New Build Heat Pump Design Service
Complete heat-pump heating design from architectural information through to equipment selection, emitters, hydraulics and installer documentation.
Heat Loss Hub can take your new-build project information and develop a complete technical heating design before installation begins.
The service can include:
- room-by-room heat-loss calculations
- design temperatures
- heat-pump sizing and selection
- radiator and underfloor-heating design
- design flow temperature
- hydraulic design
- cylinder sizing
- controls and operating strategy
- system schematics
- installer design documentation
- commissioning requirements
The aim is to turn architectural and construction information into a clear heating-system design that the project team and installer can work from.
THE PROCESS
What You Send → What We Design → What You Receive
You Send
Project information such as:
- floor plans
- elevations
- sections
- construction details
- U-values
- glazing information
- ventilation strategy
- site location
- proposed plant locations
We Design
The heating system, including:
- room loads
- heat-pump requirement
- emitters
- hydraulics
- domestic hot water
- controls
- commissioning requirements
You Receive
A documented design package that can be used by:
- the developer
- architect
- project manager
- main contractor
- heating installer
- commissioning engineer
The exact contents depend on the agreed project scope.
WHO IS THIS FOR?
Who Is This Service For?
The New Build Heat Pump Design Service can support:
- property developers
- small housebuilders
- architects
- architectural technologists
- builders
- main contractors
- project managers
- professional self-build teams
- one-off bespoke new builds
- small residential developments
If you are working on a larger multi-plot scheme or repeated house types, see our Heat Pump Design for Developers service.
THE PROCESS
How the New Build Heat Pump Design Service Works
The process is designed to be straightforward.
1. Review the Project Information
We review the drawings and technical information already available.
2. Identify Missing Information
If important inputs are missing or unclear, these are identified before the final design is issued.
3. Complete the Engineering Design
Room heat losses, equipment, emitters, hydraulics, hot water and operating strategy are developed.
4. Produce the Design Documentation
The calculations and technical selections are converted into practical design information for the project team and installer.
5. Review Agreed Project Changes
Where the build changes, affected parts of the heating design can be reviewed.
6. Issue the Final Design Package
The final documents provide the current technical basis for installation and commissioning.
STAGE 1
Review the Project Information
The quality of the heating design depends on the quality of the information used to create it. Before the main calculations begin, we review the available project data. This may include:
- floor plans
- elevations
- sections
- site location
- wall construction
- floor construction
- roof construction
- U-values
- glazing
- doors
- ventilation
- room use
- proposed heating system
- plant locations
The purpose is to establish what is known before calculations are treated as final.
DESIGN MATURITY
Preliminary Information vs Final Design Information
New-build projects often evolve. An early drawing issue may later be replaced by:
- revised insulation
- different windows
- altered room layouts
- changed ventilation
- updated plant locations
For that reason, an early or indicative design should not automatically be treated as the final construction design. Where the project is still developing, assumptions should be clearly identified. The final design should be based on information that is sufficiently confirmed for construction.
INFORMATION NEEDED
What Information Do We Need?
The exact information depends on the project, but a typical new-build design may require:
- floor plans
- elevations
- sections
- site address or postcode
- wall build-ups
- floor build-ups
- roof build-ups
- confirmed or proposed U-values
- window and door schedule
- glazing sizes
- ventilation strategy
- room uses
- target room temperatures
- intended emitter strategy
- proposed heat-pump location
- proposed cylinder location
Where relevant, additional technical information may also be requested. If you already have architectural drawings but are unsure whether they contain enough information, send what you have. We can identify what is missing.
TRANSPARENCY
Missing Information and Design Assumptions
A new-build heating design should not hide important uncertainty behind unexplained assumptions. Where project information is incomplete, the design process should make clear:
What is confirmed
What has been assumed
What still needs to be provided
For example, if a wall construction is not finalised, the heat-loss calculation may need to use a provisional U-value. That assumption should be visible rather than becoming an undocumented part of the final design.
DESIGN FREEZE
When Is the Design Ready to Be Finalised?
Before final issue, the main heating-design inputs should be sufficiently stable. These may include:
- building fabric
- glazing
- ventilation
- room layouts
- plant locations
- emitter strategy
- significant architectural details
If these change after the design is completed, affected calculations and selections may need to be reviewed. This is particularly important where a change affects the building heat load or available plant space.
STAGE 2
Room-by-Room Heat Loss
The room-by-room heat-loss calculation establishes how much heat each space requires at the chosen design conditions. This provides the basis for:
- whole-building heating load
- heat-pump sizing
- radiator sizing
- UFH design
- design flow temperature
- hydraulic calculations
The result should be more than a single whole-house kW figure. Each room needs an appropriate design heat requirement.
