ACR Journal

Volume 7 No.5 August | September 2021 26 INSULATION The UK is preparing to host the 26 th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in November to accelerate global action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. As a result, the onus on the country to decarbonise has never been more intense. Central to the government’s raft of strategies to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050 are external source heat pumps, requiring electrical energy only for power and providing an efficient means of heat generation. While the push to install 600,000 units by 2028 is spread across domestic and commercial sectors, the greatest focus is within the domestic arena. Working patterns Meanwhile, the last 18 months has seen a shift towards more flexible working patterns, with many people now choosing to work from home. The recent Office for National Statistics report (Business and Individual Attitudes Towards the Future of Homeworking, UK: April to May 2021) suggests that, even once the pandemic is over, hybrid working will become the norm, with up to 85% of staff currently working remotely wishing to split their weeks between home and office long-term. Remote operation has been accompanied by employees adapting their homes to make them more compatible with work, and many are installing domestic air- conditioning systems. Fire-rated Consumers rely on specifiers to stipulate heat pump and air conditioning systems that are as energy-efficient as possible. As a leading manufacturer of flexible equipment insulation material and engineered foams, Armacell, is encouraging them to consider the integration of pre-insulated copper pipes The company is also urging specifiers to ensure that the products have achieved the highest possible fire rating to ensure that systems are as safe as possible. When selecting copper piping for domestic external heat pump and air- conditioning systems, pre-insulated pipes are the best option, as they preclude the messy and time-consuming process of on-the-job insulation. Select those with a textured, adhesive finish to allow contractors to quickly and easily join and separate pipes without the application of glue. Picking the right pipe Tom Merton, a technical specialist at Armaflex, discusses how checking the fire rating of pre-insulated pipe can save you more than just money. TomMerton Turbolit Duosplit has achieved one of the highest fire performance ratings - Euroclass BL-s1,d0