UK Alternative Energy Ltd., who are based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire, have recently transformed an old warehouse into a new modern and welcoming workspace, centred around sustainable heating and power technologies such as Heat Pumps, Solar PV, and Battery Storage solutions. The warehouse overhaul utilises Panasonic’s Aquarea J Series (9 kW) and Panasonic PACi NX series (12.5 kW), ensuring not only energy-efficient heating, cooling, and hot water provision, but also serving as a live showcase, demonstrating the remarkable potential of renewable heating innovation.
Transforming the old warehouse, UK Alternative Energy designed the space with a mix of open communal spaces and private offices.
11kW of Solar PV, a Powerwall 2 Storage Battery, and two EV chargers were installed by in-house electrical engineers to maximise on solar gains to compliment the overall renewable design. UK Alternative chose a Panasonic 9 kW Aquarea J Series Air Source Heat Pump, supplied by specialist renewables distributor, Secon. To best showcase the technology on offer, the entire plant room including the hot water storage cylinder can be seen within the main atrium, and a Perspex floor was installed to showcase three different types of fully working underfloor heating. This exposed pipework gives customers an insight into a live system and its controls.
“We have a long-established relationship with Panasonic and have installed many of their heat pumps over the last 14 years. We hear first-hand from customers the positive impact of bringing down the cost of energy bills. It made complete sense for us to practice what we preach, because we know and trust Panasonic, within our organisation. Installing the Panasonic Aquarea J series air to water heat pump and Panasonic PACi NX series within our own offices has also meant we have a ready- made case study where customers can see the solution in action,” added Dan Cadd, Installations Manager at UK Alternative Energy.
The Panasonic Aquarea 9 kW J series has recently achieved ‘connect and notify’ status from the energy network association, District Network Operators (DNO), enabling a faster, more straightforward installation process for installers and homeowners. Additionally, the units boast an A+++ energy Class (average climate at 35°C water outlet), making it a highly energy-efficient solution to complement the company’s aims.
UK Alternative Energy specified a Panasonic air-to-air solution to heat the ample atrium entrance space. The PACi 12.5 kW system with maximum SEER / SCOP: A++ / A+ was installed with adaptive ducted units, with the ventilation system being left exposed, giving a sleek industrial look. The team also opted to use the PACi split system as the heating and cooling solution for the larger office spaces, not wanting to compromise on losing wall space to fit radiators.
“We found utilising the two systems (Aquarea and PACi) across the building gave us the best of both worlds. We have perfect heat and hot water provided across the whole building. Plus, the PACi NX system installed in the atrium has the extra benefit of heating and cooling the space, which will be perfect in the summer months when the sun hits the glass,” commented Dan.
