Heating Systems

A boiler is a device designed to produce steam or heat water and can be used to provide space and water heating for houses and buildings. Most of the heating systems use the natural gas-fired burner (like gas boilers) as the main heating source. Some of the heating systems use oil fired burners and electric resistance heaters instead. In some particular cases, steam can be favoured over hot water. Boilers have numerous advantages that have made them a standard component of buildings. Most of them have a long life and efficiencies that can rise to 95% or higher (Condensing boilers).

Boilers are an effective way of heating a building and in the case of steam systems, they need minimum or no pumping energy. Steam can hold 5 to 6 times more heat energy than water. Generated at high pressure, it can produce high temperature and energy. Steam is easy to control – it is environmentally friendly and hygienic. For this reason, a boiler is often considered as a valuable investment when looking for ways to reduce energy use and save money.

Furnaces are used widely in residential buildings for low heating capacity and the condensing furnaces have presented the efficiencies around 90% with fast and easy installation in indoor spaces with minimal noise.

The heat pumps not only provide cooling but they could provide sufficient heating to residential and commercial building at any capacity. They are 3-4 times more efficient than and any other heating systems and all the cities recommend and in some cases, mandate using heat pumps in order to reduce the GHG emission and provide some incentive for doing so. (Please refer to Cooling page for more details on heat pumps).

The hot water Tanks are used to provide domestic hot water to residents and they could work independently and in junction with boilers via a heat exchanger.

The hot water tanks could be electric, gas fired, or heat pump hot water tank.

The energy consumption in heat pump hot water tank is very desirable compared to electric ones and produces zero GHG make them a net zero candidates.