Challenge
The Amsterdamse Poort residential and shopping area in Amsterdam-Zuidoost, dating back to 1986 and owned by CBRE is undergoing a large-scale transformation into a multifunctional city centre. A major new-build project forms part of that transformation.
New apartment buildings will provide 660 high-quality rental homes and more than twenty new commercial spaces. Energy supplier Eteck will soon deliver sustainable heating and cooling here based on aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) and heat pumps. For the design and implementation of this sustainable installation, Eteck brought in Schouten Techniek.
When selecting the heat pumps, Schouten Techniek had two key requirements. First, the heat pumps had to be Eurovent certified. This was required for an EMG statement (Energy Measures at Area Level). With this statement, suppliers of heating and cooling can certify the energy performance of their system and demonstrate that the new building meets the requirements for Nearly Energy-Neutral Buildings (NZEB).
Secondly, noise was an important criterion. A separate building has been constructed for the thermal energy storage system and the heat pumps. This technical building consists of a single floor, with the heat pumps installed on the roof. From this lower building, the sound radiates toward the facades of the taller apartment buildings. That is why the heat pumps had to meet strict noise standards.
Sander Leegwater, manager of Schouten Techniek: "Trane has Eurovent-certified units and we had worked with Trane before, so we contacted them straight away. When it came to sound, we took on the challenge together with Trane and an acoustic consultant!"
Solution
Two Trane CXAF air-to-water heat pumps were planned for the roof of the technical building. These are used to regenerate the ATES source. They can also provide heating and cooling to the buildings, giving the system the necessary redundancy.
Sander Leegwater: "The CXAF heat pumps on the roof are equipped with acoustic packages and an additional sound enclosure. These noise barriers create extra air resistance, which has been addressed with heavier fans. In terms of software, we also take into account the most favourable operating times for the heat pumps from a noise perspective."
The technical building houses three Trane CXWF and two Trane Lift water-to-water heat pumps. The three CXWF units provide low-temperature heating. The two Lift booster heat pumps provide high temperatures for the hot tap water.
Results
With the help of the seven Trane heat pumps, Schouten Techniek is delivering a sustainable all-electric thermal energy storage system. Through this system, Eteck supplies heating and cooling to the commercial spaces, and heating, cooling and hot tap water to the homes.
The homes will have their own delivery sets, fed by a so-called 3.5-pipe system — in practice, four pipes. One pipe continuously supplies hot water for the sanitary facilities. A circulation line ensures that this hot water does not cool down, even when there is no demand. A combined pipe provides heating in winter and cooling in summer. And fourthly, there is a return pipe.
Sander Leegwater of Schouten Techniek: "If a resident wants to heat their apartment during a period when the combined pipe is providing cooling, that is possible. The heat for their underfloor heating is then supplied via the high-temperature network."
