Smith's Ecovectors® chosen for large newbuild eco homes
01/12/2009Renewable heating specialist Earth Save Products Ltd has recently installed 48 Ecovectors supplied by Smith's Environmental Products, the UK's leading supplier of domestic and light commercial fan convectors, in two three-storey, five bedroom newbuild properties near Oxford. The company chose the Ecovectors over underfloor heating because of their energy efficiency credentials and compatibility with renewable heating systems.
As well as manufacturing and supplying environmental heating products, Earth Save Products also provided its proprietary air source heat pumps for the eco building project. The company is committed to providing products and equipment that radically reduce the energy required to heat buildings and provide hot water.
Following discussions with Earth Save Products, builders Darren Brown Developments decided to opt for Smith's Ecovectors in preference to its usual choice of underfloor heating. Nick Hale, Director of Earth Save Products Ltd, comments: "We have worked with Darren Brown on a number of previous developments and he has always installed underfloor heating; however, we suggested that for this project, Ecovectors would be a wiser choice.
"Ecovectors are very controllable and efficient, and work well integrated into an air source heat pump system. There is one unit in some of the rooms of the houses, while larger rooms contain several units. We have supplied Ecovectors for a lot of properties and have never had any problems. I would go so far as to say that both Smith's and their products are 100% reliable.
"In stark contrast, underfloor heating would have to be left running almost constantly in order to comply with the home's heating requirements in line with Part L of the Building Regulations. This would result in the rooms on the first and second floors getting too hot and there'd be no escaping from the heat! Furthermore, an underfloor heating system would be slow to heat up and therefore not as responsive or instant as the Ecovectors."
The flat-fronted Ecovector is designed along the lines of a low surface temperature radiator and is operated by an almost silent twin-speed fan. It can be fitted to existing heating systems, as well as be used in conjunction with any natural convectors. Research by BSRIA has proven fan convectors to be 24% more energy efficient than standard radiators - a statistic which rises to 31% when running from renewable technologies, such as heat pumps.
Its heat exchanger uses a mere 5% of the water required for an equivalent output radiator. This ensures that it heats up faster and responds quickly to changing heating requirements, dictated by fluctuating environmental changes, making it more energy efficient and cost effective. The Ecovector also draws air in from above and distributes heat from the floor level upwards, which is a first for any fan convector.
For further press information, please contact Lucy Jenkins or David Gibson at Quay West Communications on 01376 563156 or visit www.quay-west.co.uk