Title: Service Supply Systems Description of Invention

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a service supply system which may be used to provide hot water and/or heating and/or cooling. Embodiments also relate to components of such service supply systems and buildings (or parts thereof) including such components.

It is common for a building to have a system for generating and supplying hot water. Depending on the climate in the region in which the building is located, that building may also have a heating and/or cooling (i.e. air conditioning) system to alter the temperature of the rooms within the building.

In a large building with lots of rooms, it is not uncommon for a centralised system to be provided for delivering at least some of these services (e.g. hot water and/or heating and/or cooling).

Whilst centralised systems can take advantage of larger and more energy efficient equipment, that equipment is typically not operated in an energy efficient manner. Similarly, the design of such systems is often such that an energy efficiency in one part of the system is lost through ineffective operation or design of another part of the system. Poor maintenance of such systems can also lead to inefficient operation of the system as a whole.

In some centralised systems, the user can control the delivery of heating and/or cooling to a part of the building (e.g. an apartment or even a particular room in an apartment). However, this control can be crude and limited. In other centralised systems, the user has little or no direct control and changes to the heating and/or cooling of a building will apply to a large part of the building (and sometimes even the entire building).

These issues with centralised systems are even more apparent as the size of the centralised system increases - so, for example, the larger the building, the more inefficient the control of the supply of hot water and/or heating and/or cooling. Of course, some centralised systems operate in relation to more than one building and so this increases the problems still further.

In some large buildings centralised systems are not viable. For example, a large building may include a number of separate apartments, the residents of which each want control over how such services are provided and how such services are billed. Thus, it is also not uncommon for a large building to include a plurality of subsystems for the supply of hot water and for heating and/or cooling. Each such subsystem may operate in relation to just a part of the large building and may be independently controllable by the occupant of that part of the large building - e.g. the resident of a particular apartment.

Such subsystems cannot take advantage of the energy efficiencies of larger equipment used in centralised systems.

Thus, centralised systems can offer more efficient equipment but require careful control of that equipment in order to ensure those efficiencies are realised during operation. Individual subsystems are less efficient but are easier to control.

Centralised systems have the advantage of a large part of the equipment being located in one common plant room. This plant room is typically under the control of the management of the building in relation to which the centralised system is installed. Thus, maintenance can be straightforward as there is often only one location for the engineer to access and access is controlled by someone responsible for the building as a whole.

In a distributed subsystem arrangement (see above), equipment is spread between a number of locations and each location may be controlled by a different party (for example, by the resident of a particular apartment). This is a particular issue where a maintenance or safety engineer is tasked with servicing all of the subsystems in a building - as access must be negotiated with each party involved.

In both the distributed subsystem arrangement and the centralised system, there are problems associated with large upgrades and/or maintenance and/or commissioning - as access must be gained to each separate part of the building in turn (with a large number of access negotiations being required).

As will be appreciated, therefore, there are numerous problems associated with prior systems for the provision of hot water, heating and cooling.

Some efforts have been made in the art to overcome the issues created by inefficient control of centralised systems by, for example, using what is viewed as more efficient equipment - often using renewable energy sources. In many instances, such centralised systems are poorly designed and do not realise the expected efficiencies.

These and other issues cause significant problems in relation to the design and operation of service systems for large buildings. Indeed, whilst some of the problems are particularly relevant to apartment buildings, the same problems will equally apply to other large multi-occupancy buildings - such as schools, office buildings, hospitals, shopping malls, and the like.

Issues with access to parts of a large building can be particularly significant in apartment buildings with a large number of social housing apartments, hospitals, and buildings in which access to parts is restricted (e.g. due to security concerns - such as airports, prisons, secure government facilities, and the like).

In addition, with a centralised system, it is notoriously difficult to ensure that each part of the building is correctly metered and/or is billed for an appropriate level of service. In some such systems, metering equipment is distributed about the building and access to that metering equipment can be limited or restricted - this can reduce the ability of an operator of the system to determine meter readings and can also prevent the operators from identifying metering equipment which has been tampered with by a user. Therefore, embodiments of the present invention seek to ameliorate one or more problems associated with the prior art.

