Kensa Engineering has won the Product Innovation of the Year award for its innovative Shoebox Heat Pump at this year's National Heat Pump Awards, which were held at the International Conference Centre in Birmingham on 16 May.
Described as 'an ultra small and ultra quiet heat pump', the Shoebox provides an alternative to traditional gas boiler installations in apartments and smaller new build houses.
In addition, the recommended Shoebox system architecture features a communal ground array which satisfies the requirements of a district heating system allowing installations to benefit from Phase One of the RHI.
Simon Lomax, managing director of Kensa Engineering, said: 'It is virtually certain that new build housing will be excluded from the domestic phase of the RHI so we wanted to launch a system that could attract support through the existing Phase One; this was the driver for the communal ground array design.'
He continued: 'Unlike air source heat pumps which must secure permitted development rights or planning permission, ground source heat pumps can be routinely installed. They also deliver the lowest possible running costs of any renewable heating system which means that developers can secure premium prices from purchasers seeking low energy cost homes.'