Leading heating and hot water solutions provider Baxi has this week hosted the first official visit to its €13 million commercial heat pump R&D and laboratory site in Vilafranca del Penedès, Spain. Baxi is part of the €2.2 billion-turnover BDR Thermea Group, one of the largest producers of heating appliances
Baxi’s latest 200 and 400 combi 2 boiler ranges are proving to be a popular choice with installers, thanks to the introduction of a series of new and improved features making installation as seamless as possible. Lightweight and compact, the cupboard fit boilers include an upgraded and simpler wiring experience,
Heating and hot water solutions provider Baxi and H2GO Power, hydrogen-based software and hardware solutions innovators, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) formalising their commitment to develop innovative green hydrogen-based technology that will tackle both heat decarbonisation and energy reliability. The MoU was signed by Baxi’s MD Karen Boswell
Primary school teachers in the Preston area are set to introduce the world of engineering to Key Stages 1 & 2 children through a series of engaging classroom projects created by Primary Engineer in partnership with Baxi. This is the second year running that Baxi is supporting the Primary Engineer
–Training costs, lack of customer demand, and excess paperwork are main barriers to change- -Installers will play a pivotal role in supporting homeowners with future heating decisions- The transition to low carbon heating is at finely balanced tipping point with installers split on whether they will be installing heat pumps
Baxi apprentice service engineers took part in a week-long team building course this month, designed to develop the next generation of installers with activities focusing on personal development and problem solving. The programme was tailored to Baxi’s visions and values, with apprentices undertaking team-based exercises linked to their Level 3
Comments attributed to Jeff House, Head of External Affairs at Baxi Heating The energy transition is upon us and we are shifting today’s energy use to low and zero carbon sources. The way in which we heat and provide hot water to our homes and businesses will change, and we
To boost the confidence of professionals installing energy efficient heating and hot water products for residential new build developments, Baxi has continued to prioritise training with bespoke virtual learning modules. Throughout the pandemic, Baxi has supported housing providers, developers and their contractors with virtual training opportunities. This approach has allowed
Baxi Heating UK and Ireland has appointed specification specialist Ryan Kirkwood to the role of Heat Pump Business Development Manager. The move is part of the company’s continuous improvement and development strategy, ensuring it is well prepared for the future as the heating industry makes the transition towards zero carbon
As the heating industry moves towards a more sustainable future, there is pressure for developers and specifiers in the new build sector to deliver future-proof and highly energy efficient housing. Tom Murray, Specification Director Commercial and Residential at Baxi Heating, discusses the SAP energy boosters currently available and how specifiers
BDC 319 : Aug 2024
Leading heating and hot water solutions provider Baxi has this week hosted the first official visit to its €13 million commercial heat pump R&D and laboratory site in Vilafranca del Penedès, Spain. Baxi is part of the €2.2 billion-turnover BDR Thermea Group, one of the largest producers of heating appliances worldwide. The 7,000m² Baxi factory, located near Barcelona and opened just last year, is focused on developing and producing commercial heat pump technology. The site boasts complete in-house capabilities spanning R&D, logistics, manufacturing and assembly, and including climatic testing chambers and a controls desk. During the visit, guests were provided with an exclusive preview of the new Remeha Effenca commercial heat pump series that was designed and produced at Vilafranca and is currently undergoing final testing. The new range, which includes high temperature R290 refrigerant air source heat pumps (ASHPs), will launch imminently in the UK with full Environmental Product Declaration (EPD). Harriet Evans, Renewables Director at Baxi said: “The focus on low carbon design is now critical in line with ambitious government decarbonisation targets. Heat pumps, which decarbonise heating at the point of use, are a big part of how we as a company are supporting our commercial and residential customers through the energy transition. We are proud to demonstrate our full in-house capabilities and competencies at Vilafranca, and of the wide expertise and support we have within Group in this technology. We are excited to be expanding our Remeha ASHP range in the very near future with both medium and high temperature ASHPs – watch this space!” BDR Thermea’s acquisition in 2021 of Barcelona-based Hitecsa, an important manufacturer in the Spanish market for commercial and industrial climate control systems, has enabled the Group to offer the entire range of heat pump solutions to suit all customer needs, from residential to large commercial applications. In the UK, Baxi launched its first Remeha commercial heat pump in 2022. The