Vaillant will provide its aroTHERM plus air source heat pumps to Aldi stores across the UK.
Vaillant’s aroTHERM plus heat pumps are being installed at all new Aldi stores across the UK, as part of an exclusive five-year contract.
Depending on the size of the site, each store will see between two to five aroTHERM plus 12kW units installed, and to further ensure system efficiency, Vaillant’s sensoCOMFORT heating controls have also been specified.
As part of the contract, Vaillant’s aroTHERM plus heat pump has also been installed at Aldi’s new eco-concept store in Leamington Spa, where the unit provides both heating and cooling. The store, which opened in September 2022, was designed to significantly reduce carbon consumption, with sustainable building materials and design changes which are estimated to reduce life-cycle emissions by up to two thirds.
George Brown, National Property Director for Aldi UK, said:
As a forward-thinking supermarket, we are continually looking at ways we can improve efficiencies while also reducing our impact on the planet.
Aldi UK has been carbon neutral since 2019, which has seen us transition to natural refrigerants. Recently, we invested in adding chiller doors to our new and refurbished stores, which will reduce each store’s energy consumption by approximately 20%. However, this meant we needed a sustainable heat source in our new sites to replace the existing heat-generating fridge packs. As a sustainable low-carbon option, the decision to specify Vaillant’s aroTHERM plus was made due to the natural refrigerant in the units.
Launched in 2020, the aroTHERM plus uses natural, hydroflurocarbon (HFC)-free refrigerant R290, which has a Global Warming Potential of just three. In addition, the aroTHERM plus can achieve hot water flow temperatures of up to 75 degrees, meaning the water is stored in the cylinder at a usable temperature without the need for a backup heater.
Steve Cipriano, Commercial Director for Vaillant, said:
The move towards a net zero future continues to gather pace, and decarbonising heat within the commercial setting will play a significant part in achieving this ambition.
As a leading sustainable business, we have been working alongside Aldi since 2016, when our aroTHERM heat pump was installed at its headquarters in Warwickshire. As Aldi continues its sustainability journey, we’re delighted to be working with them on the next phase of this project, which will see all new stores fitted with our new generation of heat pumps, the aroTHERM plus.
The installation of our aroTHERM plus pumps within the retailer’s recently-launched eco-concept store serves as a shining example of how low carbon heating technology, combined with other sustainable building materials, is delivering the retail stores of the future.
For more information vaillant.co.uk/specifiers
Vaillant is exhibiting at InstallerSHOW 2023, which runs 27th to 29th June at the NEC. See the full list of exhibitors here: installershow.com/exhibitors.
