Heat recovery is the process of capturing and re-using excess heat. In very simple terms, it is another name for heat recycling.
It’s also a great way for companies to tackle the ‘E’ of their ESG goals. (ESG, of course, being Environmental, Social and Governance considerations).
Heat recovery works particularly well in industries like hospitality, where the energy that you’ve paid for to heat the building, combined with other sources like body heat, cooking heat, and warmth from lighting etc is soon drawn out through the building’s extract duct.
Instead of letting this excess heat escape out of the building and into the atmosphere, heat recovery means it can be captured and put to good use.
Recovered heat can be repurposed for further space heating or hot water.
Heat recovery cuts emissions and costs
By extracting heat from the outgoing warm air, businesses can wring every last drop of value out of the energy they’ve already paid for.
Heat recovery technology can help you pay for energy once, and use it repeatedly.
Dext is on a mission to help companies recoup the excess heat they are generating, and utilise it in a valuable way, rather than simply expelling it into the atmosphere.
Using restaurants as an example: energy bills are high because of the need to constantly heat water for handwashing and dishwashing, as well as the space heating needed to keep diners comfortable, and the vast amount of energy required for cooking. Much of this energy, especially from the high temperature cooking process, is drawn straight through the extractor fan, out of the building, and into the atmosphere.
With Dext, you can harvest this heat and redirect it back into the building’s heating and hot water systems – supplementing, or even potentially replacing traditional energy sources.
This patented technology gave Nando’s a new way to reduce reliance on less efficient heating systems, such as gas heaters and expensive electric door curtains.
Nando’s is a brand known for its eco conscience and the company has encouraged and supported Dext since 2009. The partnership began with heat recovery in the form of kitchen splashback panels: DexTherm splashback panels were fitted behind the restaurant grills which absorb excess cooking heat and use it to heat water. DexTherm is now fitted as standard in all new branches and features in 400+ Nando’s restaurants to date.
Nando’s is a brand known for its eco conscience and the company has encouraged and supported Dext since 2009. The partnership began with heat recovery in the form of kitchen splashback panels: DexTherm splashback panels were fitted behind the restaurant grills which absorb excess cooking heat and use it to heat water. DexTherm is now fitted as standard in all new branches and features in 400+ Nando’s restaurants to date.
Following the roll out of DexTherm, Nando’s supported Dext in a huge research and development project over several years to bring DexThermic to market.
DexThermic is a heat recovery system that sits in the extract duct of a restaurant (or manufacturing facility) to absorb excess heat before it leaves the building. It can work in conjunction with an eco-friendly heat pump to provide year-round heating and hot water, removing the need to rely on fossil fuels.
It is estimated that in the EU alone, excess heat was equal to 2,860 TWh a year.
An Obvious Solution
Excess heat is widely considered to be the world’s largest untapped source of energy. Heat recovery helps us capture and reduce the amount of heat wasted in all sorts of situations. According to a piece in The Guardian, it is estimated that in the EU alone, excess heat was equal to 2,860 TWh a year. That’s almost the same as the EU’s total energy demand for heat and hot water. This effectively means that if we all got better at recovering heat instead of wasting it, we could power most of Europe! Neil Bracewell, Dext’s Commercial Director believes heat recovery systems will swiftly become the norm across the UK and beyond.
Heat recovery or heat recycling seems like such an obvious solution that I find it very surprising more industries aren’t taking advantage of this technology yet. Instead of paying for energy and then letting it escape out of the extract duct, why not close this loop and get more out of your money? Not to mention drastically reducing your business’s carbon footprint.
Who Can Benefit From Heat Recovery?
There are different versions of DexThermic available including run around systems and high temperature variants, depending on how your system operates, so it’s best to speak to the team about your specific site requirements. DexThermic is well suited to the catering and hospitality sector, and would also work particularly well for manufacturing facilities.
Why not get in touch for a no-obligation discussion about your requirements and we can advise on the best options available? We pride ourselves on honest and transparent communication, and Dext’s reputation rests in the hands of our customers – so we wouldn’t suggest investing in this technology if it won’t meet your needs.
In Summary...
What Is Heat Recovery?
Heat recovery is heat recycling or heat ‘harvesting’ where you can recoup excess heat and use it again, instead of expelling it into the atmosphere.
What Is Heat Recovery Technology?
Heat recovery technology is how we refer to the products and systems that reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by ‘using up’ this excess heat.
How Much Does Heat Recovery Cost?
As with all things; it depends. (Some sites and systems are more complicated than others).
Thankfully, we have bespoke software invented by the very clever Dr Evans which can calculate your potential savings before you take the plunge. Read more about Dextcalc here.
To put heat recovery costs in context: Our UK data proves that a DexThermic should cover its own costs within the first two years, and go on making savings for many, many years to come.
Začetni stroški izdelka in namestitve se hitro izravnajo s prihranki energije. To je bilo znova in znova dokazano v naših akademskih raziskavah in poskusih v resničnem svetu.
Could Heat Recovery Work for My Business?
Most likely. But you’ll need to do your research.
Unlike Dext (a company founded and firmly rooted in the UK) some suppliers might claim impressive heat recovery results based on much colder climates, lacking validated scientific methods. It’s crucial to choose technologies supported by rigorous testing and analysis, with transparent communication to prevent potential misinformation. If you’re thinking of investing, here’s some advice:
- Pick up the phone and make sure your supplier can give you the relevant data for you and your organisation.
- Don’t be afraid to ask questions to ensure your supplier knows exactly what they’re talking about.
- Make sure that any projected savings are UK based and take into account reduced summer heating etc.
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