The owners of a family house in an idyllic Irish village faced a demanding task: how to create a modern, comfortable home without intruding on the unspoilt countryside that surrounds it? Every square metre counted, and complete quiet was one of the key conditions for living there. They spent a long time looking for a solution that could bring together modern living, careful use of space and the smallest possible footprint – and they found one.
When building a 150 m² home for a family of four, one of the key challenges was finding a heating system that would deliver a high level of comfort without taking up valuable space. The owners wanted a visually tidy, minimalist home, so it also mattered to them that as few technical elements as possible were on show. They were looking for a solution that could adapt to the family’s different needs as well – from pleasantly warm living areas to slightly cooler bedrooms.
It was precisely the compact design and the ease of fitting it into the building that led them to choose the KRONOTERM ETERA heat pump. With the HYDRO B indoor unit and its 200-litre DHW cylinder, the entire system takes up only 0.7 m² of floor area. That is entirely enough for a family of four and at the same time makes the best possible use of the space. Another important advantage is that certain pipes and connections can be concealed inside the heat pump itself. Fewer pipes and technical elements are visible and the utility room stays clean and visually unobtrusive – with no sense that comfort at home has to come with a major technical intervention.
The house has both underfloor heating and underfloor cooling, and the heat pump also prepares domestic hot water. The cooling is passive and comes as standard in ETERA, which has so far been entirely sufficient for the Irish climate. Because the building is designed to modern new-build standards, its heating demand is relatively low. The owners therefore needed a system that would not use energy unnecessarily, but would adapt to what the home actually needs.
The KRONOTERM ETERA heat pump does exactly that by adjusting its operation precisely, so it provides a pleasant temperature when the family needs it and at the same time helps keep energy use sensible. The result is comfortable living all year round, without having to think about how the system works.
Another important advantage for the owners was being able to set the temperature room by room. The KRONOTERM ETERA heat pump system allows several temperature regimes: the main heating loop is run by the KT-2A controller, while the bedroom has its own separate regime with a KT-1 controller. The temperature can be matched to what each room is used for and to the habits of the people using it. Living areas such as the living room and the kitchen are heated to a pleasantly higher temperature, while bedrooms can stay a little cooler, better suited to a good night’s sleep. This gave the owners the best balance between living comfort for the whole family and sensible energy use.
Would you like a home that is comfortable all year round, without sacrificing looks or energy efficiency? Contact us and find out what an ETERA heat pump could mean for your home.
