Belgian Primary School, Qworzó, saves energy by installing smart thermostatic radiator valves
2IMPREZS primary school, Qworzó, from the Merksplas municipality in Belgium allows external organisations use the school’s infrastructure after regular school hours. Although only some classrooms are used by external users, a large part of the school building must be heated to heat those few classrooms, leading to significant energy losses.
To tackle this unnecessary energy leakage, Qworzó has installed smart thermostatic radiator valves (STRVs). Regular thermostatic radiator valves self-regulate the room temperature in the following ways:
- As the room heats up, the valve closes to receive less hot water into the radiator;
- As the room cools down, the valve opens to receive more hot water into the radiator.
But STRVs can do even more than this through the use of ‘smart’ technology. STRVs are programmed with a timer, so a classroom will only be heated when it is in use.
In this way, STRVs save a lot of energy at the Belgian municipal primary school, Qworzó. Prior to their installation, all radiators at school were used at 100% capacity. After the installation of the STRV, only the rooms used are heated at 100% capacity, resulting in the following:
- Only 82% of the installed capacity of radiators in the heating circuit is fully used during regular school hours;
- Only 29% of the installed capacity of radiators in the heating circuit is fully used after regular school.
As a result of the Qworzó school’s STRV installation, up to 44% of heat production is saved on the heating circuit. Considering the entire heating installation of the school, the installation of smart thermostatic radiator valves results in energy savings of up to 11%.
Based on these calculated energy savings, the installed STRVs reduce an estimated 10 tonnes of the school’s annual CO2 emissions. In five years’ time, the investment of the STRV installation will be recouped in full.
Above: An example of a smart thermostatic radiator valve (STRV), like the ones installed in the 2IMPREZS Belgian school, Qworzó.