company recently announced its latest commercial ASHP project, a collaboration with Oakes Energy Services to decarbonise a series of school swimming pool buildings for the Priory Federation of Academies Trust. Heat pump production capacity at Vilafranca has scaled up by 50% in the last twelve months, with plans to triple in the next five years via new commercial heat pump solutions in development. For more information, www.baxi.co.uk Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Baxi’s latest 200 and 400 combi 2 boiler ranges are proving to be a popular choice with installers, thanks to the introduction of a series of new and improved features making installation as seamless as possible. Lightweight and compact, the cupboard fit boilers include an upgraded and simpler wiring experience, brass hydraulics on the Baxi 400, increased LPG options across the range, stainless steel heat exchanger and both ranges have easy-to-replace components. Providing installers with greater flexibility to meet the requirements of a variety of domestic properties – large and small – outputs range from 24kW for both natural gas and LPG in the Baxi 200 Combi 2, up to 30kW in the new, higher-output addition to the Baxi 400 Combi 2 range. Manufactured with emissions reductions and efficiency goals in mind, both models are 80/20 hydrogen certified to run on a 20% hydrogen blend. Covered by two and five-year parts and labour warranties respectively, the Baxi 200 Combi 2 and Baxi 400 Combi 2 boilers also feature Certified Opentherm technology for connecting smart controls, such as Baxi’s uSense 2, to further optimise energy usage, reduce consumption in domestic properties and helping meet mandatory Boiler Plus compliance requirements. Discussing the Baxi 400 Combi 2, Brett Tuffs of Plumbing and Heating in Pontefract, said: “I’m very impressed with the electronics; the PCB display holding fault codes and the two-button commissioning process. The PRV connection is easier too.” Rueben Webster from River Tay Heating said: “I like the Baxi 400 Combi 2 and find it easy to install. I particularly like the push fit PRV which is simple to fit and saves me time.” Nick Platt, Commercial & Marketing Director at Baxi, said: “The Baxi 200 & 400 models include some much-loved features that heating engineers will recognise and some that are brand new. Using high-quality, robust components from our group, BDR Thermea, the new boilers provide installers with two affordable heating solutions that don’t compromise on build quality or durability.” For more information on the Baxi 200 and 400 Combi 2 models, visit the Baxi website. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Heating and hot water solutions provider Baxi and H2GO Power, hydrogen-based software and hardware solutions innovators, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) formalising their commitment to develop innovative green hydrogen-based technology that will tackle both heat decarbonisation and energy reliability. The MoU was signed by Baxi’s MD Karen Boswell and Enass Abo-Hamed, H2GO’s CEO, at a presentation of their carbon-neutral heat-in-a-box system held at Baxi’s Dartford Training Centre. The partnership includes an upcoming industrial scale trial of this unique containerised pre-heating solution which will be hosted by Northern Gas Networks (NGN) at its Low Thornley test facility. Pre-heating is an essential part of distributing gas. Before it can be transported to homes and businesses through the network, the pressure of the gas must be reduced. This process can cause it to freeze, so pre-heating takes place to allow the gas to flow. Traditional pre-heating units are highly energy and cost intensive. Heat-in-the-box will lower the cost of pre-heating, while delivering the supply at much lower costs for applications at a massive scale. The aim of the trial is to demonstrate how the heat-in-a-box system can supply heat for gas pre-heating in a safe and carbon-neutral manner, with the potential to supply renewable heating for other operations. Heat-in-a-box combines electrolysis, hydrogen storage technology and Baxi’s hydrogen boiler, the first-ever pure hydrogen boiler for commercial applications. The end-to-end system will be powered by solar photovoltaics and supported by an AI-enabled optimisation software platform. As heat-in-a-box can help maximise self-generated renewable electricity, it offers an interesting solution for multiple use cases – including decarbonising heat in off gas grid non-domestic buildings. Karen Boswell, Managing Director at Baxi UK & Ireland, said: “This partnership will deliver the world’s first commercial pure hydrogen boiler that will provide customers with greater flexibility in meeting their emissions reduction targets. Innovation projects like this are critical to understanding the role hydrogen can play in helping to decarbonise a range of sectors – including the difficult ones like heat.” Dr Enass Abo-Hamed, H2GO Power CEO, said: “We are pleased to be part of this world-first initiative. Today’s demonstration is a significant step as we explore the opportunities that could be unlocked through Heat-in-the box. Demand for heat is three times higher than the demand for power, while responsible for 40 percent of all global emissions. And we are determined to deliver a carbon neutral solution without compromising on cost and productivity to be used across key industries including as ceramics, glass, cement, food and beverage and chemicals.” For more information visit the Baxi and H2Go Power websites. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Primary school teachers in the Preston area are set to introduce the world of engineering to Key Stages 1 & 2 children through a series of engaging classroom projects created by Primary Engineer in partnership with Baxi. This is the second year running that Baxi is supporting the Primary Engineer programmes in Preston. Working with Primary Engineer, the company’s engineers will support teachers as they deliver the Primary Engineer Construction project to children in ten local primary schools. The first milestone of the project was a training session for the participating teachers on the Construction projects, held at Preston College and joined by Baxi engineers. These projects have been carefully designed to help the children develop skills such as visualisation, creative problem-solving, testing and evaluation, and teamwork and communication. The Mayor of Preston, Neil Darby, came to watch as together the teachers and Baxi engineers built the projects which will bring engineering to a new generation. Nathalie Cachet-Gaujard, Head of Partnerships for North of England at Primary Engineer, said: “We are delighted to have the support and commitment of Baxi to help raise awareness of engineering and the career opportunities it offers, whilst helping to build a diverse generation of future engineers.” Baxi is at the forefront of heating and hot water design solutions. But the industry is undergoing considerable transformation, and creative engineering experts are in high demand. Karen Boswell, MD of Baxi UK & Ireland, said: “Baxi has been part of the Preston community for over 150 years and we’re delighted to continue supporting local schools with this programme. Engineering offers so many varied and exciting opportunities, including designing and building products and services that help decarbonise heat for communities and the environment. Initiatives such as Primary Engineer give us the confidence that we can continue to commit investment in capable and career focused school leavers and graduates to help us grow in the years ahead.” Harrison Carey, Product Design Engineer at Baxi, is one of the ten Baxi engineers who volunteered to take part in the Primary Engineer’s programme. He said: “Primary Engineer is a fun and hands-on way to introduce children to the world of engineering. It’s fantastic to see the children unleash their imagination using skills they’ve learnt in the classroom! This will be my second year working with Primary Engineer and I hope to contribute for many more to come. Engineering plays such a vital role in our communities and it’s rewarding to see children showing interest from such a young age.” To find out more about how Baxi is supporting the next generation of engineers, click here. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
–Training costs, lack of customer demand, and excess paperwork are main barriers to change- -Installers will play a pivotal role in supporting homeowners with future heating decisions- The transition to low carbon heating is at finely balanced tipping point with installers split on whether they will be installing heat pumps in their customers’ homes. That’s the main finding of a new report from heat solutions provider Baxi which assesses what would encourage installers to take the leap to low carbon sources of heat. Baxi’s research with installers found that nearly a third – equivalent to about 37,000 of the more than 130,000 of the UK’s heating engineers – are prepared to embrace heat pumps in the near future. By contrast, around 30% say they are extremely unlikely to install heat pumps. The government is targeting 600,000 heat pump installations every year by 2028. That is ten times the current market and represents a transformation from early adoption to a mass market proposition. It would require an army of low carbon heating installers to be assisting homeowners and encouraging to make the change. Amongst the main findings in the report “Heating Installers: Taking the Leap to a Low Carbon Future” are that the government and the industry will need to address the important issue of training costs, ensuring there is enough demand from customers and reducing paperwork. On training costs – 39% said they would be more likely to install heat pumps if they received help with training costs. They currently pay the full cost of training and forgo work in order to receive heat pump training On customer demand – 56% of installers said customer demand needed to be addressed and 38% of installers are concerned about lack of government support for the market. The current Boiler Upgrade Scheme which pays a max £5,000 grant to support air source heat pump installations ends in 2025. On paperwork – 44%wanted support to reduce the burden of paperwork, for example in applying for government assistance schemes Karen Boswell, Managing Director of Baxi UK & Ireland, said: “Installers will play an important role as we decarbonise the nation’s heating and it will be vital that the government and industry support them with the right information, incentives and training. “They will need to be advocates for low carbon sources of heat and recommend to the nation’s homeowners that they should make the leap to a heat pump. To achieve this, we will need to address their concerns, support them with training, and explain more clearly the financial and non-financial benefits of these appliances.” Baxi’s report makes a series of recommendations which include spelling out stronger government initiatives that will drive demand for heat pumps over the coming decade; support for training costs on a first come-first served basis; and an industry wide campaign to market the role of a low carbon heating installer to attract new entrants. For more information, and to download the report, click here