Accordingly, an aspect of the present invention provides a service supply system for use in the provision of cooling and hot water and/or heating, the system comprising: a combined heating and cooling mechanism which is configured to output heated and cooled liquid; and a cooling mechanism configured to receive at least some of the heated liquid from the combined heating and cooling mechanism and to use the received heated liquid to output further cooled liquid. The combined heating and cooling mechanism may include an internal combustion engine which is configured to drive a pump for use in a refrigeration cycle to cool liquid, and wherein the internal combustion engine generates heat which is used to heat liquid. The internal combustion engine may be configured to use natural gas as a fuel. The cooling mechanism may include an adsorption refrigeration unit. The cooling mechanism may include an absorption refrigeration unit. The system may further comprise a heating mechanism configured to output heated liquid to the cooling mechanism, and wherein the cooling mechanism is configured to use the received heated liquid to output further cooled liquid. The heating mechanism may include a boiler. The boiler may be configured to use natural gas or oil as a fuel. The heating mechanism may be isolated from the combined heating and cooling mechanism and the cooling mechanism by a heat exchanger. The cooling mechanism may be configured to output heated liquid to a waste heat management unit. The waste heat management unit may use the heated liquid output by the cooling mechanism to heat a further liquid. The system may further include a storage and distribution unit which is configured to store and/or distribute the heated liquid and the cooled liquid to one or more building units. The system may further comprise an electrical generator which is mechanically coupled to a drive shaft of the combined heating and cooling mechanism, such that operation of the combined heating and cooling mechanism is configured to cause the generation of electricity in the electrical generator. The system may further comprise a building unit hot water heating mechanism which is configured to receive pre-heat hot water which was pre-heated using the heated liquid and to further heat the hot water. Another aspect provides a service supply system for use in the provision of cooling and hot water and/or heating, the system comprising: a heating mechanism which is configured to output heated liquid; and a cooling mechanism configured to receive at least some of the heated liquid from the combined heating and cooling mechanism and to use the received heated liquid to output further cooled liquid. The cooling mechanism may include an adsorption refrigeration unit. The cooling mechanism may include an absorption refrigeration unit. The heating mechanism may include a boiler. The boiler may be configured to use natural gas or oil as a fuel. The heating mechanism may be isolated from the cooling mechanism by a heat exchanger. The cooling mechanism may be configured to output heated liquid to a waste heat management unit. The waste heat management unit may use the heated liquid output by the cooling mechanism to heat a further liquid. The system may further include a storage and distribution unit which is configured to store and/or distribute the heated liquid and the cooled liquid to one or more building units. Another aspect provides a building unit in combination with at least one system as presented above. Another aspect provides a plant including a system as presented above. Another aspect provides a building including at least one building unit. Another aspect provides a building including a plant. Another aspect provides a group of buildings.

Embodiments of the present invention are described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a building in accordance with some embodiments;

Figure 2 shows buildings, building units, and sub-buildings in accordance with some embodiments;

Figure 3 shows building units in accordance with some embodiments;

Figure 4 shows a system according to some embodiments;

Figure 5 shows a system according to some embodiments;

Figure 6 shows an embodiment of a combined heating and cooling unit;

Figure 7 shows an embodiment of a distribution system;

Figure 8 shows aspects of a system of embodiments;

Figure 9 shows a heat transfer unit of embodiments;

Figure 10 shows a control system of embodiments;

Figure 1 1 shows a pump room of embodiments;

Figures 12 and 13 show a distribution system of embodiments; and

Figure 14 shows a part of a system of embodiments.

With reference to Figures 1 & 2, embodiments of the present invention are configured for operation in relation to a building 1 . The building 1 could be any number of different types of building 1 - for example, a multi-occupancy building; a building in residential use; a building in retail use; a building in office use; a building in commercial use; a building in storage use; a communal housing building; an apartment block; a hospital; a healthcare centre; an office block; a school; a swimming pool; a sports facility; changing facilities; temporary or mobile installations for events; accommodation facilities; industrial and military sites; different industrial uses such as manufacturing, distribution, food storage, food processing, ripening, agriculture and animal husbandry; a hotel; an airport; a prison; or a mixture of different types (i.e. uses).

In some embodiments, the building 1 may in fact comprise a plurality of sub-buildings 1 a - i.e. a plurality of free standing buildings 1 a which may or may not be interconnected by corridors, walkways, skyways, and/or tunnels. The building 1 (or sub-buildings 1 a) may comprise a high-rise building, a skyscraper, or any other form or configuration of building. As will be appreciated, the building 1 or sub- building 1 a has a roof, one or more outer walls, and may include grounds around the one or more outer walls and associated with the rest of the building 1 or sub-building 1 a. The building 1 includes a plurality of building units 2. Each building unit 2 may be, for example, an apartment, an office, a ward, a department, a sector, a zone, or the like. Each building unit 2 may comprise one or more rooms which may be interconnected by doors, windows, and the like. In some embodiments, each sub-building 1 a is a building unit 2. In some embodiments, each sub-building 1 a comprises a plurality of building units 2.

