Layer 2 — Technical Study Template
PAC + Solar
Technical Feasibility Study
Technical template for evaluating BEMCO PAC heat pump integration with photovoltaic production, domestic hot water, buffer storage, floor heating, central heating, LoopCAD floor-heating design, hydraulic flow and electrical supply conditions.
1. Client & Building Information
Client nameOwner, landlord, architect, contractor or project manager.
Project addressStreet, city, postal code, building type and access conditions.
Building typeApartment, house, mixed-use, technical room, renovation project.
Available documentsPlans, photos, boiler data, roof plan, electrical board photos, energy bills.
2. Existing Heating Installation
| Element | Data to collect | Engineering purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Existing boiler | Fuel type, power, age, location, flue, maintenance data. | Compare existing power with future PAC capacity. |
| Radiators | Quantity, dimensions, room location, flow/return temperature if known. | Check low-temperature compatibility. |
| Floor heating | Collector position, loop layout, pipe spacing, room zones. | Verify low-temperature operation and hydraulic flow. |
| Technical room | Available space, wall/floor support, access, drainage, ventilation. | Check location for buffer tank, ECS boiler or hydraulic unit. |
3. Water & Heating Pipe Layout Upload
The client uploads cold water pipes, hot water pipes, floor-heating circuits, central-heating flow/return pipes, radiators, collectors and technical shaft information.
Cold water networkIncoming supply, diameter, sanitary distribution and technical room entry.
Hot water networkECS distribution, circulation loop if present, pipe length and losses.
Central heating networkFlow and return pipes, branches, radiators, collectors and existing boiler connection.
Floor heating networkLoop count, length estimate, collector position, room zoning.
Pipe diametersNeeded to verify flow rate, pressure losses and heat transfer capacity.
PhotosBoiler room, collectors, radiators, electrical board and roof/terrace.
A PAC needs a hydraulic network capable of moving enough heated water at the correct temperature difference.
4. Heat Load Estimation
| Input | Value / note | Impact on PAC sizing |
|---|---|---|
| Heated surface | m² | Base heating demand. |
| Ceiling height / volume | m / m³ | Air volume and heat-loss correction. |
| Insulation level | Poor / medium / good / renovated | Determines heat pump capacity and expected efficiency. |
| Emitter type | Floor heating / radiators / mixed | Determines water temperature regime. |
| Design outdoor temperature | Local climate assumption | Determines winter peak requirement. |
5. Hydraulic Flow Calculation
The heat pump must circulate enough water to transfer the required thermal power into the heating circuits.
Flow principle: Q = m × Cp × ΔT
| Parameter | Meaning | Study note |
|---|---|---|
| Q | Heating power required by the building. | Used for PAC pre-selection. |
| m | Water mass flow rate. | Used to check pumps, pipe diameters and collectors. |
| Cp | Specific heat capacity of water. | Standard engineering constant for water heating calculations. |
| ΔT | Temperature difference between flow and return. | Critical for low-temperature PAC operation. |
6A. Floor Heating Construction Options
The PAC + Solar study can include different radiant floor-heating construction systems. The correct option depends on the building structure, renovation depth, available floor height, thermal mass, installation speed and compatibility with the selected PAC water temperature regime.
Floor-heating construction type directly affects PAC efficiency. Low-temperature systems such as floor heating
are generally better suited to heat pumps than high-temperature radiator circuits, but loop length, spacing,
flow rate and floor build-up must be checked before equipment selection.
6. LoopCAD Floor Heating Design Option
Open LoopCAD Software Evaluation Page
LoopCAD can be used as an optional design tool for radiant floor heating loop layout, heat-loss calculations, hydronic calculations, material list preparation and floorplan-based circuit routing.
Floorplan drawingImport or redraw floor plans for radiant heating layout.
Automated circuit drawingGenerate loop routing, tube spacing, placement and length.
Heat-loss calculationSupport PAC sizing and room-by-room heating demand.
Hydronic calculationEstimate flow, pressure drop, manifold data and circuit balance.
Material listPrepare tubing, manifolds and accessories list for quotation.
CAD / BIM coordinationUse the loop layout as support for contractor coordination.
LoopCAD does not replace installer validation or BEMCO manufacturer selection.
It becomes a design-support tool inside the Systems Studio PAC + Solar technical study.
7. BEMCO PAC Pre-Selection
| Configuration | Application | Pre-selection note |
|---|---|---|
| Monobloc PAC | Compact outdoor installation, hydraulic connection to building. | Check outdoor space, antifreeze strategy, hydraulic distance. |
| Split PAC | Outdoor unit + indoor hydraulic module. | Check refrigerant routing and installer certification. |
| Buffer tank | Hydraulic stability and anti-cycling. | Required depending on circuits, water volume and control strategy. |
| ECS boiler / All-in-One | Domestic hot water production. | Selected according to occupants, available space and comfort level. |
8. Solar Production & Self-Consumption
Roof orientationSouth, east-west, flat roof, tilt angle, shading.
Available roof surfaceEstimated number of panels and total kWp.
Inverter conceptPV inverter, hybrid inverter or future battery-ready system.
Self-consumptionDaytime PAC operation, ECS heating window and thermal storage.
Battery optionOptional future battery sizing for autonomy and load shifting.
Grid connectionInjection, protection, certification and meter constraints.
9. Electrical Board & Power Supply Check
| Electrical point | Check | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Mono 230 V / Tri 400 V | Available supply and main breaker capacity. | To be confirmed. |
| Dedicated PAC circuit | Protection, cable section, differential protection. | To be designed. |
| Solar inverter connection | AC protection, DC protection, routing and certification. | To be designed. |
| Backup heater / resistance | Power demand during peak cold or ECS boost. | To be checked carefully. |
10. Cost Estimation Table
| Cost item | Preliminary scope | Budget placeholder |
|---|---|---|
| BEMCO PAC unit | Outdoor unit / split or monobloc / selected power. | To be quoted. |
| Hydraulic equipment | Buffer tank, ECS boiler, valves, pumps, collectors, insulation. | To be quoted. |
| LoopCAD design phase | Floor heating layout, loop routing, tube spacing and hydronic support. | Study option. |
| Electrical works | Dedicated PAC circuit, protection, inverter connection, board upgrade. | To be quoted. |
| Solar PV installation | Panels, inverter, mounting, DC/AC cabling, certification. | To be quoted. |
| Systems Studio study | Feasibility study, technical concept, LoopCAD support and cost-estimation support. | Project-based. |
11. Final Recommendation
| Decision | Meaning | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| Technically feasible | The existing building and hydraulic/electrical conditions are compatible. | Request installer quotations. |
| Feasible with upgrades | PAC possible, but hydraulic, electrical or emitter upgrades are required. | Define phased renovation scope. |
| Not recommended yet | Building heat loss, emitter temperature or electrical constraints are too high. | Prioritise insulation, emitter upgrade or electrical upgrade. |
Infloor Radiant Heating Documentation
Reference documentation for radiant floor-heating design and installation options, including Infloorboard, Concrete, Therma-Floor / Gypcrete, Radiant Trak, tubing, manifolds, hydronic calculations, tube layouts and LoopCAD design support.
This external PDF is used as technical reference documentation. Final system selection,
installation method and warranty conditions must always be checked with the supplier,
installer and manufacturer documentation for the actual project.