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| ISH 2015 presents the trends in the field of single-room fireplaces  It is not only on a freezing cold winter evening that a flickering fire in the hearth or stove can ensure a feeling of comfort and warmth. Many house-owners also use their single-room fireplaces during the transitional periods between autumn and winter and winter and spring, especially because by using solid fuels they can save as much on oil or gas or heat pump electricity as possible. Every year, with levels remaining consistently high, more than 400, 000 domestic single-room fireplaces are sold in Germany. According to an estimate by the Heating and Kitchen Technology Industrial Association (HKI -Fachverband Heiz- und Kochgeräte) in 2013 a total of 315,000 open-hearth furnaces and fireplaces, 59, 000 heating and chimney inserts, 22,000 pellet furnaces and 21.000 stoves were sold.But are all forms of single-room fireplaces suitable for the future generations of new, very well insulated low -energy and passive houses or energetically high-quality buildings that are already in existence? Basically the answer is: yes. Even so, there are some decisive criteria that need to be considered in the choice of product and system so that when the fireplace is later put into operation the room is not constantly overheated or the consumption of solid fuel is unnecessarily high. In addition to a quality product, the skills of the heating engineer are called for in matters of advice, choice of system and installation. As a rule, suppliers on the internet and low-cost operators are no longer an option. This also applies to wood-burning fireplace stoves that account for the lion's share of fireplace sales. With low-energy houses, however, the choice of product needs to be carefully customised to requirements. To ensure future user satisfaction, what is of crucial importance here is that the fireplace is in exact alignment with the calculated (partial) heating load of the room or the building. Only in this way, is it possible to maintain control over potential overheating in well insulated new or modernised homes; this is especially so, if this kind of heating is also required during the transition period. Along with a suitably adjusted heating output, this problem can also be controlled by the construction details of the fireplace that determine the amount of heat emitted into the room (e.g. size and type of glazing in the stove's viewing panel). Apart from the above, it also makes sense, and is even required by homeowners, to equip the selected type of oven or fireplace with a water-bearing heat exchanger. This reduces the amount of heat emitted into the room in which the stove is installed by diverting a part of the heat to a warm-water or heating-water buffer tank. In this way, the single-room fireplace supports the central heat supply or even takes over from it completely, especially during the transitional period, thus becoming a part of a multivalent heating system that is frequently combined with a solar thermal installation. In order to work out the specific requirements in each case, first of all it is necessary to hold a consultation with the final customers about their requirements. This includes the following questions: Is it planned to heat a single room or several rooms or is it planned to support a central heating system? Is it planned to use the single-room fireplace only on occasion or as frequently as possible (also during the transitional period)? How important is it to the residents to save on, and be independent of, oil, gas or electricity (for heating)? How significant are low emission values, a high level of energy efficiency (efficiency factor) and the fuel consumption? How convenient is the type of firing, fuel supply and cleaning meant to be? Are there preferences with regard to a type of solid-fuel (e.g. access to free firewood, convenient use of pellets etc.)? What kind of living / furnishing style is preferred? Is there a budget framework? This is then followed by the analysis of the local conditions, which include the following criteria: Planned location for the single-room fireplace Size of the room or the interconnectivity of (air and) the available space with an open-plan architecture (Partial)heating load required Situation of the chimney Type of (planned) central heating and heat transfer in the room Presence of residential ventilation systems and extractor hoods Specification with regard to fire protection and permissible weight per unit area After determining the requirements and the on-site analysis, the specialised heating engineer can make specific product proposals that extend as far as the fireplace stove itself. In addition to its competence with regard to advice, installation and service offered, specialised service providers can make their mark with a wide range of top-quality products in terms of appearance, engineering and cost that fit in well with any living environment. Even house owners who require a high level of heating convenience and ease of use need not forego the warmth provided by wood. After all, when it is coupled with the overall heating system, an automatic fuel supply or integrated or add-on hopper, a pellet stove that also heats water can ensure that one's own home is kept warm constantly, even with longer periods of absence on cold days. There are two further product trends that are of interest. In buildings with residential ventilation systems, room-air independent fireplaces (especially those with an air exhaust chimney) are gaining ground, because they usually make it possible to have parallel ventilation and heating without any additional safety installations. Thanks to the numerous media reports on the ambitious limit values prescribed by the first Federal Emissions Control Act (1. BImSchV), especially environmentally conscious purchasers will in future be paying greater attention to particularly low emission values when choosing products as well as to low fuel consumption. Conclusion: regardless of whether it involves a new building or energetically high-quality construction, in the (ultra) low-energy and passive house of the future the individually planned single-room fireplace will ensure a sense of warmth and comfort and help to save on energy costs. At ISH, the world's leading fair with an integrated approach to water and energy usage, to be held from 10 to 14 March 2015, manufacturers from the single-room fireplace segment will be displaying their innovations in Hall 9.2. There will also be a Stove Forum involving market partners from the AdK (Arbeitsgemeinschaft der deutschen Kachelofenwirtschaft - German Tiled Stove Working Group), HKI (Industrieverband Haus-, Heiz- und Küchentechnik - Heating and Kitchen Technology Industrial Association) and ZVSHK (Zentralverband Sanitär Heizung Klima - Central Association of Sanitation, Heating and Air-Conditioning). In 2015, the special show will bear the slogan 'Wood, the secret No. 1 in renewable energies'. The Stove Forum will graphically illustrate the significance of wood-firing systems in terms of energy and climate policies. The lecture forum will discuss current topics from the industry such as energy policy, the potential offered by wood-firing systems and technical developments and trends. write your comments about the article :: © 2014 Construction News :: home page |