STAGE 3
Design Temperatures and Flow Temperature
The heating system cannot be designed properly without defined operating temperatures. The design should establish:
- internal room design temperatures
- outdoor design condition
- intended heating flow temperature
- relevant return temperature assumptions
Flow temperature affects:
- radiator size
- UFH output
- heat-pump efficiency
- heat-pump output
- pipework and water flow
- control strategy
For a new build, this is an opportunity to design the system around appropriate lower operating temperatures from the outset.
STAGE 4
Heat Pump Sizing and Selection
The heat pump should be selected against the actual requirements of the building. That means looking beyond the nominal model name. The design may consider:
- calculated building heat load
- outdoor design temperature
- required water temperature
- manufacturer performance data
- maximum available output
- minimum output
- modulation range
- likely part-load operation
This is especially important in modern new builds, where heating demand can be relatively low for much of the year.
STAGE 5
Radiator and Underfloor-Heating Design
Each room needs enough emitter output at the intended operating temperature. Depending on the project, this may involve radiators, underfloor heating, or a combination of both.
Emitter design should be based on:
Room heat requirement
compared with:
Emitter output at the intended design temperature
not simply catalogue output at traditional boiler temperatures.
STAGE 6
Hydraulic Design
The heat produced by the heat pump needs to be moved through the heating system correctly. Depending on scope, hydraulic design may consider:
- required water flow
- primary pipe sizing
- system pressure loss
- circulation pumps
- minimum flow requirements
- system volume
- buffers or volumisers where appropriate
- hydraulic separation
- zoning
- valve arrangements
The objective is to create a system that can deliver the required heat to the emitters under the intended operating conditions.
STAGE 7
Domestic Hot Water and Cylinder Selection
Domestic hot water forms part of the overall heat-pump design. Cylinder selection may consider:
- expected occupancy
- hot-water demand
- cylinder capacity
- available plant space
- heat-pump capability
- recovery
- cylinder suitability
- target temperatures
- DHW operating strategy
The cylinder should be selected as part of the system rather than treated as a separate product choice.
STAGE 8
Controls and Operating Strategy
The design should also consider how the completed system is expected to operate. Depending on the project, this may include:
- weather compensation
- room controls
- zoning
- heating schedules
- domestic hot-water priority
- pump operation
- intended design flow temperatures
The operating strategy should not be left entirely to the final day of commissioning. A defined design gives the commissioning engineer something to work toward.
STAGE 9
Installer Design Documentation
A technical design becomes much more useful when it is converted into information the installation team can actually use. Depending on scope, installer documentation may include:
- room-by-room heat-loss information
- heat-pump selection
- design temperatures
- radiator schedule
- UFH requirements
- cylinder specification
- hydraulic schematic
- pipe-sizing information
- control notes
- commissioning requirements
This is what turns the calculations into a practical construction document.
DELIVERABLES
What Does the Final Design Package Include?
The exact deliverables are agreed for each project. A complete design package may include:
- room-by-room heat-loss report
- whole-building design heat load
- design conditions
- heat-pump selection
- manufacturer operating-point information
- radiator schedule
- UFH design criteria
- design flow temperature
- cylinder specification
- hydraulic schematic
- pipe-sizing information
- equipment schedule
- control strategy
- commissioning requirements
- design notes
- revision information
Not every project requires every item. The scope should reflect the project and the stage of construction.
QUALITY CHECK
Design Review Before Issue
Before the design is issued, the information should be checked for consistency. This may include reviewing:
- project inputs
- heat-loss calculations
- equipment selection
- emitter outputs
- design temperatures
- hydraulic assumptions
- documentation completeness
This helps reduce the risk of one part of the design being developed around assumptions that conflict with another.
EQUIPMENT SELECTION
Product-Neutral Equipment Selection
Heat Loss Hub is not tied to selling one heat-pump manufacturer. The selection process can therefore start with the technical needs of the project. Relevant considerations may include:
- building heat load
- required output
- operating temperature
- modulation
- hot-water requirements
- available plant space
- project constraints
- manufacturer performance data
A specific manufacturer or model may ultimately be selected, but the project requirements come first.
SUBSTITUTIONS
What if Equipment Changes During the Project?
Product substitutions are common during construction. The proposed change may involve:
- heat pump
- cylinder
- radiators
- controls
- pumps
- other system components
A replacement product should not automatically be assumed to be technically equivalent. It should be checked against the original design requirement. For example, a different heat pump may have similar nominal capacity but different output at the actual design conditions.
