REPLACE Heating Matrix

When replacing inefficient heating systems, the REPLACE Heating Matrices provide an initial overview: They show which type of heating system based on renewable energy sources or a connection to district heat is most suitable for your single or double family houses or for your larger volume building. What kind of system is recommended depends on the thermal quality of the considered building, i.e the useful heat demand in kWh per m² and year according to the Energy Performance Certificate. The report D4.1 presenting Heating Matrices for both building types for nine European countries can be seen here.

Whether in new construction or renovation: with renewable energy your new heating system – being it an oven, an in-house boiler or a connection to district heat – not only brings cost savings, comfort and cosiness. It also makes a valuable contribution to mitigate climate change and to sustain both, the economic strength of your region and a secure energy supply. And all that with energy from your region: whether solar energy, biomass or ambient heat made available with electricity from water, wind and sun via a heat pump or being it a connection to district heat. 

In each of the nine partner countries, in the two Heating Matrices the heating systems were classified in a traffic light system. The gradation is based on a comprehensive catalogue of criteria, whereby heating comfort, investment costs and CO2 emissions were given high weighting. For example, heating systems with dark green fields have very low CO2 emissions, with low investment costs and high heating comfort. Heating systems with yellow fields are only conditionally recommended, and those with red fields are not recommended – due to non-compliance with the above criteria.

For single and double family houses the Heating Matrices, in addition to the report, are available with an interactive surface from April 2021 on. Here users can navigate through the matrix, select the heating demand class for a building and find the right heating system for her or his house. 

  • Buildings that can be checked range from passive houses over low energy-houses to old or energy inefficient buildings. 
  • Heating systems covered contain e.g. heat pumps, pellet heating, district heating or tiled stoves. 
  • A scale from green over yellow to red indicates which heating system fits best to a certain building type. Look for a green field.
  • Mouse-over info explains what users should look out for when choosing a certain heating system or why exactly a system is recommended or not recommended. 

The overview serves as a basis to then seek professional energy advice and clarify further details. 

Tip: REPLACE recommends having the building envelope and the in-house heat delivery system checked by an energy adviser before changing the heating system. Good thermal insulation of the building envelope, good windows and a hydraulically balanced heat supply prevent heat from being lost and thus significantly reduce both, annual heating costs and the investment required for the new heating system.

You can see the heating matrix on the following site:

The heating matrix is available in the relevant languages:

 
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