Brief: Protrait of an optimal system

With looming commitments under the Kyoto Protocol, energy efficiency in buildings, including in art galleries, is essential. Paintings not only require an aesthetic environment, but one in which the air temperature and humidity is controlled. The new Lewis Glucksman Gallery in County Cork, Ireland offers all of the above and sets the standard for future buildings of this nature. Optimal heating, ventilation and air conditioning is provided by Ground Energy Thermal Transfer Systems (GETTS), adapted to each space. Two water-cooled chillers provide chilled water at 6°C and heated water at 45°C simultaneously, allowing a high COP of 8 to be achieved. The heat rejected from the cooling process is then fed directly to the heating circuits. Excess heat or coolth is transferred to ground water through a plate heat exchanger. With a capacity of 170 kW cooling and 200 kW heating, this is the largest Ground Source Heat Pump (GSHP) in the country, providing a 25% reduction in energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions compared with those of conventional chiller and boiler heating systems.