Derby College Saves 790,000kWh in Energy and 160 Tonnes in CO2 Emissions with Trane Heat Pumps

Trane®, a leading global provider of indoor comfort solutions and services and a brand of Trane Technologies, announced today the collaboration with Derby College in Morley, UK resulting with the installation of a low-carbon heating system replacing the existing fossil-fuelled boilers at the Broomfield Hall Campus. The new high efficiency thermal system features Trane Conquest CXAX and Trane CITY™ RTSF heat pumps combined in a cascade configuration delivering 600kW of heating. The new system improved the Total Efficiency Ratio by 400% when compared to the incumbent boiler system and will annually generate 790,000 kWh of energy savings and 160 tonnes in CO2 emission reduction.

“This award-winning project represents a best practice example of Trane thermal systems that reduce operating costs and carbon emissions while improving indoor air quality,” said Louis Rompre, portfolio manager at Trane in Europe, Middle East and Africa. “Our high-efficiency heat pump technologies provide a renewable energy alternative to fossil-fuelled boilers, connecting heating and cooling demands, and playing a crucial role in decarbonising buildings and cities.”

“We are delighted with the support and service from Trane and proud of the positive impact and recognition this project has achieved,” said Iain Baldwin, Director of Estates at Derby College. “Relying on a carbon-based fossil fuel heating system was outdated and unacceptable in today’s society. This installation is a step in the right direction for the college and is a great example of how green, clean energy provision can be utilized on a greenfield site. We will see immediate benefits and longer-term impacts, and we look forward to building on this work for wider benefits across the college estate.”

The 600kW heating system installed at the Derby College campus is based on Trane CITY™ RTSF water-to-water and Trane Conquest CXAX air-to-water heat pumps, both featuring low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants.

Trane CITY™ RTSF can deliver heating capacity up to 80°C and has been originally designed for applications like high temperature heating, sanitary hot water supplies, district heating and heat recovery cascades. The heat pump sources energy from waste-water or geothermal systems at 5°C to 30°C and is ideal for small commercial buildings, industrial facilities and industrial processes. It matches with (existing) conventional heating system requirements, delivering safe cooling and heating solution thanks to the low GWP R1234Ze refrigerant.

Trane Conquest CXAX air-to-water scroll heat pump offer reversible cooling and heating at wide operating maps reaching down to -15°C ambient air and offering up to 60°C leaving hot water temperature. The units feature low GWP R-454B refrigerant offered by Trane across its entire portfolio of scroll compressor chillers, heat pumps, multi-pipe units and rooftops. R-454B offers the lowest GWP among the refrigerants available today for scroll compressor technology, answering customers’ need to future proof their investment by mitigating the increasing tax rates put on refrigerants across Europe.

This project was highlighted in the UK government’s decarbonization summary report of January 2022 and was awarded the People’s Choice Award at the European Heat Pump Awards (EHPA) 2022 Forum. The installation was part of a larger project supported by £3.6 million through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, which also included the installation of solar panels and new LED lights at the college.