The Hydronic Energy Hub – Reduce your carbon footprint and get one step closer to a carbon neutral home!
The Solamander® Hydronic Energy Hub achieves an optimum and pleasant indoor environment with comfort heating on demand throughout the year. This system has been designed to be an environmentally sound and sustainable solution that offsets household greenhouse gas emissions and allows residential home owners to get one step closer to a carbon neutral house.
The system can prioritise renewable energy sources over non renewable energy sources to ensure minimal energy wastage. The prioritisation of renewable energy sources like solar power reduces the energy costs associated with domestic hot water and other heating related utility bills.
Overview:
The key component to the delivery and management of the energy in this system is a ‘Hub’ or ‘Loop’ where the water flows around in one direction and is diverted to the energy sources, storage facilities (tank and floor) and energy uses.
Renewable energy sources can be prioritized to make effective use of the free energy first and the most expensive energy source last.
Energy sources can be easily prioritised as desired and new energy sources and uses can be added without re-plumbing the hub.
Combining multiple energy sources and uses through the Hydronic Energy Hub is more cost effective than current solutions on the market.
The Solamander® Hydronic Energy Hub won the Regional NSW Business Chamber Award for Innovation and was also nominated as a Finalist in the Architure & Design Sustainability Awards for Innovation.
MYTH: Under floor heating is a new unproven idea and probably will not suit my needs
Answer: Underfloor heating can be installed in many different ways to provide effective comfort to the occupants. When we design underfloor heating in Australia, we can provide the solution that matches to the construction and way that you would like to operate the heating, such as quick heat up for short time use when showering in a bathroom through to thermal storage systems run on an off-peak supply for a Family/Kitchen area. We have been installing under floor heating for over 40 years and use only reputable products from trusted manufacturers who back their products with long-term warranties. These manufacturers have had their products installed in Europe for very many years and many homes use this as their primary heating with a much colder climate than we experience in Australia.
You regularly hear things like ““The electric floor heating was installed in our bathrooms years ago and it has since been everyone’s favourite room in the house!” When it comes to can read our underfloor heating reviews. Follow this link to see what people are saying!
MYTH: Floor heating is expensive to install and expensive to run
Answer: Winter comfort can be achieved for a small bathroom for only a few hundred dollars installed with a programmable thermostat, with its running cost no more than a standard light bulb and can be lower than that of an overhead heat ray lamp, while providing a much more comfortable heating solution. The average size bathroom is around $700-800 installed and costs less than a cappuccino to run for a week (2 hours in the morning and 3 hours in the evening).
MYTH: You can’t heat under timber floors
Answer:Heating timber floors is usually not a problem. Most floor surfaces can have under floor heating though some surfaces, such as timber floors, may have to have the heating level limited to comply with your flooring manufacturer’s specifications and ensure that the floor is not adversely affected. When properly temperature controlled through floor and air sensing, a well-insulated room will provide an effective heating system.
MYTH: Air duct heating is the best
Answer: Air duct heating is often drying, can irritate and stirs up dusts. There are also higher heat losses, which means a higher energy requirement, and the environment it creates is less natural and oppressive. One of the great advantages of floor heating, in bathrooms for example, is that heat is not lost in the exhaust air, as seen with conventional convection heating systems. Floor heating provides a comfortable level of heating from below and is hidden from view so it considerably reduces the amount of travelling dust particles that are usually stirred up by air duct heating systems. This is a great relief to allergy and asthma sufferers. Floor heating is based on the science of radiant heat where it heats people and objects, not the air. Air duct heating systems on the other hand are based on convection heating which warm and circulate the air in a room.
MYTH: Anyone can install hydronic heating
Answer: There are many traps for the unwary when it comes to installing hydronic floor heating. It is easy to install but experience with a clear understanding of this system is vitally important to ensure that the installation will operate efficiently and quietly with minimal maintenance requirements and so that it will meet the customer requirements with appropriate flexibility as seasons or even home owners change.
