The Building & Engineering Services Association (B&ES) has updated its good practice guide to heat pumps, TR30.
The 50-page guide is designed to help building services engineers specify, design and install heat pump systems. These systems are usually based on packaged heat pump equipment where components and controls for the refrigerant circuits are pre-assembled and tested. The emphasis in the guide is therefore on the installation of these packages within the overall heating and cooling system.

TR30: Guide to Good Practice - Heat Pumps covers packaged heat pumps with electrically driven compressors, usually found in housing and small commercial premises.

Head of technical and safety at B&ES, Bob Towse, said: 'Heat pumps are important in many space heating and domestic hot water applications and are increasingly used as an alternative to conventional boilers.

'The amount of heat produced by heat pumps is greater than the energy used to drive the process so the cost of heat provided by a heat pump can be less than the cost of heat provided by a boiler, even though the cost of electricity is greater than alternative fuel sources. However, this depends on the installation parameters and these are comprehensively discussed in TR30.'

Mr Towse added: 'The document also provides an overview of the different heat pump applications with their benefits and limitations, as well as giving some outline design information for each of them.'

For more information or to buy a copy of the guide call B&ES Publications on 01768 860405, or visit www.b-espublications.co.uk