Each building unit 2 may be under the control of a different end-user. A building unit 2 or a group of building units 2 (which may include an entire building 1 or sub-building 1 a) may be under the control of a different management-user. An end-user may, for example, be the resident of an apartment, an occupier of an office, a nurse in a hospital, an occupier of a hotel room, or the like. Each management-user may, for example, be the owner of a building or other group of building units 2, a management business tasked with managing a building or other group of building units 2, a landlord, a facilities manager, a hotel manager, or the like.

There is a desire to provide one or more services to each building unit 2 of the building 1. These services may include one or more of hot water, heating, cooling, and communication services. As will be appreciated, therefore, the end-user is the user desiring to make use of the one or more services. The management-user is responsible for managing the one or more building units 2 for which they are responsible - for example, to ensure that maintenance is performed, that services are available to a building unit 2, etc. An embodiment of the present invention includes a storage and distribution unit 3 (see figures 4 and 5) for use in the provision of one or more services for use by one or more building units 2 of a building 1 . The one or more services may include one or more of hot water, heating, cooling, and communication services.

The storage and distribution unit 3 is configured to be connected to at least one service supply unit 4 and to a distribution system 5. The at least one service supply unit 4 is configured for use in generating the one or more services for storage and/or distribution by the storage and distribution unit 3. The distribution system 5 is configured to distribute the one or more services from the storage and distribution unit 3 to one or more building units 2.

Operation of one or more of the storage and distribution units 3, the at least one service supply unit 4, and the distribution system 5, may be controlled by a control system 6. Collectively, one or more of the storage and distribution unit 3, the at least one service supply unit 4, the distribution system 5, and the control system 6, form a service supply system 100.

Embodiments of the storage and distribution unit 3 will now be described.

In some embodiments, the storage and distribution unit 3 is configured to store and/or distribute heated liquid (e.g. water) for use in the provision of heating and/or hot water services. In this context, heated liquid is a liquid which has been heated to a temperature which is higher than the ambient temperature in the region of the storage and distribution unit 3. In some embodiments, heated liquid is liquid which has been heated to a temperature above 50°C (and possibly below 100°C (e.g. 70-90°C).

In some embodiments, the storage and distribution unit 3 is configured to store and/or distribute cooled liquid (e.g. water) for use in the provision of cooling services. In this context, cooled liquid is a liquid which has been cooled to a temperature which is lower than the ambient temperature in the region of the storage and distribution unit 3. In some embodiments, cooled liquid is liquid which has been cooled to a temperature below 15°C (and possibly below 10°C and possibly between 5°C and 10°C in some embodiments).

In some embodiments, therefore, the storage and distribution unit 3 includes a "hot" circuit for circulating heated liquid and returning that liquid once used, and a "cold" circuit for circulating cooled liquid and returning that liquid once used. The terms "hot" and "cold" are, therefore, used herein with reference to these two circuits (whether in relation to the storage and distribution unit 3 or another part of the system 100).

The storage and distribution unit 3 may, therefore, include one or more tanks 31 configured to store heated liquid (e.g. water) and one or more tanks 31 configured to store cooled liquid (e.g. water). In some embodiments, no such tanks 31 are provided and the storage and distribution unit 3 is primarily concerned with distribution of the heated and cooled liquids.

In some embodiments, the or each tank 31 comprises a respective stratification vessel 31 . As such, in some embodiments, one tank 31 is provided for cooled liquid and another for heated liquid and each tank 31 may be a respective stratification vessel 31 .

In some embodiments, the or each stratification vessel 31 acts as a thermal store which is configured to store heated or cooled liquid (e.g. water), with hotter liquid towards the top of the stratification vessel 31 and cooler liquid towards the bottom of the stratification vessel 31 . One or more baffles may be located within the stratification vessel 31 and configured to inhibit the movement of liquid within the stratification vessel 31 . The one or more baffles act to enhance the temperature stratification within the stratification vessel 31 .