Call us on 1800 636 091 or email our knowledgeable customer service team on info@devexystems.com.au.
MYTH: Solar is easy to incorporate and provides energy at no cost, and it is cost effective to install if you have the capital.
Answer: Solar energy is great to have to reduce your carbon foot print and operating costs, however, the purchase and installation cost are considerable and usually take some years to recoup.
The method of controlling the solar energy is important to ensure that the solar energy is available efficiently. High efficiency with the energy switched through to maximise economies is usually not part of a standard solar energy proposal except for large complex control systems which can be very expensive. The heating energy load can be considerably higher than the solar provision. It is common for a basic small solar system to be installed with the perception that it will meet most demands efficiently. It is important to research carefully what the system will provide and match this to the need. Meeting the need also needs the awareness that solar energy often may not be available when it is really needed, such as when there is a week or two of cloudy or wet weather in the middle of winter. Storage facilities, such as batteries, rarely can cover for such occurrences. Heating systems commonly demand energy in the evenings when solar energy is not available.
MYTH: Solar hydronic systems on the market are highly efficient and cost effective, just expensive to install.
Answer: It can be a challenge to find a solar hydronic system on the market that is highly efficient and cost effective. It is true that installation can be quite costly as the control system used does not provide efficient harvesting and distribution of the solar energy collected, or simply because the harvesting itself is not efficient.
We have installed a number of solar hydronic systems in recent years, however, felt that we could deliver even better outcomes and efficiencies for our customers. This encouraged us to develop a system that is designed for Australian conditions to manage sustainable energy by effectively utilising renewable energy sources. The outcome was an overall management of captured hydronic energy that is efficiently distributed through our Solamander® Hydronic Energy Hub developed here at Devex Systems . The design has received raved reveiws with the Solamander® system awarded the 2015 Excellence in Innovation Award.
MYTH: Heat pumps are the way to go for Hydronic Floor Heating
Answer: A heat pump may look like a alternative when considering the energy usage and operating cost but the additional capital outlay could mean an additional $15,000 for an average hydronic heated home. This can mean a significant investment considering energy costs and expected heat pump life. For smaller hydronic installations, a heat pumps can be an economical alternative with the new technology availableon the market. Currently, gas boilers are the most popular with an attractive capital cost and a reasonable running cost.
To learn more please call us on 1800 636 091 or email us on info@devexsytems.com.au.
8 Oct 2015 Mona Vale, NSW: Devex Systems was one of eight finalist in the Innovation of the Year category for the 2015 Sustainability Awards last week. The Innovation award recognises businesses that have recently launched a sustainable innovation into the marketplace.
Devex Systems was nominated for the Solamander® Hydronic Energy Hub system. Solamander® is an integrated and sustainable energy solution that meets a variety of domestic heating needs and has set new benchmarks for sustainability in the building industry.
This innovative ‘all-in-one’ solution allows home owners to use multiple energy sources for a variety of energy uses including hydronic floor heating, radiator heating, domestic hot water and pool heating. The ‘hub’ automatically prioritises renewable energy sources (i.e. solar and wetbacks) followed by the non-renewable energy sources to make for effective use of ‘free energy’ first and the most expensive energy sources last.
The Solamander® Hydronic Energy Hub achieves an optimum and pleasant indoor environment with comfort heating on demand throughout the year while offsetting greenhouse gas emissions to ensure residential home owners get one step closer to a carbon-neutral home.
“This is a great honour for us. We are a small business with limited resources, so developing the Solamander® innovation and being recognised by Architecture & Design’s 2015 Sustainability Awards for this accomplishment is truly wonderful. We have a very hard working and dedicated team of employees that really brought this innovation to life and this is something we are incredibly proud of” said Devex Systems, Managing Director, John Balass.
Features & Benefits:
Intuitive – Automatically prioritises renewable energy sources first followed by the non-renewable energy sources to make effective use of free energy first and the most expensive energy source last.
Also prioritises hot temperatures for domestic hot water and radiator heating to floor heating which requires lower temperatures for effective operation.
