Naas homes feature Daikin Altherma heat pumps

This article was originally published in issue 26 of Passive House Plus magazine. Want immediate access to all back issues and exclusive extra content? Click here to subscribe for as little as €10, or click here to receive the next issue free of charge

Developed by Ballymore, Stoneleigh will feature 123 two, three and four-bed houses. All of the houses are A3-rated and feature the EcoWall timber frame system from IJM Timber Frame. The dwellings boast an average airtightness score of circa 1.5 m3/h/m2.

Speaking to Passive House Plus, Stoneleigh homeowner Barry Hennessy said he was impressed with how comfortable his new home is.

“The temperature is very uniform,” he says. “It stays the same all the time, and it’s warm. It hasn’t really changed from when the snow was [in February] there up until now.

“Anyone who’s come into the house has said it’s lovely and warm. It’s not too hot and not too cold, it’s just at a good temperature.”

The houses feature Daikin’s floor-standing split Altherma heat pumps with integrated hot water tank. These combine the tank and the heat pump in one sleek fridge-like unit. The integrated hot water tank delivers 50% more heat retention than a standard tank, according to Daikin.

The Altherma heat pumps boast an A++ efficiency label for space heating, and an A-rating for hot water production. The units can also provide cooling, too, if needed. They deliver heat through wall-mounted aluminium radiators, and can be controlled by an intuitive interactive panel and digital thermostats in each room. They come fully pre-plumbed for ease of installation, with no third-party components necessary.

Computer simulations by Daikin estimate that the annual cost to run an Altherma system for a typical house at Stoneleigh, with four occupants, is just one-third the cost of heating the same house directly with electricity — and 35% less than heating it with gas.

“Daikin heat pumps can help specifiers to comply with new building regulations and ensure lower energy bills— all from one clean, simple renewable energy system,” said John O’Shaughnessy, heating manager at Daikin Ireland.

“While tightening regulations may have pushed up the overall cost of construction in recent times, ultimately the end product is higher quality, warmer and more comfortable homes — which are an easier sell for developers."