Real-world Efficiency of a Monobloc Heat Pump for Multi-Unit Residential Buildings

The Atmospheric Fund (TAF) has estimated that nearly a quarter of all multi-unit residential building (MURB) suites in Ontario are heated with electricity, primarily with electric resistance baseboards. These systems are much less efficient than other electric heating options. Their low efficiency creates high operating costs for owners and reduces the grid capacity for the electrification of other buildings and sectors.

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Many of these buildings also have no central cooling or have relied on window air-conditioners, but window air-conditioners are now banned in some MURBs due to the risk of them falling from the window and causing injury or death. A compounding issue is that cooling is becoming increasingly critical for the health of MURB occupants as the number of heat waves and related health impacts are on the rise.

Retrofitting electrically-heated MURBs with heat pumps is a significant opportunity to drastically decrease utility bills for owners, reduce the demand on the electricity grid, and ensure occupant well-being. This study evaluated the heating efficiency of a new monobloc air-source heat pump (ASHP) for MURB applications. The heat pump was installed at the MURB Test Suite of the Archetype Sustainable House (ASH), located in Vaughan, ON (pictured above). The MURB Test Suite is 300 ft2 and sits above a garage. It has a heat loss on the scale of an actual MURB suite and is used as a platform for evaluating suite-level MURB heating and cooling technologies. Using performance data collected at the MURB Test Suite during Winter /, the ASHP efficiency was determined and used to predict the energy savings of retrofits in different cities across Canada.

Split Vs Monobloc Heat Pumps &#; What&#;s The Difference?

Air to water heat pumps provide an eco-friendly solution to heating our homes. Air to water heat pumps work by transforming energy in the outside air into usable heat, helping to reduce heating bills by up to 60% and cutting CO2 emissions by 50%. You can read more about this innovative heating method in our previous article on how does an air to water heat pump work. 

There are two main types of heat pump that you&#;re likely to have heard of before. These are &#;split heat pumps&#; and &#;monobloc heat pumps&#;. There&#;s often a lot of confusion as to what exactly the difference is between these two heat pumps. That&#;s why we&#;ve put together the following short and simple guide, detailing the main differences between the two, and which is the best option for your home. 

What is a monobloc heat pump?

A monobloc heat pump is a single unit heat pump that&#;s located outside of the home. It consists of a singular outdoor unit in which the compressor, heat exchanger and water side of the refrigeration cycle is contained. 

What is a split heat pump?

As you might guess from the name, a split heat pump, unlike a monobloc heat pump, uses more than one unit. A condenser collects heat from the air and sends the heated gas to an indoor unit that is located inside the home. This is where the hot gas that&#;s been transported in, is used to heat the water. The indoor unit also houses your hot water cylinder. 

So, what&#;s the difference?

The main difference between split vs monobloc heat pumps is the setup and units required. Whilst a monobloc heat pump only requires a singular outdoor unit, a split pump requires both an indoor and outdoor unit. A monobloc heat pump heats the water outside, whereas with a split system, the heated water is all contained inside the house. 

Contact us to discuss your requirements of Commercial Heat Pump Manufacturer. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.

Which is better for my home?

When it comes to choosing between a split vs monobloc heat pump, it really depends on the individual requirements of your property. Monobloc heat pumps are cheaper to buy and easier to install, however they will be more expensive to run as the heat pump has to work harder to heat the water from the outside and transport it in. As a split unit is contained within the building it is cheaper to run, and the outdoor unit is usually smaller and quieter. However, the system is usually more complicated to install. 

So ultimately, deciding between a split vs monobloc heat pump depends on your budget and the space and layout of your property. Our knowledgeable team at Pipelife are always happy to help advise you on the best option for your home. 

Split & Monobloc heat pumps at Pipelife Eco 

We offer both split and monobloc heat pumps to cater for individual homeowner requirements. These are:

Hitachi Yutaki-S Split Combi Heat Pump

The Yutaki S heat pump consists of an exterior inverter unit that is connected to an interior hydraulic unit. When in heating mode, the exterior unit absorbs heat from the outside (at temperatures as low as -20 °C), and transfers it to the water cycle via the interior hydraulic unit.

What&#;s particularly special about this air to water heat pump is that it also has a cooling mode for use during the summer. Working in the opposite way, it can draw heat outwards towards the exterior. Highly effective in producing hot/ cold water to supply radiators, fan coil units, underfloor heating or a combination of these, the Yutaki S heat pump is a versatile option. When connected to a tank, it can also be used to produce domestic hot water.

Midea M Thermal Mono-Bloc Heat Pump

An integrated system that provides heating and cooling as well as domestic hot water, the M Thermal heat pump is a year-round solution that can replace the need for traditional gas/ oil boilers or work alongside them. A compact, single unit is installed on the outside of the property and the heat pump is connected to the indoor heating system using two insulated pipes and the electronic connection cables under the ground.

Available in single-phase capacities of 4KW to 16KW, or three-phase capacities of 12KW to 30KW, the M Thermal heat pump is a fuss-free, not to mention an efficient, solution for heating your home.

For more information on any of our air to water heat pumps, or to request a quote, please don&#;t hesitate to get in touch with us.