Baxi apprentice service engineers took part in a week-long team building course this month, designed to develop the next generation of installers with activities focusing on personal development and problem solving. The programme was tailored to Baxi’s visions and values, with apprentices undertaking team-based exercises linked to their Level 3 Domestic Service Engineering apprenticeship scheme. During the week spent at SKERN Training & Skills in Devon, apprentices experienced climbing, rafting, and tunnelling. Each practical exercise was designed to help the apprentices improve teamwork, leadership, risk assessment and communication. Krystal McKinnell, Apprenticeships Coordinator at Baxi Heating, said: “Investing in apprenticeships is vital for tackling the skills gap in the UK heating sector. By supporting and training individuals throughout their professional journey, we hope to make a difference and give people a head start as they join the industry.” Baxi apprentice, Liam Bate, said:“I really enjoyed the course and built a good rapport with the other apprentices in my group, which is useful as I may end up working alongside them in the future. We all worked well together as a team and identified each other’s strengths and points for development. Apprentice, Madison Dowding, said: “I enjoyed the teamwork aspect of this course and learned to take other people’s ideas into consideration. I kept my learning log up to date throughout the week and will apply what I learned in my apprenticeship end point assessment.” As well as offering entry-level apprenticeship schemes, Baxi also supports qualified heating engineers with training courses tailored towards the introduction of low carbon systems. For more information about Baxi’s training opportunities, visit: www.baxi.co.uk
Comments attributed to Jeff House, Head of External Affairs at Baxi Heating The energy transition is upon us and we are shifting today’s energy use to low and zero carbon sources. The way in which we heat and provide hot water to our homes and businesses will change, and we are developing technologies that will support this transition. A bold and pragmatic policy framework will encourage investment and drive change. We therefore welcome today’s publication of the Hydrogen Strategy from the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS). This important document details the role and vision for clean hydrogen deployment at scale in the UK, building upon the ambitions in last year’s 10 Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution. As an energy carrier, hydrogen has many uses that will help to decarbonise heating, transport and industry. We therefore welcome the government’s assurance to the the public today that hydrogen can be made as safe as natural gas. Alongside the Strategy, the Government is publishing its proposed business model for supporting hydrogen production in the form of a Contract for Difference. This approach has been utilised successfully for offshore wind and will enable the sector to invest in early-stage projects and reduce the cost of hydrogen. The availability of low-cost hydrogen at scale is a key enabler of the deployment of hydrogen for heat. We believe there is no ‘one size fits all’ solution, and a whole range of heating technologies will need to be deployed for a range of properties. Baxi Heating, as part of BDR Thermea Group, is at the forefront of developing clean heating solutions, including our ground-breaking development of hydrogen boilers. Our work with the Hy4Heat project and associated demonstration sites in the UK show technical feasibility of this solution. We believe the Government should act upon advice from the Climate Change Committee and other sources advocating a mandate that all boiler sales from 2025 should be hydrogen-ready in order to help pre-populate a swathe of the housing stock ready for a future conversion. Technology, energy efficiency and business models are all bit parts in the wider picture. Skilled installers and contractors will be utterly essential to success, so we are glad to see the announcement of a hydrogen sector development action plan in early 2022 setting out how the government will support companies to secure supply chain opportunities, skills and jobs in hydrogen. Following the Hydrogen Strategy, we look forward to several important publications in the lead up to the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), including consultations on the role for hydrogen-ready appliances, off gas grid heating measures and the UK Heat and Buildings Strategy. Find out more about Baxi Heating’s pathway to the energy transition here.
