In this blog series we look at just how easy it is for property developers to incorporate heat pumps into their latest housing developments. We are following a live project for 5 plots in Yorkshire with one of our regular developer customers, and describe each stage of the journey, highlighting how Alto Energy can bring value and convenience to your project.
Step 4: Commissioning & MCS Sign Off
So just to recap: at this point we have priced up the project for the developer and orders have been placed; we have carried out in-depth design work for both the heat pump and the associated distribution and hot water systems, and we have supplied the heat pump products to site according to the developer’s call off schedule.
The developer’s own installers - which will usually be your regular plumbing and heating installer that you traditionally work with on previous developments with traditional heating systems - have then installed the heating systems with the help of Alto Energy’s schematics, free heat pump training and unlimited telephone technical support. Once this is completed, all that needs to happen is for our commissioning engineer to come to site, check everything over, and sign it off!
Commissioning
Every single heat pump designed and supplied by Alto Energy is commissioned by one of our own employed heat pump engineers. We believe we employ some of the most skilled and experienced heat pump engineers in the country. And the reason we ensure that every single heat pump is physically inspected and commissioned by our engineers is because once we sign it off, we then take responsibility for that heat pump system and provide comprehensive warranties and aftercare to the new homeowner.
Quality Control
Our engineer will visit site at a time convenient to you, the developer, and more often than not will join your installer on site so that everything can be checked over together. Our engineer will work with your installer to check over all the mechanical and electrical elements of the installation to make sure it has all been done according to the installation manuals. Often we will find little mistakes or misunderstandings, especially with new installers, but this isn’t a problem. We’ll work with your installer to get these things put right there and then. This not only ensures that everything is by the book, but also acts as a further learning opportunity for installers, particular if this is something they’re doing for the first time.
Heat Pump Setup
Once we’ve completed the physical inspection our engineer will then commission the heat pump and get it up and running. From here, he will then configure all the settings to according to our design parameters, and get the heat pump working as efficiently as possible. Settings can always be tweaked later, but our engineers generally set them up in the optimal way.
“We believe that our commitment to quality control and commissioning is mutually beneficial to us, to the developer and most importantly, to the new homeowner. ”
Sign Off For Warranty
Once the heat pump is fully commissioned, our engineer completes a final sign off to commence the warranty on the heat pump. Warranties on heat pump products are comprehensive - a minimum of 5 years on all heat pump products that we supply - and this is to provide the end user (and the developer!) with confidence in the products, and that they will perform as intended.
We believe that our commitment to quality control and commissioning is mutually beneficial to us, to the developer and most importantly, to the new homeowner.
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MCS Sign Off & Handover Pack
After commissioning, all of our engineers paperwork is returned to the office. Every single heat pump that we commission is provided with a comprehensive handover pack containing multiple documents relating to the installation.
MCS & BUILDING CONTROL
Alto Energy is an MCS accredited installer. This means that when we commission and sign off the installation, we are confirming that the installation has been completed to the stringent MCS standards for design, installation and performance of the heat pump system. This gives the customer ultimate peace of mind.
As part of our sign off, we issue a MCS certificate, as well as a Building Control certificate for the installation of the heat pump system, both of which are incorporated into the handover pack.
Warranty Registration
Following the engineer’s sign off, we register the warranty for the heat pump system. This is registered with the manufacturer. All heat pumps supplied by Alto Energy come with a minimum 5 year warranty. Details of the warranty cover and the terms and conditions and incorporated in the handover pack.
Heat Pump Handover Pack
Alto Energy’s unique business model has been designed specifically to work alongside installers, self builders and developers. In addition to supporting your on-site trades with the installation by offering free training, detailed schematics and unlimited technical support, every single installation is inspected, commissioned and signed off by one of our own engineers.
This process means that our handover pack - which you receive once everything is signed off and completed - contains a comprehensive suite of guarantees. The beneficiary of these guarantees is the homeowner, which gives you the peace of mind as the housebuilder that your customers will be well looked after when they move in and enjoy their new homes.
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Example Installations
Below you will find some example installations, which have been carried out on new build projects under our MCS umbrella scheme.
Example Ground Source Heat Pump Installation
Example Air Source Heat Pump Installation
Next Steps
Once the heat pump is installed, the next step is aftercare. This starts from the point at which the new homeowner moves in, at which point we have a relationship directly with the homeowner, who will benefit from our comprehensive aftercare service. You can read more about this in the next blog in this series.
Housing Developments With Heat Pumps Blog Series
Our Experience
At Alto Energy we have huge and demonstrable experience working with a number of house builders throughout the country. See below just a few other developments where we have designed and supplied heat pump systems:
19x air source heat pumps on a development of 3 & 4 bed homes in Worcestershire
6x ground source heat pumps and underfloor heating on a barn-conversion development in Oxfordshire
17x air source heat pumps and underfloor heating on a development of 2 – 5 bed homes in Warwickshire
14x air source heat pumps on a development of flats in North London
7x air source heat pumps on a development of off-plan builds in Cheshire
4x air source heat pumps on a development of new builds in Cornwall
5x air source heat pumps for 2 separate new build developments in Warwickshire
