The Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA) this week presented a new online app that helps homeowners verify the technical and economic feasibility of replacing gas boilers with electric heat pumps without changing the hydraulic circuit or radiators.
The open-access online tool, called PDC RISCcarries out its analysis based on the annual fuel bills, building characteristics, housing characteristics, boiler and radiator specifications and total energy consumption.
“The tool is designed for inhabited residential buildings that have undergone an energy retrofit for at least one year, are equipped with an autonomous heating system and have a traditional boiler connected to radiators,” Enea said in a statement. “It will also provide information on the technical specifications of the photovoltaic system necessary to meet the electricity demand of the heat pump.”
After the analysis is completed, users can download a report with all the data and a list of recommended actions to improve the energy efficiency of the building if replacing the boiler at the time of the measurement is not feasible.
“It is clear that the tool provides general guidelines and non-exhaustive suggestions on how to improve the energy performance of the system. For detailed planning of the intervention, it is always advisable to consult a qualified professional,” says Nicolandrea Calabrese, head of the Enea Laboratory for Energy Efficiency in Buildings and Urban Development.
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