To boost the confidence of professionals installing energy efficient heating and hot water products for residential new build developments, Baxi has continued to prioritise training with bespoke virtual learning modules. Throughout the pandemic, Baxi has supported housing providers, developers and their contractors with virtual training opportunities. This approach has allowed for more valuable training to continue, covering the installation, commissioning and maintenance of the Baxi Assure complete home service range of boilers, hot water cylinders, air source heat pumps, energy saving accessories and controls. The virtual training programme has proven so successful that Baxi will continue to offer it as an option, even when nationwide training centres re-open later in the year following government guidelines. Tom Murray, Specification Director Commercial and Residential at Baxi Heating, said: “With the energy transition to a net-zero future at the forefront of the residential specification market place, being able to train customers on new technologies and products that will aid the industry to meet the carbon challenge is really important. For the residential new-build market, this will mean a greater emphasis on the importance of technologies such as air source heat pumps. However, our training valuably covers the complete range of our products including our gas and electric boilers, hot water cylinders, energy saving accessories including the SHRU, FGHR and heating controls.” As part of the complete home service, advice from qualified Baxi SAP assessors to help boost efficiency and a Baxi Design service is provided for accurate sizing and specification. Projects benefit further from support at every stage from a dedicated team of specification managers, and a Project Hub to manage project product registrations, in addition to technical support and advice from installation to legislation. To find more information about Baxi Assure Bespoke Training services and to register your interest please visit http://www.baxi.co.uk/assuretraining and follow Baxi Assure on social media linkedin/baxiassure
Baxi Heating UK and Ireland has appointed specification specialist Ryan Kirkwood to the role of Heat Pump Business Development Manager. The move is part of the company’s continuous improvement and development strategy, ensuring it is well prepared for the future as the heating industry makes the transition towards zero carbon and sustainable solutions, and to meet the changing needs of its customers. Ryan joined the business in 2013 as an area sales manager in Scotland, looking after specification and sales of Remeha gas boilers, biomass boilers and CHP. He explains why he is excited by his new role: “My passion has always been sustainable design. Heat pumps are one of the key technologies we must use properly to ensure our homes and businesses are sustainable in the future. “My background is in mechanical design engineering and building simulation. I’ve worked closely with contractors and consultants over the last 10 years and consider myself to be an absolute geek when it comes to functional design and helping to maximise system performance. Over the years I have seen the good, bad and ugly with both design and installation, and have learned from what I’ve seen. “I am really looking forward to the dynamic aspect of evolving solutions for heating and hot water in the future. No one method works for all building types; the solution must be tailored for each and this is the real challenge. Heat pumps are one of the key technologies that will help us to a more sustainable future. We cannot ignore how important heat networks are in our drive for affordable, low carbon heating and hot water. And we are making important developments with hydrogen. Having a blended solution of both heat pumps and hydrogen boilers in the future may be one of the best ways of delivering sustainable heating solutions. “I love helping our customers deliver conceptual and innovative ideas. Innovation is the key to making all the future carbon targets a reality. We must ensure we have innovative solutions for today’s challenges while developing future solutions for tomorrow,” Ryan concludes. When he’s not working, Ryan enjoys paragliding and building things – anything from model aeroplanes to off-road touring vehicles.
