HEAT PUMPS | CIBSE AM17 GUIDANCE Thinking big New CIBSE guidance on heat pumps in large non-domestic buildings will be released this summer. Arups Joshua Bird looks at what you can expect from AM17 T he UK is ramping up its activities to shift towards cleaner ways of heating the countrys built environment, and heat pumps are the technology of choice for this transition. Against the backdrop of a long-term energy price crisis, however, the move to all-electric buildings is far from straightforward. Robust standards and guidance to support the industry are needed if the UK is to deliver high-quality heat pump installations, but there is a lack of up-to-date technical information that addresses heat pumps in larger buildings specifically. So, after the success of CIBSEs 2021 guidance AM16 Heat pump installations for multi-unit residential buildings, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has commissioned the Institution to produce guidance on heat pumps for large buildings. CIBSE is working with a team from Arup and a cross-industry steering group to author AM17: Heat pumps for large non-domestic buildings. Since the release of the Heat and Buildings Strategy1, and the target of installing 600,000 heat pumps every year by 2028, the UK government has been developing policies to drive forward the delivery of heat decarbonisation and support businesses to prepare for a clean-heat transformation through the 2020s and into the 2030s. The UK government has consulted on proposals to phase out the installation of new fossil fuel heating systems2 those fuelled by oil, liquefied petroleum gas, or coal in existing businesses and public buildings that are off the gas grid. The government will be publishing a response to this consultation in due course. Configuring systems AM17: Heat pumps for large non-domestic buildings provides an overview of the different heat pump technologies currently available on the market, including air and water source heat pumps. It also highlights the advantages of different ground source heat pump (GSHP) collectors open-loop, vertical and horizontal arrays and the importance of getting specialist advice. Selecting a suitable and future-proofed refrigerant is key to the long-term success of new heat pump systems. The trade-offs between performance and environmental impact of different refrigerants are discussed, including a dedicated section on CO2 heat pumps. The capability of a heat pump to provide high-temperature process heat, or simultaneous heating and cooling, should be a response to the requirements of the building. One configuration is to use heat pumps in series or cascade 42 May 2022 www.cibsejournal.com CIBSE May 22 pp42-44 AM17 Supp.indd 42 22/04/2022 15:29