Bulk market manager Laura Luty of Calor explains the benefits of using LPG in commercial buildings
In line with the government's aim to reduce carbon emissions, the heating products and fuels used in commercial buildings have come under intense scrutiny during recent years.

However, the main talking point has been urban properties, with little consideration for the commercial buildings located in rural, off-mains-gas areas. Leading LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) supplier Calor is lobbying government to make sure rural premises have a voice in the carbon emissions debate.

There are around 600,000 commercial premises located in off-mains-gas areas, along with approximately 1.7M domestic dwellings. Commercial buildings, ranging from restaurants, hotels, pubs, leisure centres and holiday parks to offices, factories, hospitals, processing plants and farms will rely on oil, LPG, electricity or solid fuel for their heating, hot water and, if required, cooking - opting for just one fuel or occasionally a mixture.

In the past, decisions about fuel choice - which are made by either the heating specifier or consultant, or sometimes the building owner - all too often came down to cost. But we are now finding that decisions are based on other important factors, such as flexibility, convenience, storage options and, increasingly, the environment and carbon emissions.

Previously, oil has been a popular choice but now LPG's benefits are becoming more widely understood. It's a very flexible and versatile fuel - it can be used for space and water heating as well as cooking. For cooking, LPG provides a real flame, just like mains gas, an important benefit for restaurants, hotels and pubs, as most professional chefs prefer the controllability and performance of a gas hob.

And, for environmental reasons, LPG is a sensible choice for rural business owners. Both LPG and oil have to be stored in an outside tank (with LPG there is also the option to store the tank below the ground). But oil spillages from storage tanks are a serious environmental concern, as the way it spreads means even a small quantity can cause serious harm. In fact five litres could cover a small lake*.

Because of the environmental consequences the storage of oil poses, pollution legislation and spillage prevention campaigns have been in place for some years, with the Control of Pollution (Oil Storage) Regulations coming into full effect in September 2005. The legislation specifies that commercial tanks with a capacity of 200 litres or more must be bunded (have a secondary containment)**.

This is something that must be taken seriously, as oil leaks can become serious, expensive issue for commercial property owners, as well as installers. When an oil spillage occurs, the council can declare the ground contaminated under the Environmental Protection Act and commercial businesses can face unlimited fines. Installers can also become liable for oil spillages if they have not followed legislation regarding bunding, risk assessments or registration.

In 2006, the Environment Agency was notified of more than 1,200 oil spillages, around 90 at commercial properties***.

* According to the Environment Agency.

** Bunding or secondary containment should prevent oil escaping from the tank, pipework and/or equipment, and must be large enough to contain 110%t of the maximum contents of the tank. Secondary containment must be impermeable to oil and water, with no drain valves. Any holes which pipes pass through must be carefully sealed.

*** According to the Environment Agency's National Incident Recording System, May 2007.

However, the true figure might be higher, as it's estimated that only a third of all oil leaks are reported.

With LPG there is no risk of ground or water pollution; any spillages from a storage tank would simply vaporise, leaving no contamination. In fact there has not been one single incident of soil or a water-course being contaminated as a direct result of an LPG leak. Customers can also rest assured Calor takes responsibility for tank installation, inspection and maintenance, as well as providing adequate insurance.

Where carbon emissions are concerned, LPG comes out more favourably too. Official figures state LPG has the lowest carbon emissions of all the fossil fuels available in rural areas. In fact, LPG emits 20% less CO2 than heating oil.

Heating specifiers and consultants might be concerned about product availability for off-mains-gas applications. However, many leading heating manufacturers take the LPG market very seriously, and have worked to ensure LPG models of their boilers and water heaters are available, as well as conversion kits. Installers will find LPG products are similar to their natural gas counterparts, as are the installation and legislative requirements.

Renewable solutions

There are renewable and low-carbon solutions too which are obviously becoming more important for commercial buildings. LPG can be used in conjunction with solar thermal water heating technology, where the fuel is used for supplementary water heating. Calor has been working with leading heating manufacturers, and LPG compatible solar thermal water heating systems are already available. Grants for this type of scheme can be obtained from government or through the EEC (Energy Efficiency Commitments).

LPG is also an ideal fuel for combined heat and power (CHP) units, which simultaneously generate electricity and produce heat at the point of use. The company feels that small-scale CHP offers a very promising 'green' solution for leisure and commercial premises.

In very simple terms, a CHP unit generates electricity from a single fuel, for example LPG, and uses the heat produced in the generation process as thermal energy for space and/or water heating. In conventional centralised power generation this heat would normally be discharged to the atmosphere and wasted, and there would be additional electricity transmission losses.


For businesses that want cooling as well as heating but have limited electricity supply and no access to mains gas, the Sanyo Gas Heat Pump is an ideal solution. This is appropriate for hotels, leisure centres and holiday parks. A gas powered internal combustion engine drives a refrigeration compressor, with the unit delivering environmentally friendly heat while providing energy efficient, innovative air conditioning. The unit is 160% efficient in heating and 130% efficient in cooling. These units are also ideal for urban commercial buildings which are unable to have traditional air conditioning systems installed, for example, because the electricity supply is limited.

Government's continued focus on climate change is encouraging heating consultants and specifiers to analyse their fuel choices more closely.

And, at a time when it is essential to reduce carbon emissions and our impact on the environment, LPG stands out as the only sensible choice for off-mains-gas rural areas - because it has the lowest carbon emissions of all fossil fuels available in rural areas, and can be successfully integrated with renewable and low-carbon solutions.