Accordingly, the or each stratification vessel 31 may be a vessel which has a height which is greater than a width of the stratification vessel 31 . The or each baffle may extend across at least a portion of the cross-sectional area of the stratification vessel 31 . The or each baffle may include a plurality of slits or apertures (e.g. piercings) to allow the restricted passage of liquid (e.g. water), therethrough. In some embodiments, the or each baffle may additionally or alternatively include one or more ridges, or another form of uneven surface (e.g. one or more dimples), to alter the flow of liquid (e.g. water) over the baffle within the stratification vessel 31 . In some embodiments, the or each baffle may be oriented perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the stratification vessel 31 . In some embodiments, the or each baffle may be inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the stratification vessel 31 - for example, the or each baffle may form a helix or partial helix within the stratification vessel 31 .

In some embodiments, the or each baffle includes at least one vane. The or each vane may be rotatable about its longitudinal axis to control the flow of liquid over the vane. The or each vane may extend substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the stratification vessel 31 . In some embodiments, the orientation of the or each vane is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the stratification vessel 31 (e.g. to encourage rotational movement of the liquid about the volume defined by the stratification vessel 31 ). In some embodiments, the or each vane is attached to a hub which is configured to rotate such that the or each vane rotates within the stratification vessel 31 to assist in movement (or to inhibit movement) of the liquid within the stratification vessel 31 . In some embodiments, the or each vane is configured to assist or restrict movement of the liquid up or down the stratification vessel 31 - with or against the flow of liquid due to convection within the stratification vessel 31 .

As will be appreciated, within the or each stratification vessel 31 , liquid (e.g. water) is not free to rise or fall uninhibited due to convection. Instead, the free movement of liquid within the stratification vessel 31 is inhibited by the or each baffle 31 which may serve to slow or accelerate the flow of some parts of the liquid with respect to other parts.

The or each stratification vessel 31 (or other form of tank 31 ) may include one or more temperature sensors. In embodiments, a plurality of temperature sensors is provided with the temperature sensors spaced apart along a height of the stratification vessel 31 (or other form of tank 31 ). The or each temperature sensor is configured to measure the temperature of the liquid in the stratification vessel 31 (or other form of tank 31 ) at a particular height within the stratification vessel 31 (or other form of tank 31 ). Accordingly, the or each temperature sensor may extend through a wall of the stratification vessel 31 (or other form of tank 31 ) with an operative end extending into or close to the liquid (or the volume in which the liquid is to be contained). The or each temperature sensor is configured to deliver an electrical output signal representative of a temperature of the liquid adjacent the temperature sensor to control equipment 16 which may be associated with the stratification vessel 31 (or other form of tank 31 ).

The stratification vessel 31 (or other form of tank 31 ) may include one or more pressure sensors. The or each pressure sensor is configured to measure a fluid pressure (e.g. a liquid pressure) within the stratification vessel 31 (or other form of tank 31 ). Accordingly, the or each pressure sensor may extend through a wall of the stratification vessel 31 (or other form of tank 31 ) with an operative end extending into or close to the liquid (or the volume in which the liquid is to be contained). The or each pressure sensor is configured to deliver an electrical output signal representative of a pressure of the fluid (e.g. liquid) within the stratification vessel 31 (e.g. tank 31 ) to control equipment 16 which may be associated with the stratification vessel 31 (or other form of tank 31 ).

The storage and distribution unit 3 is provided with heated and/or cooled liquid from a service supply unit 4 which may be a heating and cooling service supply unit 44 (see figure 5). The heating and cooling service supply unit 44 may be configured to receive liquid from the storage and distribution unit 3 for cooling and/or heating, and subsequently return to the storage and distribution unit 3. The heating and cooling circuits may be separate such that the heating and cooling service supply unit 44 may be configured to receive a first liquid from the storage and distribution unit 3 for cooling and/or a second liquid for heating, and subsequently return the first and/or second liquids to the storage and distribution unit 3.

In some embodiments, one or more other service supply units 4 are provided and are coupled to the storage and distribution unit 3 - each service supply unit 4 being configured to, for example, heat and/or cool a liquid (e.g. water).

The or each service supply unit 4 could take a number of different forms and configurations. The or each service supply unit 4 may include control equipment 16 which is configured to control the operation of the service supply unit 4. A main heating output conduit 7 and a main heating return conduit 8 are configured to transfer heated liquid from the storage and distribution unit 3 (e.g. from one of the one or more tanks 31 ) for use by one or more building units 2 and to return liquid from the one or more building units 2 to the storage and distribution unit 3, respectively. Accordingly, the main heating output conduit 7 and main heating return conduit 8 are both connected in liquid communication with the distribution system 5.

