Care home residents soak up solar-heated water

Friday, 16 April 2010

Meridian Healthcare Ltd, independent provider of care services for older people, has installed 570 Kingspan Solar DF100 Thermomax solar thermal vacuum tubes to service the hot water needs of its latest development, the Roby Lodge centre.

This purpose-built two storey nursing home now boasts a grand-scale Thermomax vacuum tube installation, which spans 80 square metres of its south-facing roof, heating two 1,700 litre cylinders.

The vacuum tubes generate up to 70 per cent of the centre’s hot water needs all-year-round, catering for its 40 en-suite bedrooms, large kitchen, hairdressing salon and specialised bathing and showering facilities. The technology also significantly reduces the home’s carbon footprint and energy bills.

The home was given a target from the local planning authority to generate 10 per cent of the building’s energy using renewable technology. With solar thermal the most cost-effective, affordable renewable energy technology currently available, it was an obvious choice for renewable energy specialists MG Renewables, who specified and installed the Thermomax tubes: “Roby Lodge needed a solar solution that was financially viable, highly effective and extremely reliable,” comments MG Renewables Managing Director Martin Dowd. “Thermomax vacuum tubes were the perfect solution. Not only do they lead the market in terms of efficiency, they also deliver high performance levels throughout the year, whatever the weather condition.”

Specifically designed and manufactured to operate in Northern European climates, Thermomax solar thermal collectors use vacuum technology to deliver an unrivalled transfer of solar energy into heat. The vacuum within the tubes provides a high level of insulation, which protects the system from outside influences, such as cold, wet or windy weather, ensuring consistent, high levels of performance are achieved. They also allow energy from the sun to be collected efficiently and effectively, so that solar-heated water can be delivered swiftly. This rapid conductivity and transfer of energy into heat means the vacuum tube collectors are up to 30 per cent more effective than traditional flat panel equivalents. Thermomax tubes are both fast and simple to install due to their unique ‘plug and play’ design and are perfect for flexible building integration, allowing for installations on sloping roofs, flat roofs or façades.

Continues Martin Dowd: “One of the key benefits of working with Kingspan Solar is that they supply complete solar package solutions and are on hand to provide professional bespoke design for each specific application. Our installers at MG Renewables are also Kingspan Solar Accredited Installers, which means our customers can enjoy complete peace-of-mind that not only will the job be done in line with industry Best Practice, they will also receive the highest standards of conduct, workmanship and customer service.”