Waters View: Beauty and modernity
Sleek lines and exceptional efficiency with ground source heat pump in the Derbyshire Dales
Overview
Waters View at Carsington Water is a newly built, state-of-the-art jewellery design, manufacturing, retail, hospitality and education facility in an area of outstanding natural beauty on the edge of the Peak District National Park. Every element of the building has been designed to be in tune with the natural splendour of its location, including its heating, cooling, DHW and power systems.
Three Viessmann 45kw 350-G Vitocal ground source heat pumps fed by 21 100m-deep bore holes provide year-round under-floor heating and cooling without the need for any gas connection or backups. They also meet most of the centre’s power needs and ensure ample hot water for its toilets and café. In future, solar PV and battery storage can easily be added to further reduce reliance on the grid.
Beauty and modernity
Combining in one place the production operations of leading UK family-run jewellers CW Sellors, Waters View is a 1000m2, three-storey building of exceptional architectural merit and an international showcase of modern, high-tech design. Visitors can view exhibitions, browse the boutique, take a tour of the jewellery works, attend a lecture or enjoy a drink in the café with spectacular views of the reservoir. Special planning dispensation was needed to build on its 18-acre greenbelt site, which is of special scientific interest and a popular local beauty and leisure spot.
The building’s HVAC systems were carefully considered from the beginning of the architectural process and CW Sellors founder Chris Sellors, who was the driving force behind the entire project, was determined to use high-efficiency, low-impact technologies throughout. Sadly, Chris passed away in September 2023, shortly before Waters View completion, but it now stands as a fitting legacy to his vision.
David Orsler, Director (Leeds Office) of Futureserv, which engineered the heating system, recalls, “Chris was particularly keen on designing buildings well. He also wanted to use ground source heat pumps because they’re so efficient, and he had the space to do so. We considered air source too, but he wanted the centre to look as far removed from ‘industrial’ as possible, and the external ASHP units might’ve made that difficult.”
With underfloor heating and cooling and no outdoor units above ground, the entire system is concealed from view, allowing the structure’s interior and exterior to look sleek, spacious and beautiful. The building’s fabric was specially selected to provide a natural heat sink, minismising swings in internal temperature. This, and the introduction of natural ventilation via a large atrium, mean the underfloor cooling provides a precooling and peak-lopping solution for year-round comfort.
Ground source = Viessmann
According to Orsler, once the decision to opt for ground source was solidified, it had to be a Viessmann system. “We designed everything around the Viessmann units we wanted to use,” he explains. “It’s very rare to have the opportunity to create a ground source system that provides both heating and cooling in the UK, due to higher peak loads during the summer. So, we needed a product that’s proven to work well, offering heating and cooling in one unit, and that’s backed up by a lot of system-design support and expertise. All of this Viessmann can provide. In Europe, where they’re based, ground source tech is much more commonly used than in the UK. I’ve been to Viessmann’s factory in Germany multiple times and seen first-hand how much research and expertise goes into their heat pumps.”
The Vitocal 350-G models were also selected because of their exceptional performance. They function at the highest level of efficiency at every operating point thanks to their innovative RCD (refrigerant cycle diagnostic) system with EEV (electronic expansion valve). They also use an EVI (enhanced vapour injection) refrigerant circuit, where the injection of vapour cools the refrigerant so that it can be more densely compressed than is otherwise possible, which enables them to operate at high flow temperatures of up to 70°C. And they are exceptionally quiet in operation, thanks to their low-vibration, sound-optimised design.
Life-cycle benefits
The three Vitocal 350-G heat pumps and thermal stores together provide up to 120kw worth of heating and 80kw of cooling throughout the year. Two units cover the bulk of the building’s heating and cooling requirements, with the third supplementing the heating load during periods of high demand, as well providing plenty of DHW. This means there is no need for a back-up gas supply, so the scheme can function as an entirely electric, clean, renewable energy system. The transfer of energy between the ground and the building enhances its efficiency, giving it a projected CoP (based on third-party ground tests) of around 5. This exceptional performance means the length of time to obtain a return on investment through lowered energy bills is reduced.
When PV panels and power storage are added in future, the system will be a largely self-sufficient energy ecosystem, costing little to run bar routine maintenance. The Vitocal 350-G’s intelligent in-built control system will ensure maximum consumption of the self-generated PV power for cost-effective operation.
Says Orsler, “Every part of this system has been provided to the highest standards, with outstanding results. It provides large quantities of clean, renewable energy in an exceptionally efficient way, which is exactly what Chris set out to achieve.”
System spec
21 boreholes, each 100 m deep
Building management system
Vitotronic control unit