Similarly, a main cooling output conduit 7a and a main cooling return conduit 8a are configured to transfer cooled liquid from the storage and distribution unit 3 (e.g. from one of the one or more tanks 31 ) for use by one or more building units 2 and to return liquid from the one or more building units 2 to the storage and distribution unit 3. Accordingly, the main cooling output conduit 7a and main cooling return conduit 8a are both connected in liquid communication with the distribution system 5.

In embodiments, the distribution system 5 is a substantially closed-loop system (as indicated in figure 5) such that liquid which is delivered through the main heating output conduit 7 is returned through the main heating return conduit 8 during normal operation (i.e. the liquid is not typically lost from the distribution system 5 or consumed by the building unit or units 2). Similarly, in embodiments, liquid which is delivered through the main cooling output conduit 7a is returned through the main cooling return conduit 8a during normal operation (i.e. the liquid is not typically lost from the distribution system 5 or consumed by the building unit or units 2). The distribution system 5, therefore, comprises a network of pipework 51 forming a heating circuit between the main heating output conduit 7 and the main heating return conduit 8. The network of pipework 51 also forms a cooling circuit between the main cooling output conduit 7a and the main cooling return conduit 8a. Coupled to the network of pipework 51 are, in some embodiments, one or more heat transfer units 52 of the distribution system 5. In some embodiments, the or each heat transfer unit 52 is associated with a single building unit 2. In other embodiments, a plurality of heat transfer units 52 may be provided for a single building unit 2. In other embodiments, a single heat transfer unit 52 is associated with a plurality of building units 2 (e.g. with all of the building units 2 on one floor of the building 1 ).

The or each heat transfer unit 52 may be coupled to the network of pipework 51 such that the or each heat transfer unit 52 is configured to receive liquid from the main heating output conduit 7 (i.e. heated liquid) and to return the received liquid to the main heating return conduit 8 - this may be achieved via other parts of the network of pipework 51 , as will become apparent.

Similarly, the or each heat transfer unit 52 may be coupled to the network of pipework 51 such that the or each heat transfer unit 52 is configured to receive liquid from the main cooling output conduit 7a (i.e. cooled liquid) and to return the received liquid to the main cooling return conduit 8a - this may be achieved via other parts of the network of pipework 51 , as will become apparent.

In embodiments, a plurality of heat transfer units 52 is provided and the heat transfer units 52 may be connected in parallel with each other to the network of pipework 51 .

As will be appreciated (with reference to figures 7, 12 and 13, for example), therefore, the network of pipework 51 generally includes a hot distribution output conduit 51 1 a which is coupled in liquid communication with the main heating output conduit 7 and a hot distribution return conduit 512a which is coupled in liquid communication with the main heating return conduit 8. One or more heat transfer units 52 are coupled to provide liquid communication between the hot distribution output conduit 51 1 a and the hot distribution return conduit 512a. Similarly, therefore, the network of pipework 51 generally includes a cold distribution output conduit 51 1 b which is coupled in liquid communication with the main cooling output conduit 7a and a cold distribution return conduit 512b which is coupled in liquid communication with the main cooling return conduit 8a. One or more heat transfer units 52 are coupled to provide liquid communication between the cold distribution output conduit 51 1 b and the distribution return conduit 512b.

In some embodiments, a heat transfer unit 52 comprises one or more heat exchangers 521 . In some embodiments, the one or more heat exchangers 521 include a hot water heat exchanger 521 a and/or a heating heat exchanger 521 b and/or a cooling heat exchanger 521 c. In some embodiments, multiple heat transfer units 52 are provided for the same building unit 2, with one heat transfer unit 52 including the hot water heat exchanger 521 a and/or the heating heat exchanger 521 b and the other heat transfer unit 52 including the cooling heat transfer unit 52.

The one or more heat exchangers 521 may be each configured to receive liquid (e.g. water) from the hot distribution output conduit 51 1 a and to return liquid to (or towards) the hot distribution return conduit 512a. The one or more heat exchangers 521 are each, therefore, in liquid communication with the distribution system 5 (and, in particular, in some embodiments, with the network of pipework 51 (such as both the hot distribution output conduit 51 1 a and the hot distribution return conduit 512a). Similarly, the one or more heat exchangers 521 may be each configured to receive liquid (e.g. water) from the cold distribution output conduit 51 1 b and to return liquid to (or towards) the cold distribution return conduit 512b. The one or more heat exchangers 521 are each, therefore, in liquid communication with the distribution system 5 (and, in particular, in some embodiments, with the network of pipework 51 (such as both the cold distribution output conduit 51 1 b and the cold distribution return conduit 512b). In some embodiments, the or each heat exchanger 521 includes a first heat exchanger conduit 521 1 and a second heat exchanger conduit 5212. The first heat exchanger conduit 521 1 and second heat exchanger conduit 5212 are separate conduits without liquid communication between the two conduits 521 1 ,5212. However, the first and second heat exchanger conduits 521 1 ,5212 are configured such that there is thermal communication between the two conduits 521 1 ,5212.

