macliam

I agree about the heat pump - air-source are not as efficient as ground-source, but are cheaper to install and can be used as air-conditioning in summer. Don't buy anything "unbranded", because efficiency is everything..... and doesn't come cheap.

If you are building from scratch, you need to decide the power/heating first, because it will inform the layout/angles etc. - no point bolting-on an inappropriate system later - so get an architect who knows about this stuff and designs-in the appropriate mount points. You will also need a "machine room" to house the control equipment..... ENAT were pretty good for info on solar...... but double-check everything as all companies work with their "favourites" and will jam them into your requirements whether they fit or not!

wellinever

Ref Solar water heating system:

Can anyone point me to the legislation which says that Solar water heating is compulsory in a new house build?

Having just completed a new build (small single floor) and now applying for a habitation license I am confronted with

a) An energy certificate is needed (yes I understood it is needed when a house is sold, but not when built by me and not for sale) and that
b) it is now compulsory to include solar water heating system. (again news to my builder and me) and that an energy certificate will not be issued at all if Solar is not installed.
I have pre installed all necessary pipework for solar on the flat roof, but as I am the only one that will live in the house and then only in the winter months, Solar was never in my mind as it is uneconomic and expensive to install (about e1800), as well as not being so efficient during winter months.
No one as yet has been able to point in the direction of the simple law where this is shown to be the case
Please no comments about efficiency etc, just any pertinent legislation

barlaventoexpert

I presume you had the project for your house OK'ed by your local Camara before construction began.

They should have pointed this out to your architect prior to approval.
In fact both your builder & architect should have know about it.

It is true.

Here you go..

Decreto-Lei n.º 80/2006, de 4 de Abril

Artigo 7.2

http://www.lusosol.com/pdf/DecretoLe...de4deAbril.pdf

Good technical article here...

RCCTE - DL 80/2006

EMR

Any decent builder would have known thesw requirements.
Could it be he just hid these details which have been law for years from you just to get you on board.
It was over 6 years ago when we got our habitation license which required a full energy inspection including solar, types of windows etc as a pre condition.
Arranged by our architect., cost a couple of 100 euros.

Once you have paid the builder its your problem not his.

wellinever

hi
Yes the project was fully approved of course. Yes I did see a plan for solar, but having built and sold a similar house back in 2009, I was aware that solar needed at least to be pre installed.
Reading one of your links, i see it does say that the law was introduced in 2006 but did not in fact become law for small houses until 2009, by which time my last project had been approved ,with only pre installation.
I wonder why they do not extend the law even further and make it necessary when a house is sold. Only on new houses seems a bit futile, but good for IVA.
I do notice it talks about using any other form of renewable in place of solar. I wonder if that is not a better bet in my situation to go for photovoltaic system and leave my nice esquentador (with 2 large gas bottles to provide my 40 litrs of hot water a day!!

wellinever

Just as well I haven`t finished paying.

EMR

Do as we did, hold back a balance until the energy cert is completed the habitation certificate granted..

wellinever

hi
I asked the engineer to supply me with the energy pre certificate (hadnt heard of it until an energy engineer came round to inspect)...he asked for it.
So I asked the project engineer.....it arrived this afternoon !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jesus, what a document......result is that with solar the house achieves an A rating..I guess this means that providing I used the materials quoted that this is what certificate I will get.
I actually used spray on BASF foam as the insulating material sprayed on the external tijolos between the cavities and used Thermic Tijolos with much higher Thermal value than standard tijolos...........I just do not like the foam blocks on the outside.
Dont understand why I had never seen this before.

Regarding the builder, as you say, I have always said to him that I will retain a % until I have a Habitation License, but he doesnt seem to bothered. Very strange to see a builder that doesnt chase money at all.

EMR

But you also lose out not having the certificate , potential issues with utility supplies etc.

Score76

Exporting solar energy in Portugal just does not cost in, but small scale solar most definitely does...

​​​​​​I installed a 3kw, 3 phase PV system last week onto a flat, south facing terraced roof. Friday it generated 18kwh, of which the house used 10kwh and I exported 8kwh. Had I have gone through the process of applying to EDP to export (250€), having new meter installed, plus generation meter (you have to pay for a mobile sim card so EDP can monitor it) then I'd have been paid 4c per kWh exported... So 32c. That's 117€ per year. Assuming then rental on the sim card is 10€ a month, that's a loss of 3€ a year. Great!

However, if you factor in some home automation (internet controlled pool pump, irrigation etc) and realtime monitoring on the solar, you can maximise use of what you generate. Yesterday the PV panels generated 20kwh. By moving pool pump and irrigation times to periods where the generated solar covers them, minimise exported power, put the washer/dishwasher on to use up the excess rather than after 10pm and so on. I saved about 3.50€ yesterday. At that rate my system pays for itself in 3 years. The alternatives I was quoted by local suppliers were 11 years!

It's even easier to get savings with single phase.

EMR

Sounds very efficient, one question, how do you get your system certificated , installation checked etc.

Score76

They're self fit panels, using micro inverters rather than a full blown 3-phase inverter. There's a form to fill out to inform EDP Distribution that you have them, but other than that no requirement for certification or inspection.

BillBullock

Is that about 12 PV panels? How much did the system cost and where did you source the materials?

EMR

Surely if you wantvto Selll the house you have to have a certificate that it meets all legal and safety standards.
Otherwise its a cowboys charter..

Score76

There's 9 x 325w JA Solar panels with Renusol bases, Enphase micro inverters, mostly sourced from Ebay. The monitoring is Owl Intuition, the automation a mixture of Sonoff devices controlled through the eWelink app and b-hyve irrigation. Whole lot cost about 3,500€. It's important to do the monitoring first so you can size the system correctly.

PM me if you want more details, happy to help if you want it