HEART Components

Multifunctional external thermal insulation

The thermal insulation façade consists of pre-shaped and pre-drilled panels. This means that installing the panels is quick, compared to standard insulation. Other advantages include versatility, high insulating capability, and lower costs, making the multifunctional façade an attractive option for market uptake.

The lightweight panel consists of a low-conductivity composite insulation layer and two thin layers of steel. Alongside thermal insulation, the panels offer additional functionality, such as pre-drilled hollows for integrating the DC bus (to interconnect the PV modules, the heat pump, and the fan coil units), pipes, and sensors.

Retrofit strategies for better insulated windows

HEART includes several retrofit techniques and accessories/parts for improving the thermal performance of windows. These are designed to be used for existing window openings and include cost-effective and easy-to-apply technologies, such as high-performance double glazing, new frame elements/encasements, and advanced coatings/films for glass.

Smart fan coil

HEART includes several retrofit techniques and accessories/parts for improving the thermal performance of windows. These are designed to be used for existing window openings and include cost-effective and easy-to-apply technologies, such as high-performance double glazing, new frame elements/encasements, and advanced coatings/films for glass.

Hydronic air-to-water direct current modular heat pump

HEART has developed a heat pump system with several innovations. Firstly, the heat pump comes equipped with a high-efficiency modulating direct current (DC) compressor. This means that the photovoltaics (PV) system can be DC-coupled with the heat pump. With no need to convert to AC (alternating current), the internal inverter can be eliminated, increasing the overall system efficiency.

Secondly, the heat pump is designed to be coupled with an advanced low-noise remote air source heat exchanger. This means that the heat pump itself can be installed in small spaces within the building and that the air source heat exchanger can be installed in an appropriate outdoor location. The heat pump unit has a modular structure, so that other modules can be connected using plug-and-play hydraulic/electric connections.

Cloud-based DSS and BEMS

HEART’s cloud-based decision support system (DSS) and building energy management system (BEMS) represent a useful multi-user operational tool to support the whole building retrofit intervention, from decision-making, through the design phase to the operational phase.
This allows the tenants and energy managers to access both low-level measured (operational) data and high-level analytics. These dual information flows are what make HEART different from other commercial systems. Analytics are presented in customised interfaces that communicate information about the building system’s performance; the data comes via specially designed gateways. The gateways enable data acquisition from multiple sources, and communication between devices (via Narrowband IoT), the electric grid (enabling smart grid interaction), and external monitoring services (such as weather forecasting).

Universal PV tiles

These are large tiles with a modular design and an innovative snap-in mounting frame made of recycled plastic. The tiles are lightweight, easy to handle and install. They can be easily adapted for the most common roofing types of residential buildings.

ADAPTIVE PREDICTIVEENERGY MODEL

ADAPTIVE PREDICTIVEENERGY MODEL

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Synoptic Outline

Synoptic Outline

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