Imagine installing a heat pump without changing any pipes, radiators or the hot water cylinder. Sounds impossible? Well, maybe not….
Introducing the newest tool in our effort to scale renewables - Adia
As homeowners across the UK grapple with the challenges of transitioning to sustainable heating solutions, the Adia unit helps take the sting out of hefty upgrades.
With its ability to integrate seamlessly into existing radiators and pipework, the Adia unit offers a cost-effective, minimally disruptive pathway to decarbonising home heating. Here's how this groundbreaking system addresses common barriers and paves the way for efficient, and faster home decarbonisation.
Addressing Common Home Heating Challenges
Older homes often pose unique obstacles to upgrading heating systems. From sealed floors and solid brick walls to odd-sized radiators and the lack of suitable locations for a hot water cylinder, these challenges can complicate the installation of modern heat pumps. In addition, replacing existing infrastructure—like radiators or pipework—not only adds to the cost but also requires extensive redecorating, which many homeowners prefer to avoid.
Adia: A Seamless Upgrade Solution
Adia offers a transformative approach by enabling the installation of heat pumps without replacing radiators or existing pipework. Designed for minimal disruption, the installation process typically involves only minor upheaval (compared to most installations) to connect the heat pump to a hot water cylinder. This streamlined setup helps overcome the reluctance associated with home renovations, allowing more households to make the switch to greener energy.
How the Adia System Works
At the heart of the Adia system is its innovative “Hub,” which acts as a smart hydraulic interface. This Hub manages power, flow temperature, and hot water delivery, optimizing the system’s performance. Key features include:
- Flow Balancing: Using smart thermostats and flow-balancing valves, the system distributes heat evenly across rooms. Machine learning predicts and adjusts flow based on user preferences, preventing overheating in spaces with high solar gains and maximising energy efficiency.
- Room-by-Room Control: Ambient temperature sensors in each room allow for precise zoning. Homeowners can set different temperatures in different spaces, with a clear view of how this affects energy costs via an easy-to-use app.
- Load and Weather Compensation: By combining weather data with room-specific heat loss measurements, the system ensures optimal heating for comfort and cost savings.
- Open loop theory and calculated system volume availability for minimised cycling and optimum defrost, other zoned systems often ignore these crucial aspects.
Hot Water Innovations
The Adia system also excels in managing domestic hot water needs:
- Off peak tariffs can be utilised to dramatically reduce hot water generation, some seeing savings of 75%.
- Existing cylinders can be retained with plate loading or standard lower surface area coils as the cost to heat is reduced.
For homeowners with aging hot water cylinders, replacing them as part of the upgrade can save money, reduce embodied carbon, and minimise waste—an investment typically costing around £2,500 but with significant long-term benefits.
Cutting-Edge Technology for Efficiency
The Adia unit integrates advanced technology to enhance heating system performance and adaptability:
- Zoned Heating with Transparency: Users can adjust heating preferences and instantly see the impact on energy consumption and ROI.
- R290 High-Temperature Heat Pumps: By incorporating natural refrigerants, these heat pumps deliver higher operating temperatures, enabling compatibility with older radiator systems.
- Smart Adaptability: The system dynamically adjusts to changes in the home, such as improved insulation or radiator upgrades, without requiring manual recalibration or system redesigns.
- Calculated efficiency: Adia provides a report to show which parts of the system will save you money after an upgrade. Take the guesswork out of it and use real measured data to only improve what is necessary.
Streamlined Installation Process
Traditional heat pump installations can be time-intensive and invasive, often hindered by complex pipework or the need for highly skilled engineers.
We recognise that costly and messy work under the floors and elsewhere in your home are two of the main barriers to choosing a heat pump over a boiler.
The Adia unit simplifies the process, with minimal work reducing installation timelines and upheaval as floors are mostly left and the existing pipework is retained.
Importantly, this is not a replacement for an accurate heat loss calculation or important efficiency upgrades. Adia takes a different approach by measuring, in real time the required power in each room and only providing the energy needed with less cycling and waste.
Built for Reliability
Quality and durability are at the core of the Adia unit. With components sourced from trusted brands like Grundfos (pump) and ESBE (diverter valve), the system ensures reliability and ease of installation.
A Collaborative Approach
The Adia system currently supports multiple heat pump brands, including Samsung, Midea and Clivet, with compatibility expanding over time.
Driving Decarbonisation for customers with Distress Purchases
One of the key opportunities for reducing carbon emissions in home heating lies in capturing “distress purchases” of boilers—unexpected replacements triggered by system failures. With its ease of installation and adaptability, the Adia unit positions itself as a leading choice for these critical moments, helping homeowners transition to greener energy without delay.
Rather than needing to replace s large portion of the pipes and emitters, we can fit the heat pump with minimal disruption. Following this a test procedure is performed over weeks or months (depending on season) to provide a report showing crucial upgrades
A Greener, Smarter Future
The Adia unit represents a significant step forward in the journey toward considered decarbonised home heating. We have long known that measurement is more accurate than calculation in home heating and now we have a way to bundle that with comfort.
By addressing installation challenges, optimising energy efficiency, and offering a cost-effective solution, Adia empowers homeowners to embrace sustainable living while saving money and enhancing comfort.
