A ground breaking experiment by an MSc student at Nottingham Trent University has shown that Quinn Round Top low water content radiators are 5% more energy efficient than similar standard convector radiators.
The research was carried out by Denis Jahic as part of his MSc in Project Management in partnership with Nottingham City Homes (NCH), which manages around 29,000 council houses in the Nottinghamshire area. The experiment compared the performance of Quinn’s Round Top low water content radiators against the standard convector radiators found in many of NCH’s properties. Over the test period, the Quinn radiators made an average saving of 3.138m3 of gas, equating to a 5% energy saving against the standard radiators.
Nick Whitwell, managing director of Quinn Radiators, explains: “Denis Jahic’s very thorough research has already received a commendation from Nottingham Trent University and it was independently monitored by NCH engineers. We know that the way we design and manufacture our low water content radiators makes them more energy efficient than others on the market and now we have evidence to prove it that we can share with installers, specifiers, local authorities and housing associations.
“The average energy bill in this country is over £1,200 a year, 60% of which goes on heating*. So with an average heating bill of £720 per home and a 5% saving on each property, a large social housing organisation like NCH which has 29,000 properties, could save over £1 million each year in heating bills by installing our radiators.”
The research was carried out as part of a Knowledge Transfer Partnership between NCH and Nottingham Trent University. NCH was working with the University to measure the impact of energy efficiency improvements retrofitted through its Secure Warm Modern programme, which aims to bring Nottingham’s 28,300 council homes up to and above the Decent Homes standard by 2015. As part of this Decent Homes impact study, Nottingham City Homes had obtained figures for fuel cost reduction through other measures, such as installing new boilers, but there was no real life data available to demonstrate the impact of replacing radiators. Nottingham Trent student Denis Jahic decided to complete the picture by conducting this innovative experiment for his MSc dissertation project and help NCH discover the potential reduction in fuel bills if it were to retrofit the radiators throughout its properties in Nottinghamshire.
Denis Jahic comments: “I conducted the experiment for my dissertation because I wanted to test Quinn’s statement that their Round Top low water content radiators were more energy efficient than the standard convector radiators found in Nottingham City Homes. With renewable energy still developing, implementing energy efficient products in households is key to reducing CO2 emissions and reducing the cost of annual energy bills which have doubled in the last eight years.
“My conclusions were that Quinn radiators made a 5% saving over the 14 day experiment, proving that they are indeed more energy efficient than standard radiators of a similar type. While a small energy saving can be made in standard homes, it would be a significant saving when spread across many homes. The Office for National Statistics claim that there are 21,660,000 occupied households in the UK. This demonstrates how much energy is used on heating alone and how significant a 5% reduction could be.”
The research consisted of four individual experiments to test the radiators energy usage over the 14 day period. The property already benefitted from an A rated condensing gas boiler and four standard convector radiators. Temperature sensors and a thermal logger were used to obtain temperature readings in and around the property in order to get accurate results and NCH engineers were there to independently verify the amount of gas used.
Steve Cooper, project manager from Nottingham City Homes, comments: “As part of our Decent Homes impact assessment, we knew the reduction in fuel costs achieved through retrofitting new boilers and windows. However, no trials had ever been carried out for radiators and this was the missing piece of the puzzle. The research has proved the cost saving benefits of Quinn low water content radiators and we will continue installing them in our other properties to realise long term savings.
“It was important for our residents to test if the radiators could save energy without changing levels of comfort. The property used was an old bungalow, which wasn’t well insulated and has many air gaps throughout. Our engineers estimate that this 5% figure could rise by 1 to 2% if the property is well insulated with proper heating controls throughout the system.”
Quinn’s low water content radiators, in Round Top, Compact, and LST (Low-Surface Temperature) models, heat up more rapidly than others on the market, thereby quickly bringing the room up to the required temperature and maintaining it more easily. This is because the narrow water channels ensure a high yield and faster heating. They are also perfectly compatible with renewable energy systems for even greater efficiency.
Nick Whitwell, from Quinn Radiators, adds: “The highest user of energy in a standard property is the heating system with a usage of 60%, followed by the hot water at 24%*. We all recognise the importance of choosing energy efficient white goods, which in reality only accounts for a few percent of total energy use, yet the greatest savings can be made on the heating system and this research shows that radiators have an important part to play.
“This 5% saving was seen against modern radiators with fins, so just imagine what the figure would look like against an old style finless product. The findings can be used by installers, specifiers, housing associations and local authorities alike to demonstrate the benefit of fitting our low water content radiators. No one measure alone can reduce household energy usage but this can make a significant contribution by giving more efficiency without reducing comfort levels.”
