Consider the following in developing your solar HVAC design:
All-electric House Design
Take a holistic approach to the solar HVAC design for your all-electric house.
Let Hydrosol assist with your heating, ventilation and cooling design to maximize the benefit from your solar power. Consider also the thermal performance of your house.
For solar HVAC and water heating designs to work effectively with your solar power, your house needs to be energy efficient.
Undertake an indicative thermal performance assessment (Star Rating) as soon as possible in the design process. The initial result may cause you to revise your building design.
Energy Efficient Design
Seek advice on how best to achieve the Australian NatHERS 7 Star standard. Consider these important factors because they affect your thermal performance assessment significantly:
- Location climate (whether your house is being designed mainly for heating or cooling)
- House orientation to the sun and prevailing wind
- Shading in winter and summer
- The internal mass of your house
- The amount and type of windows, frames and glazing
- Insulation of ceilings, walls and floors
- Thermal bridging
- Air tightness
- Ceiling fans
Hydronic Heat Pumps and Air Conditioning
Consider whether a hydronic heat pump and/or air conditioning is better for your solar HVAC design. If your house is well sealed, you may require heat recovery ventilation as well.
Hydronic heat pumps are a good option for southern or inland Australian locations with cool winters and low humidity. This is where heating is required more than cooling.
Hydronic heat pumps can be run using your solar power during the day and in reverse-cycle for hydronic cooling.
Air Conditioning
Air-to-air conditioning is the go-to option for northern Australian locations where cooling is needed more than heating and dehumidification is also needed.
Air conditioners can also run using your solar power during the day.
A combination of hydronic heat pumps and air conditioners may make good sense, particularly for two-storey dwellings in southern locations.
Solar Power
Install solar panels with a string inverter if your roof has unshaded sunlight. Choose a micro-inverter system if your roof has shading. If possible, orient your panels to the north, although west and east are also cost-effective with higher performing panels.
Heat pumps are ideal with solar power because they typically deliver heating or cooling 4 or 5 times greater than their power they use. Incorporate high internal building mass into your building design. This allows heating or cooling generated during the day using your solar power to be stored for release during the evening.
Your heat pumps and air conditioners can largely be run from your own solar power if you have good home design.
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Energy Recovery Ventilation
Explore adding heat recovery ventilation (HRV) if your home is designed to a high energy efficiency standard.
New builds and renovations with 7+ Star Rating are well insulated and well sealed. This makes a strong case for adding HRV ventilation to keep your home feeling fresh and airy without opening windows.
Consider retrofitting decentralised HRV units if you are concerned about air quality or mould inside. You can install up to 4 pairs of HRV units connected to a single system controller.
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Off-grid Homes
You need to consider more carefully your heating, cooling and water heating needs if you have an off-grid home. This is because heating, cooling and water heating represent about 70% of your home’s energy needs.
If you have plenty of wood available, then you may want to use that for heating. However, heat pumps can provide a reliable back up for wood heating. They will standby and automatically switch on to add to the heating load as required then switch off. Also, their reverse cooling ability provides very efficient and low cost cooling in summer, particularly if you run them with ceiling fans on.
Pool and Spa Heating
Consider a heat pump for heating your pool or spa. They do not take up roof space that could otherwise be used for solar panels. Also, they can extract heat from the air even when it’s cold, raining or dark. They are ideal for heating during shoulder seasons to extend your swimming season.
Your hydronic heat pump may be suitable for heating your pool or spa if your water volume is less than 30,000 litres. It will need a suitable external heat exchanger and additional hydronic circuit added to your hydronic heat pump system.
If your pool is larger than 30,000 litres, then a dedicated pool heat pump may be more appropriate. Contact us to explore your best option.
Explore your needs
Explore your needs from the beginning of your project. Let us develop a concept design with you well before planning approval. Re-iterate this inexpensively until you are satisfied with your solar HVAC design. This will reduce your project design costs, particularly if it avoids having to make revisions later. See our process map below.
Send us information about your project, your preferences and your building plans. We will be happy to review this and explore HVAC options with you.
Quick Quote
To gain an initial idea of what your HVAC options might cost, use our Quick Quote configurator. Contact us to review your Quick Quote and explore different approaches that may vary this pricing.
Consulting Service
Contact us to look at your specific project needs. Our consulting service involves the following:
- Review of your project objectives, preferences, building plans, energy efficiency and any other documents, power supply, and solar system
- Concept design, discussion and design iteration
- Product specification that may be included in your building plans
- Installer referral and coordination
- Check on project outcomes after commissioning
- Assistance with setting up after-sales support if required
The referral includes your Indicative Quote to be used as the basis for your Final Quote.
Our Design Process
Understanding your needs
We know that every client and project is different so we start by understanding your needs, priorities and vision for your build.
We then develop an indicative supply and installation quote to consider taking account of your preferences, budget, building design, site issues and timing.
Design
The design stage looks at equipment specification as well as outdoor and indoor equipment siting or layout.
Your power supply including solar power is part of your whole electric heating and cooling solution.
Products
We only recommend the best heating, cooling and ventilation products available.
We want you to be very happy with your system so we only use quality equipment with proven reliability, local Australian support and good product warranties.
Installation
We work with the best and most experienced installers. The installation process starts at the beginning of the build with project planning and design work, followed by the rough-in of plumbing pipes and electrical cables. Towards the end of the build, equipment is installed and connected to power and plumbing.
Commissioning
Once everything has been installed, your system is tuned and commissioned.
If available, your system will be connected to your home WIFI. This enables control and monitoring through your electronic devices.
After Sales Support
We recognise that you have made a significant investment in heating, cooling, ventilation and/or water heating and that you want your system/s to function optimally for many years.
Our equipment suppliers are all leading companies with service desks for support. They will be happy to deal with any warranty issues.
Consider a service plan with your installer to ensure optimal performance of your system/s.