What types of heating are in new buildings

What is a heating system and what types of heating are available?

A heating system includes a heat source, devices for its distribution, such as radiators, pipelines, as well as control and regulation systems that help to optimize energy consumption and maintain comfortable living conditions. There are different types of heating:

• District.
• Autonomous.
• Individual.

Each type of heating has its own advantages and disadvantages. To choose the most suitable of all options, you need to analyze each of them, then you can compare their features. You should also take into account the individual needs and energy efficiency of the building, as well as environmental benefits.

District heating and its advantages

A district heating system is a method of supplying heat to residential or office buildings from a central source. It can be a TPP - a combined heat and power plant or other large source that can heat and distribute hot water through a heating main leading to consumers.

The main elements and principles of a district heating system include:

• In-building system of pipes, radiators and other equipment inside buildings.
• A central heating station, a station that regulates the temperature and pressure of the heat transfer fluids that are supplied to specific buildings. It also removes condensate.
• A heating main is a network of insulated pipelines that can transport heated water from heat sources directly to consumers. Sometimes this network of pipelines is laid underground, but there are also heating mains that run outside buildings.
• A heat source, which is a large boiler house that produces heat by burning fuel. They also sometimes use nuclear energy, solar energy, and geothermal sources.

The principle of district heating is very complicated. First, fuel is burned at the TPP or boiler house. Then the heat is transported through heating pipes from the source to the consumers. The heat is regulated in central heating stations so that hot water from the heating mains is mixed with chilled water to maintain the optimum temperature. Heat is distributed inside buildings using radiators.

The advantages of district heating include:

• The ability to use alternative energy sources;
• Convenience for most consumers, as they do not need to build their own boiler room or buy expensive equipment for individual heating;
• District heat production can save money, as the system works very efficiently.

Given all these advantages, most of the modern buildings built by the Real Estate Corporation RIEL in Lviv are connected to district heating. For example, this is the case with the Great Britain complex in the Zaliznychnyi District – here apartment owners do not think about how to heat their homes.

Of course, district heating has its disadvantages. For example, when there are interruptions in the operation of TPP, it affects all the houses that depend on it.

Autonomous heating – its guarantees

A system that allows individual buildings to generate and regulate heat independently and at the same time not depend on a district heating system is called autonomous. It is based on individual heat sources: heat pumps, solid fuel, gas, and electric boilers, and solar collectors. The main function of autonomous heating in an apartment is to enable its owners to independently control the temperature in the room and optimize the cost of heating their homes.

The main elements of autonomous heating include heat sources, a distribution system, heating devices, control and regulatory devices.

The principle of autonomous heating operation is as follows:

• An individual boiler generates heat independently, it is located directly in the apartment or house.
• The heat is distributed through a system of pipelines or ventilation ducts.
• The heat is regulated directly by the user, who adjusts the temperature in the room according to his or her preferences.

The main advantage of autonomous heating is its independence from heat sources outside the building. It is also very convenient that it is possible to optimize heating costs faster and more efficiently due to the ability to adjust the temperature. Autonomous heating is suitable for individual cottages, houses and apartments whose owners want to fully control the temperature in the room.

Autonomous heating also has disadvantages. First of all, it is the high initial cost of the system, in particular, it concerns expensive heat sources. Another disadvantage is the need for regular maintenance and monitoring.

Why some people choose individual heating

A system that provides autonomous heating in a separate room, apartment or house is called individual heating. It allows the owner to personally manage the process of heat generation and distribution and not depend on a district network. Individual heating is based on various heat sources: electric heaters, gas boilers, and heat pumps. It is very important to have alternative heating for your apartment. After all, sometimes district heating fails, and in order to avoid freezing, it is better to think in advance about how to heat the room in another way.

The advantages of individual heating include:

• Convenience and comfort – the owner personally controls the heating system, so he or she can quickly respond to changes in weather conditions.
• Independence – no dependence on possible interruptions in the operation of the district heating system.
• Economic benefit – in the long run, individual heating allows you to use fuel more efficiently at your own discretion.
• Energy efficiency – it is possible to optimize energy consumption using modern energy-saving technologies and equipment.

The disadvantages include high initial costs, as the equipment itself and its installation are expensive. Also, the boiler takes up a certain amount of space that needs to be found in the apartment or house. The need for periodic repairs also sometimes requires additional costs.

Which of all types of heating to choose

To choose the optimal heating system, you should analyze a number of factors and take a closer look at the available types of heating. Typically, attention is paid to the cost of installing and operating the system, its environmental friendliness, and reliability – how easy it is to maintain. Another important factor is the ability to maintain a comfortable room temperature. At the same time, you should not forget to take into account the characteristics of the apartment or house, such as its size, insulation, and the climatic conditions of the region.

How to check the heating system when accepting an apartment in a new building

When you are planning to move into an apartment or are just about to buy one, be sure to check everything about the heating system. First of all, check the documentation and make sure everything is in order. Visual inspection is also important – there should be no improper installation and no visual damage. Test the system, turn it on and make sure that each radiator heats up evenly.

Regulators and thermostats should properly regulate the temperature in the room. If you have any doubts about the system's efficiency during the test, contact a qualified heating technician. They will conduct a deeper analysis and give you their opinion. It is the proper inspection of the heating system that affects the comfort of living in the apartment in the future and helps to save on heating.

All new buildings from the Real Estate Corporation RIEL meet modern standards and regulations, so when buying an apartment in one of the residential complexes in Lviv, you can be sure of its high-quality thermal insulation.