Overview
A heat interface unit (HIU) is an essential part of the efficient delivery of heating and hot water to consumers on district and communal heating schemes. The HIU provides safe connection of the consumer’s space heating and hot water systems to the primary heat supply network together with the control function and metering.
The use of an HIU linked to a district or communal heat network in place of boiler can have significant economic and environmental benefits depending on the source of heat and structure of the network. However, successful operation depends on appropriate system design and specification followed by competent installation and maintenance.
The guide focuses on the issues surround the application and installation of both direct and indirect HIUs for residential and small commercial applications within district or communal heat networks. It will assist specifiers, designers and installers to achieve a functional and efficient solution for space heating and hot water using heat interface units.
Some key design considerations for an efficient heat network are summarised, but please refer to CIBSE/ADE CP1 for detailed guidance on the selection of heat sources and the design and implementation of heat networks.
Heat Interface Units is available to buy as part of a set with CIBSE's complementary guide Heat Networks: Code of Practice for the UK (CIBSE/ADE CP1), new for 2015. Read more
This guide (BG 62) refers to BG 69, which was a planned BSRIA guide at the time this guide (BG 62) was published. Following the death of Reg Brown (who chaired the steering group for BG 69) and activities elsewhere in industry, BSRIA has concluded it does not have the expertise to complete BG 69 at this time.