Double Bay Project

Architect: PopovBass

Builder: Komplete Constructions

Location: Double Bay, Sydney NSW

System: Hydronic Air-Source Heat Pumps

Capacity: 56kW

Project Brief/Scope:

• High-end residential project
• European hydronic air-source heat pumps
• Involved in the project well after construction had begun
• “Future-proofed” system
• Quiet operation

CWL Group became involved in this project part way through the construction process. Prior to their involvement, the plan had been a conventional air-source VRF cooling system with gas-powered hydronic underfloor and domestic water heating.

CWL Group were brought in to provide a ‘future-proofed’ heating and cooling system for the residential property. There were several challenges that needed to be addressed, including:

• Mitigating local council noise restrictions, which limit the use and/or location of conventional air-cooled air conditioning systems
• Adapting the consultant-engineered conventional mechanical VRF design to the new hydronic fan-coil unit strategy at the eleventh hour, without affecting the architecturals

Due to becoming involved in the project well after construction had begun, installing a geothermal exchange system was no longer an option as it was impossible to install a ground heat-exchanger without nullifying the building works that had been completed up to that point. Instead, CWL Group engineered a hydronic-based air-source heat pump system that was able to fit into an internally-located central plant room.

This achieved the key objectives of providing a 100% electric-powered high-efficiency hydronic underfloor heating and forced-air central cooling system, as well as meeting the council noise requirements of being inaudible at the neighbouring property boundaries.

CWL Group was able to assess what had already been planned and use their specialised experience to enable the client to pivot well into the construction phase of the programme. This project exemplifies how GWL Group’s innovative engineering and installation team can attune solutions to any project’s varying targets and constraints.