As the heating industry moves towards a more sustainable future, there is pressure for developers and specifiers in the new build sector to deliver future-proof and highly energy efficient housing. Tom Murray, Specification Director Commercial and Residential at Baxi Heating, discusses the SAP energy boosters currently available and how specifiers and developers can use them to contribute to the overall efficiency of heating and hot water systems. Linked to the Building Regulations Approved Document L consultation in 2019, the tenth version of the supporting Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP 10.2) is now on the horizon. What we know so far is that proposed changes to Building Regulations look set to mandate tighter targets for new dwelling emissions. Once the imminent Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) consultation response is released and the implementation date for changes is confirmed, there will be more onus on new build developers to drive low carbon development. Further recent developments revealed in the Prime Minister’s Ten Point Plan include possible changes to when the Future Homes Standard will be enacted. According to the plan this policy, which seeks to reduce the carbon footprint of new build homes by mandating low carbon heating in all new build houses, may be enacted in 2023, sooner than the 2025 deadline originally intended. The 2023 date was subsequently removed from official supporting documents, although it is expected that the ambition is still to bring this forward, subject to further industry consultation. What this all points to is that specifiers and developers will need to be reliant on electricity-powered heating and hot water system technologies like cylinders and heat pumps. However, while gas boilers are still being specified for new-builds prior to the Future Homes Standard, extra measures and design considerations will need to be made to ensure compliance with emissions targets.. SAP Boosting Measures The good news is that there are a number of energy efficiency boosting additions that can be specified to improve the SAP rating of a dwelling including a gas boiler, such as weather compensation, load compensation, smart controls, and heat recovery systems. These systems are often combined to deliver the best results and some even deliver 2-in-1 benefits, like smart controls which often include features such as load compensation functionality along with time and temperature control. These devices measure the gap between what the internal temperature is and what the user wants it to be and modulates the boiler so that it only uses as much fuel as necessary to close the gap. Weather compensation devices, monitor outdoor conditions and tell the boiler when to adjust its flow temperature. This leads to fuel savings and a more consistent environment. When paired with smart controls, weather compensation is a cost-effective way to raise energy efficiency and lower emissions. Flue Gas Heat Recovery (FGHR) recycles the heat from the flue gases which would normally be expelled into the atmosphere. The recovered heat is then used to pre-heat water coming into the boiler from the cold mains supply, significantly reducing the amount of gas required by the boiler to heat the water. Likewise, Shower Heat Recovery Units (SHRU) save energy by recycling residual heat from waste shower and bath water via a heat exchanger. When working to peak efficiency, it can recover up to 63% of heat that would otherwise be lost. SHRUs can boost SAP ratings by 5-6%. Getting it right Getting building services system design right and knowing how best use to these technologies in the wider context of the building is a science. It involves careful selection of components in order to meet both customer needs as well as emissions considerations. This among other factors such as how the fabric, area and volume of the building will impact heat loss and the overall performance. In order to better support the new-build residential sector to meet the SAP challenge, Baxi Assure offers developers and specifiers a quality range of boilers, cylinders, air source heat pumps and energy booster accessories as part of a complete home service. This includes a fully indemnified Design Service with qualified SAP assessors who can advise on the most cost-effective and efficient hot water and heating solution for new build properties. Knowing the landscape While the future of the heating industry is set to change vastly in the coming years, it remains important to consider the challenges facing professionals now. Demand for new housing will continue to rise, and with it the requirement for efficient, low-carbon heating. As the regulatory landscape continues to adapt, so too will specifiers and developers in the new build space. The housing industry must work together on this journey to net-zero. This is where Baxi Assure is well-positioned to provide a full spectrum of low-carbon heating technologies, design, specification and SAP assessment support, together with useful system add-ons to boost efficiencies such as FGHR and smart, easy-to-use comfort controls. This period of change in the new build housing sector will be challenging, but is necessary to tackle climate change and meet the UK’s net-zero ambitions. Being prepared by keeping up with legislation and taking advantage of the products and services designed to support this transition is the best way for developers and specifiers to succeed. To find more information about the Baxi Assure services and SAP energy booster accessories please visit www.baxi.co.uk/assure and follow Baxi Assure on social media linkedin/baxiassure