Future Proof – The system can be easily changed at a later date and is able to be used with any future hydronic energy source. It can also be configured and modified over time to add additional sources and uses that were not initially set up within the scope of the system. No re-plumbing is required.
Direct Action – Energy comes directly from a heat pump or gas boiler to the heat use, rather than by indirect energy transfer. This feature minimises energy losses and in the case where solar gain is available when heating is demanded, the system uses this free energy to pre-heat the boiler or heat pump water, thereby reducing its energy consumption.
Buffer Floor Heating – A designated floor area acts as a heat store in a similar way to the buffer water tank. Once the domestic hot water tank is full to its thermal capacity, excess renewable energy can be delivered to this buffer floor heating area and stored there for ongoing heating needs.
Optimal solar or wet back harvesting – The system uses special flow regulating valves that can ensure water is delivered at a high, pre-defined temperature from the solar panels or wet back. As the solar panels heat up the water flow is increased through the panels maintaining a constant temperature of 75 degrees C* into the system. This results in a steady flow of energy that always has a high utility valve. *Can be fine-tuned via the controller within set limits.
Prioritisation of Heat Uses – The system prioritises the use of high-temperature water for domestic hot water & radiator heating over hydronic floor heating which requires lower temperatures for effective operation.
DEVEX SYSTEMS excel at heating & cooling solutions for new and existing buildings in the residential, commercial and industrial environments since 1978. Specialising in-floor heating, overhead heating and HVAC hydronic systems, Devex Systems strive to provide superior comfort through high quality sustainable heating and cooling solutions, which are delivered with service excellence. For more information please visit https://devexsystems.web-winners.com/
The Solamander Hydronic Energy Hub has set new benchmarks for sustainable technology in the building industry. Designed and developed by the team at Devex Systems, this integrated energy solution uses a variety of different energy sources including solar, wetbacks, gas boilers and heat pumps for a number of different energy uses including floor heating, radiator heating, domestic hot water and pool heating. The Solamander® system achieves an optimum and pleasant indoor environment with comfort heating on demand throughout the year while offsetting household green gas emissions through the use of renewable energy sources.
“This is a great honour for us. We are a small business with limited resources, so developing the Solamander® innovation and being recognised by the NSW Business Chamber for this accomplishment is truly wonderful. We have a very hard working and dedicated team of employees that really brought this innovation to life and this is something we are incredibly proud of” said Devex Systems, Managing Director, John Balass.
Devex Systems excel at heating solutions for new and existing buildings in the residential, commercial and industrial environments since 1978. Specialising in floor heating, overhead heating and HVAC hydronic systems, Devex Systems strive to provide superior comfort through high quality sustainable heating and cooling solutions, which are delivered with service excellence. For more information please visit https://devexsystems.web-winners.com/
Devex Systems Wins 2015 Excellence in Innovation Award
NSW Business Chamber – North Eastern Sydney Regional Awards
1 July 2015 Mona Vale, NSW: Devex Systems was selected by the NSW Business Chamber as this year’s award winner for Excellence in Innovation for the North Eastern Sydney region. The awards gala took place at Luna Park in Sydney, NSW last week and honoured Devex System’s newest heating innovation, The Solamander® Hydronic Energy Hub.
This award recognises businesses that have made significant contributions to their industry through the introduction or improvement of an idea, method, technology, process or application. This particular category had the most competition of any other category with 14 finalists in total. Devex Systems was honoured as the award winners and will now advance to the state finals.
The Solamander Hydronic Energy Hub is a recently patented innovation that has set new benchmarks for sustainable technology in the building industry. Designed and developed by the team at Devex Systems, this integrated energy solution uses a variety of different energy sources including solar, wetbacks, gas boilers and heat pumps for a number of different energy uses including floor heating, radiator heating, domestic hot water and pool heating. The Solamander® system achieves an optimum and pleasant indoor environment with comfort heating on demand throughout the year while offsetting household green gas emissions through the use of renewable energy sources.
