capacity
Future Outlook
Case Study Date: February 2025
For more information contact: Clima Renewables