The first heat exchanger conduit 521 1 , in such embodiments, may provide at least part of the liquid communication between the hot distribution output conduit 51 1 a and the hot distribution return conduit 512a. Alternatively, the first heat exchanger conduit 521 1 , in such embodiments, may provide at least part of the liquid communication between the cold distribution output conduit 51 1 b and the cold distribution return conduit 512b. In some embodiments, the second heat exchanger conduit 5212, is configured to receive water from a main water supply 9 and to deliver (via the second heat exchanger conduit 5212) that water to a building unit hot water supply output 10. The thermal communication between the first and second heat exchanger conduits 521 1 ,5212 may be used to transfer heat from the liquid passing through the first heat exchanger conduit 521 1 to fluid (e.g. water or air) passing through the second heat exchanger conduit 5212, or vice versa. As such, according to embodiments, the heat exchanger 521 may be a hot water heat exchanger 521 a which is configured to heat water from a main water supply 9 for delivery to the building unit hot water supply output 10 (for use in building unit 2 or units 2 associated with the heat transfer unit 52). As will be appreciated, that water will, once it has passed through the heat transfer unit 52 from the main water supply 9 to the building unit hot water supply output 10, not be returned to the heat transfer unit 52 during normal operation. One or more non-return valves may be provided in order to inhibit or substantially prevent the flow of water from the building unit hot water supply output 10 to the main water supply 9 (but to permit the flow of water in the opposing direction).

Water which has been delivered to the building unit hot water supply output 10 may then be supplied to the building unit 2 or units 2 associated with the heat transfer unit 52 for use. For example, the building unit 2 or units 2 may have fitted therein a building unit pumping system 21 to distribute the water to one or more appliances, taps (i.e. faucets), and the like. The water may be used for washing or other cleaning purposes, for example. Appliances might include dishwashers, washing machines, pressure washers, and the like. Taps (i.e. faucets) might be provided in a kitchen or bathroom, for example, and may include taps associated with sinks, basins, baths, showers, and the like. In such embodiments, the second heat exchanger conduit 5212 is a conduit of a hot water heat exchanger 521 a of the heat transfer unit 52. This configuration may, in some embodiments, provide hot water of about 50°C (e.g. 45-55°C). In some embodiments, the second heat exchanger conduit 5212, is configured to receive water from a building unit heating system 22 (e.g. from a building heating system return 221 ) - see Figures 3, 7, and 12, for example - and to deliver water back to the building unit heating system 22 (e.g. to a building unit heating system output 222) via the second heat exchanger conduit 5212. The building unit heating system 22 may provide a substantially closed loop between the building unit heating system output 222 and the building system heating system return 221 , and may include one or more building unit heating members 223 (such as radiators).

The building unit heating system 22, therefore, provides a conduit for the flow of water from the building unit heating system output 222 to the building unit heating system return 221 via one or more building unit heating members 223 - such as one or more radiators.

The or each building unit heating member 223 may be provided with an individual controller in the form of a valve which inhibits or substantially prevents the flow of water through the building unit heating member 223 in a controllable manner - such as a thermostatic radiator valve.

Of course, the building unit heating system 22 may be in liquid communication with a building unit cold water supply 1 1 or with the main water supply 9, to allow the water within the building unit heating system 22 to be topped-up, etc.

In such embodiments, the second heat exchanger conduit 5212 is a conduit of a heating heat exchanger 521 b of the heat transfer unit 52.

In some embodiments, the second heat exchanger conduit 5212, is configured to receive fluid from a part of a building unit cooling system 23 and to deliver the fluid to another part of the building unit cooling system 23, via the second heat exchanger conduit 5212. The fluid may be used by the building unit cooling system 23 to cool air for delivery to one or more of the building units 2 (in which case, the building unit cooling system 23 may provide a substantially closed loop system). In other embodiments, the fluid is air for delivery to one or more of the building units 2. As will be appreciated, the heat transfer unit 52 may include one or more heat exchangers 521 : a hot water heat exchanger 521 a, a heating heat exchanger 521 b, and a cooling heat exchanger 521 c. As such one or more services (e.g. hot water, and/or heating, and/or cooling) may be provided to the building unit 2 or units 2. In some embodiments, only one service is to be provided, or two services may be provided, or three services may be provided, and there may be a corresponding number and type of heat exchangers 521 .

