Gledhill mCHP System Meets Planners ‘Renewable Energy’ Demands For Antler Homes
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A new development of 10 luxury homes created by Antler in Surrey is using a micro combined heat and power system controlled by the Gledhill BoilerMate mCHP unit to meet local authority requirements for new homes using renewable or alternative energy sources. Luxury home created by Antler in Surrey.
The Parkfield Gardens development of 4 and 5 bedroom houses at Shirley in Croydon is the first to use mCHP, and selection of the system by Antler was driven by the council’s planning conditions.

Group technical director Martin Stamp explained that the company had initially looked at solar panels but the presence of mature trees on the site significantly reduced the effectiveness of the system. He was introduced to the mCHP system through Gledhill Water Storage which has pioneered a system designed for new homes using the Whispergen unit supplied by Powergen.

The outstanding energy efficiency of the system persuaded the planners in Croydon to accept the system, along with the use of photo voltaic solar panels on two of the homes that could extract the maximum benefit from their installation. The mCHP systems have also helped Antler to achieve the top Eco Homes rating for Parkfield Gardens.

BoilerMate mCHP links to a gas powered domestic mCHP ‘engine’ which replaces a conventional boiler to provide both heat and sufficient electricity for the family home. The BoilerMate microprocessor monitors energy use for heat and hot water within the home and modulates the running of the mCHP engine to maximise its energy efficiency. The store will decide when energy input is needed to maintain the availability of heat for hot water and space heating and runs the mCHP engine accordingly.

Electricity that is generated along with the heat can be used for running appliances or lights in the home, or fed back into the national grid through a two-way meter to create a ‘power credit’ on which the home can draw if it needs electricity when the mCHP engine is not running.

 Antler has for a number of years used the original BoilerMate thermal storage appliances to deliver rapid response central heating and mains pressure ‘power shower’ domestic hot water, and the central role played by BoilerMate in the mCHP system was a major element in its choice for Parkfield Gardens.

Martin Stamp says: “The mCHP system shown to us by Gledhill provided a very practical solution, delivering the high standard of heating and hot water that our customers expect while also meeting the environmental concerns of the local authority. It is estimated that the mCHP system will meet between 16% and 17% of the energy needs of the new homes and save up to 2 tonnes of carbon emissions per year for each house.

BoilerMate mCHP is one of a range of appliances designed by Gledhill to maximise the efficiency of different types of alternative and renewable energy sources, and enable their use by mainstream new home builders. The systems can also be used on systems incorporating solar panels and heat pumps.

Importantly, all the BoilerMate appliances are also equipped with Gledhill’s unique SWITCH stand-by electrical ‘boiler’ power unit to supplement the heat output of the mCHP engine, solar panels or heat pump, ensuring that in periods of high simultaneous demand, the householder is never without hot water or heating. In the event of the primary energy sources failing to operate for any reason, SWITCH can also provide back-up heating and hot water.

For more information on the BoilerMate mCHP appliance or the company’s range of domestic heating and hot water appliances call 01253 474444