CHANGE CONTROL
Managing Design Revisions
New-build projects change. The heating design may need reviewing if there are changes to:
- insulation
- glazing
- wall construction
- room layouts
- ventilation
- emitter locations
- cylinder location
- heat-pump location
- heat-pump model
- other major equipment
Where revisions are required, the design documents should make clear which version is current. This helps reduce the risk of an installer working from superseded information.
TENDERING
Can the Design Be Used for Tendering?
Yes. A completed heating design can provide contractors with a clearer common basis for pricing. Instead of every tendering installer starting with a different heat loss, equipment choice and emitter schedule, the project team can provide a defined technical requirement.
Contractors remain responsible for their own:
- pricing
- installation labour
- materials
- commercial terms
- delivery scope
But the design gives them a more consistent technical starting point.
CONTINUITY & SITE VISITS
What if the Installation Contractor Changes?
The heating design can remain with the project. If an installer changes before or during construction, the new contractor can review the existing design rather than automatically starting again. Any proposed changes can then be assessed against the same technical basis.
Do We Need to Visit the Site?
Not always. For an unbuilt property, a detailed design can often be developed from architectural and construction information. A site visit may be unnecessary where the drawings and technical data are sufficient.
Additional verification may be recommended where:
- construction is already underway
- site conditions differ from the drawings
- plant locations are uncertain
- existing elements are being retained
- critical information cannot be confirmed remotely
SCOPE
What Is Not Automatically Included?
The New Build Heat Pump Design Service is focused on the heating system. Unless specifically agreed, it does not automatically include:
- SAP assessment
- Building Regulations approval
- structural design
- full electrical-system design
- planning services
- formal acoustic assessment
- building-control sign-off
- installer labour pricing
- materials pricing
Where another specialist is required, that should be identified clearly.
GETTING STARTED
What Happens Next?
Starting the design process is straightforward.
1. Send Us Your Plans
Provide the project drawings and technical information you already have.
2. We Review the Information
We check what is available and identify any important gaps.
3. We Confirm the Scope
The required design work and deliverables are agreed.
4. The Heating System Is Designed
Calculations, selections and technical documentation are produced.
5. Agreed Revisions Are Managed
If the project changes, the affected design elements can be reviewed.
6. The Final Design Pack Is Issued
The current design information can then be used by the project team and installer.
QUESTIONS
Frequently Asked Questions
What drawings do you need?
Typically floor plans, elevations and sections are useful. Construction details, U-values, glazing information and ventilation details may also be required.
Can you design from PDF plans?
Yes. PDF architectural drawings are often sufficient, provided they contain enough dimensional and construction information.
Do you need U-values?
Yes, either confirmed U-values or sufficient construction information to establish appropriate design values. If these are not yet final, assumptions can be identified at an earlier design stage.
Can you design the heating system before construction starts?
Yes. This is often the best stage to do it because plant space, service routes and emitter requirements can still be coordinated with the building.
Can you design the system before an installer is appointed?
Yes. The heating design can be developed independently of the installation contractor.
Can contractors tender against the design?
Yes. The design can provide a common technical basis for quotations.
Do you specify the heat pump?
Where heat-pump selection is included in the agreed scope, suitable models can be assessed against the building requirements and manufacturer performance information.
Do you size radiators and underfloor heating?
Yes, where included within the scope. Emitter requirements should be based on room heat loss and the intended operating temperature.
Do you size the cylinder?
Yes, where domestic hot-water design is included. Cylinder selection can be based on the expected demand and heat-pump system requirements.
Do you produce hydraulic schematics?
Yes, where this forms part of the agreed design package.
What happens if the plans change?
If the changes affect the heating system, the relevant calculations and documents may need to be revised.
Do you need to visit the site?
Not always. Many new-build projects can be designed entirely from drawings and technical information before construction.
Can the installer change the specified equipment?
A proposed substitution can be reviewed, but it should not automatically be assumed to be equivalent to the original selection.
Does the service include SAP assessment?
Not automatically. SAP is a separate specialist service unless specifically included within the agreed project scope.
Does the service include Building Regulations approval?
No. Heat Loss Hub provides heating-system design. Building Regulations approval and building-control sign-off remain separate responsibilities.
READY TO GET STARTED?
Ready to Get the Heating Design Started?
If you already have architectural drawings or construction information, you do not need to wait until every element of the project is complete before getting in touch. Send the information you currently have. Heat Loss Hub can review it, identify anything important that is missing and confirm the appropriate design scope.
PROJECT INFORMATION → ENGINEERING DESIGN → DESIGN PACKAGE → INSTALLATION USE
The result is a clear technical heating design that can stay with the project from design stage through to installation.