Retrofitting Historic Buildings - Westminster City Council

Ground source heat pumpsDoesBuildingRegsapply?Is this work a requirement triggeredby Part L1B?http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/br/BR_PDF_ADL1B_2010.pdfPermissions and consentsDisruption Risks Unlisted within a Listed buildingconservation areaUnlisted outside aconservation areaYes.Acompetentpersonschemeapplies.Heating systems are a ‘controlledservice’ under Part L1B.Work should comply with the“Domestic Building ServicesCompliance Guide”.http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/br/domestic_building_compliance_guide_2010.pdfMedium-High Low Permitteddevelopment fordwellinghouses 48(including buildingswholly consisting offlats)Listed buildingconsent wouldbe required.Permitted development fordwellinghouses 49 (includingbuildings wholly consisting offlats)Ground source heat pumps consist of pipes underneath theground which extract warmth to supply heating or hot water to abuilding. It consists of a loop of pipes filled with water andantifreeze, laid horizontally, in a trench or vertically (up to 100mdeep). The fluid in the pipes warms up and passes through aheat exchanger in the heat pump converting it to high gradeheat.Heat pumps require electricity to run, so are not strictly speakingrenewable, but are a low carbon source of energy. These arebest suited to buildings that are fairly air-tight, with goodinsulation levels, and not on the gas-grid 50 , as they produce lessheat than a conventional boiler. Therefore it works better withunderfloor heating than with radiators (which would becomewarm rather than hot). Alternatively radiators would need to beoversized. When used to heat water a backup system may berequired to provide top up heat.Ground source heat pumps are ‘permitted development’ fordwellinghouses, although for listed buildings, listed buildingconsent would be required, where the works affect the building’scharacter as one of special architectural or historical interest.42