“This is a great honour for us. We are a small business with limited resources, so developing the Solamander® innovation and being recognised by the NSW Business Chamber for this accomplishment is truly wonderful. We have a very hard working and dedicated team of employees that really brought this innovation to life and this is something we are incredibly proud of” said Devex Systems, Managing Director, John Balass.
Devex Systems excel at heating solutions for new and existing buildings in the residential, commercial and industrial environments since 1978. Specialising in floor heating, overhead heating and HVAC hydronic systems, Devex Systems strive to provide superior comfort through high quality sustainable heating and cooling solutions, which are delivered with service excellence. For more information please visit 192.206.5.200/~development/devexsysytem
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Media Relations Contact
Tanya Chamberland – Marketing & Communications
The Solamander® Hydronic Energy Hub is a recently patented innovation designed and developed by the team at Devex Systems. This integrated energy solution has set new benchmarks for sustainable technology in the building industry. Devex Systems has been recognised by the NSW Business Chamber as award finalists in the category of Innovation 2015 for the Solamander system.
Architects in particular have sought after a viable, all-in-one solution that allows their clients to use multiple energy sources for a variety of energy uses for their domestic heating needs. Our team designed the system to the requirements of our customers to offer a solution to challenges that the industry and environment have faced for decades
The Solamander® Hydronic Energy Hub is an integrated and innovative energy solution that achieves an optimum and pleasant indoor environment with comfort heating on demand throughout the year. It offsets greenhouse gas emissions while reducing energy costs associated with domestic hot water and other heating related utility bills.
This system helps home owners get one step closer to a carbon neutral house by prioritising renewable energy sources (over non-renewable sources) including solar and wet backs for use across a multitude of energy uses including domestic hot water, hydronic floor heating, radiator heating and pool heating.
The Solamander® Hydronic Energy Hub is an innovative approach to an existing practice. This system demonstrates significant improvements to similar systems on the market. It is made up of individual parts that are supplied through our partners and can be sold separately to the system. These components have been configured to be compatible with the ‘hub’ and necessary requirements of the Solamander® system.
The sophistication of this all-in-one energy solution also allows it to be configured to individual installations. Each installation is customisable and adaptable and can be easily changed at a later date – for example, to adapt to changing energy needs (electricity vs gas or gas vs electricity). It is also able to be used with new hydronic energy sources in the future if required. Further to this, the Solamander® system can be configured and modified over time to add additional sources and uses that were not initially set up within the scope of the system.
This system has been designed to be an environmentally sound and sustainable solution and has made a significant contribution not only to the building and design industry, but also to home owners who now have an integrated and sustainable alternative to their existing domestic heating options.
For additional information please call us on 1800 636 091 or email on info@devexystems.com.au
I have worked with Devex Systems/Floor Heat Australia on a number of jobs, most recently at Palm Beach and Mosman. I continue to use them regularly because I’m provided with quality service and quality products. The service and installation team are organised, reliable and always get the job done in a timely, professional and efficient manner. The installation team allocate a team member to be on site at every concrete pour just in case there are any dramas. I find this to be of great reassurance particularly when the finish is critical, like polished concrete.
As a builder, if the home owner is looking to put either electric or hydronic floor heating in their home, we always turn to Floor Heat Australia. Their products are European-made and reliable. The installation team always shows up with a comprehensive safety package and their vans are stocked with personal protective equipment which is important to us as safety is a priority on our sites. On the most recent job they completed for us, in Dover Heights, it was extremely important that they had the job done on time and according to the set schedule in order for the other elements of the project to fall into place accordingly. Floor Heat Australia had no problem completing the Hydronic floor heating installation (under a polished concrete floor) ahead of schedule. The installation was neat and tidy and the guys are always friendly and very efficient. I also like the idea that floor heating is based on the principle of ‘radiant’ heat, so it is much more efficient than traditional heating. Their new DEVI DeviregTouch has also been a great addition to their range of thermostats and we’ve had a lot of good feedback on it because it is very easy to program and incredibly intuitive.