The heat transfer unit 52 may, in some embodiments, further include one or more metering devices 522. In some embodiments, there is a metering device 522 associated with each respective heat exchanger 521 . The or each metering device 522 is configured to measure a parameter indicative of the amount of heat which is transferred through the associated heat exchanger 521 .

In some embodiments, the or each metering device 522 may comprise a flow sensor which is configured to measure the volume of liquid passing through at least part of the heat exchanger 521 . In some embodiments, the or each metering device 522 may further comprise a temperature sensor (or a plurality of such sensors) which are configured to measure the temperature of fluid passing through at least part of the heat exchanger 521.

The or each metering device 522 may be configured to output an electrical signal indicative of the measured parameter and/or to move a mechanical dial and/or use the measured parameters (e.g. flow and/or temperature and/or pressure) to determine a measure of the energy transferred through the heat exchanger 521 . The electrical signal may be wirelessly communicated to the control system 6 or may be communicated to the control system 6 via a wired communication network - either electrically or optically (e.g. using an optical fibre communication network). In some embodiments, the heat transfer unit 52 may include an automatic bypass which is configured to pass liquid from the hot or cold distribution output conduit 51 1 a,b to the respective hot or cold distribution return conduit 512a,b during periods in which there is no such flow through the or each heat exchanger 521. This helps to avoid lags in the provision of hot or cold liquid to the or each heat exchanger 521 on demand. Such automatic bypasses may be present in respect of both the hot and cold distribution output and return conduits 51 1 a, 51 1 b,512a, 512b.

In some embodiments, a plurality of heat transfer units 52 is provided and the heat transfer units 52 may be connected differently to the manner described above, however, the operation and other components are the same as described above.

In such embodiments, the network of pipework 51 generally includes a hot distribution output conduit 51 1 a which is coupled in liquid communication with the main heating output conduit 7 and a hot distribution return conduit 512a which is coupled in liquid communication with the main heating return conduit 8. The hot distribution output conduit 51 1 a and the hot distribution return conduit 512a are however, in such embodiments, connected together in liquid communication - for example via a pipe which may or may not include a valve to control the flow of liquid therethrough. The or each heat transfer unit 52 is coupled to receive liquid from the hot distribution output conduit 51 1 a and to return liquid to the hot distribution output conduit 51 1 a - that liquid then passing on to the hot distribution return conduit 512a. Such an embodiment is shown in figures 7, 12, and 13. Similarly in some embodiments, the network of pipework 51 generally includes a cold distribution output conduit 51 1 b which is coupled in liquid communication with the main cooling output conduit 7a and a cold distribution return conduit 512b which is coupled in liquid communication with the main cooling return conduit 8a. The cold distribution output conduit 51 1 b and the cold distribution return conduit 512b are however, in such embodiments, connected together in liquid communication - for example via a pipe which may or may not include a valve to control the flow of liquid therethrough. The or each heat transfer unit 52 is coupled to receive liquid from the cold distribution output conduit 51 1 b and to return liquid to the cold distribution output conduit 51 1 b - that liquid then passing on to the cold distribution return conduit 512b. Such an embodiment is shown in figures 7, 12 and 13.

As can be seen, liquid passing through the hot or cold distribution output conduit 51 1 a,b may be drawn off into a first heat transfer unit 52 and then returned to the respective hot or cold distribution output conduit 51 1 a,b downstream of where the liquid was drawn off. Liquid may also bypass the first heat transfer unit 52 if it is not drawn off (i.e. it continues to flow through the hot or cold distribution output conduit 51 1 a,b as the case may be). Liquid passing through the hot or cold distribution output conduit 51 1 a,b may be drawn off by a second heat transfer unit 52 (which is downstream of the first heat transfer unit 52). The liquid which is drawn off by the second heat transfer unit 52 may be liquid which was previously drawn off and returned by the first heat transfer unit 52 or may be liquid which bypassed the first heat transfer unit 52. Accordingly, liquid does not need to flow through any particular heat transfer unit 52 to allow a downstream heat transfer unit 52 to operate. More than two heat transfer units 4 may be connected in this manner.

