Silent heat pumps to supply more sustainable heat for terraced housing
A common barrier to installing heat pumps in terraced housing is that they produce too much noise. However, for several months Whspr has been testing an innovative silent heat pump, in partnership with Eneco in Huis. This new type of pump offers a good solution, and can even be installed by the property boundary without the noise bothering the neighbours.
The Whspr silent heat pump produces far less noise than a regular heat pump, so that it can be installed anywhere around the home, even on the property boundary. It also has a compact square design that gives it a less prominent appearance. Nevertheless, the heat pump offers the same level of thermal comfort. The Whspr is an ideal solution for people who want more sustainable heating without compromising on space and without uncomfortable noise levels for themselves or their neighbours.
Solution for terraced housing
Of the 8 million or so residential properties in the Netherlands, 42% are terraced houses. Many still depend entirely on a central heating boiler, even though adding a hybrid heat pump is more sustainable. Factors that people consider when deciding whether to instal a heat pump include what it costs, where to position the pump, what modifications have to be made to the home and how much noise it produces. The issues of noise and location are now solved by the Whspr. Eneco in Huis has spent the past months conducting an extensive pilot that tested the heat pumps for noise level, thermal comfort and ease of installation.
Results of the pilot
The pilot ran during the winter months, across a representative range of residential units. Heat pumps were installed in private homes, but also in rental homes of housing corporation Wooncompagnie, with conditions ranging from simple to quite complex. This made extensive testing possible of both the technical performances and the users’ experiences.
In the early stages of the pilot, it emerged that the heat pumps’ configuration was not optimal. After this issue was resolved, the heat pumps performed as expected. Feedback from users showed that the system heated the homes to a comfortable level and made little noise, either inside or outside. The self-regulating capability to determine when to activate and deactivate the pump was described as convenient, as was the pump’s low electrical consumption.
The pilot revealed several points to improve in the system, and the design has been modified accordingly. For example, two control buttons that only the installer ever needs to use are now covered, and several of the icons on the display have been made easier to see. Another finding was that the heat pumps are very simple to instal, even by less experienced technicians. A great benefit that emerged was that the pumps could be installed without adding an extra circuit group.
Finalised design
The pilot confirms that the Whspr heat pump is a viable and quieter alternative that works very well in terraced housing. Whspr expects to introduce the finalised design in July. If all goes according to schedule, by the end of the year the heat pumps will be available to customers who want to switch to a quieter and more sustainable heating system.