In some embodiments, the distribution system 5 includes a temperature and/or pressure and/or flow sensor 53 which is located at a point in the distribution system which is remote from one or more distribution pumps 513a,b and/or which is downstream of the last heat transfer unit 52 of the distribution system 5.

The control system 6 is communicatively coupled to various different parts of the embodiments of the system 100 disclosed herein and is configured to communicate control instructions to the control equipment associated with the parts of system 100, in order to control the operation of those parts in accordance with a control strategy.

As will be appreciated, therefore, some parts of embodiments of the system 100 may be provided in a centralised manner and different types of service supply unit 4 may be efficiently integrated for operation together (aided by the use of the storage and distribution unit 3). In the provision of services such as hot water, cooling, and heating, liquid which has been heated or cooled using the service supply unit or units 4 (e.g. the heating and cooling service supply unit 43) may be used to heat and/or cool water or another fluid in the heat transfer unit or units 52 to provide these services on-demand in the building unit 2 or units 2.

In some embodiments, heat transfer units 52 are not used. Instead, the network of pipework 51 is directly coupled to one or more parts of the or each building cooling unit 23 and/or to one or more building unit heating members 223.

In some embodiments, the end-user has some of the advantages of individualised controls and the management-user has some of the advantages of a centralised system.

With the above overview or the core components and parts of embodiments of the system 100 in mind, those parts and components will now be considered in more detail in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

With reference to figure 6, embodiments of the heating and cooling service supply unit 44 may include a heating mechanism 43 which is configured to receive liquid (e.g. water) and to heat the liquid to a predetermined temperature. In some embodiments, a plurality of heating mechanisms 43 is provided in the heating and cooling service supply unit 44. The operation of such a plurality of heating mechanisms 43 in the heating and cooling service supply unit 44 (which may be a plurality of heating mechanisms 43 of the same type), may be such that the number of mechanisms 43 operating to heat the liquid is approximately proportional to the demand - in other words, a single heating mechanism 43 may be sufficient for a period of low demand but additional heating mechanisms 43 may need to operate for periods of higher demand. This cascaded operation of the heating mechanisms 43 of the heating and cooling service supply unit 44 may be controlled by the control equipment 16 which is associated with the heating and cooling service supply unit 44.

Some embodiments of the heating and cooling service supply unit 44 may include a cooling mechanism 45 which is configured to receive liquid (e.g. water) and to cool the liquid to a predetermined temperature. In some embodiments, a plurality of cooling mechanisms 45 is provided in the heating and cooling service supply unit 44. The operation of such a plurality of cooling mechanisms 45 in the heating and cooling service supply unit 44 (which may be a plurality of cooling mechanisms 45 of the same type or different types), may be such that the number of mechanisms 45 operating to cool the liquid is approximately proportional to the demand - in other words, a single cooling mechanism 45 may be sufficient for a period of low demand but additional cooling mechanisms 45 may need to operate for periods of higher demand. This cascaded operation of the cooling mechanisms 45 of the heating and cooling service supply unit 44 may be controlled by the control equipment 16 which is associated with the heating and cooling service supply unit 44.

In some embodiments, the plurality of heating mechanisms 43 of the heating and cooling service supply unit 44 include one or more first heating mechanisms 43a and may include one or more second heating mechanisms 43b. Equally, in some embodiments, the plurality of cooling mechanisms 45 of the heating and cooling service supply unit 44 include one or more first cooling mechanisms 45a and may include one or more second cooling mechanisms 45b.

The one or more first heating mechanisms 43a may include one or more boilers which may each be a natural gas, oil, or other fossil fuel (or hydrocarbon) based boiler. The or each boiler may be a condensing boiler which operates, as will be appreciated, to scavenge additional heat from the exhaust gases - causing water vapour in those exhaust gases to condense.

Although several embodiments are discussed with reference to the figures with the first heating mechanisms 43a of the heating or cooling service supply unit 44 being one or more boilers, other heating mechanisms 43 could be used in substantially the same configuration (as is described above). For example, the or each first heating mechanism 43a may include at least one of a gas absorption heat pump, a biomass generator, a solar panel, a ground source heat pump, a hydraulic power plant, a wind power plant, a district heating system, an air source heat pump, an electrically operated heater, a solar thermal collector, a photovoltaic panel, and a combined heat and power unit. The or each first heating mechanism 43a may, therefore, be connected to a common input conduit 41 1 and a common output conduit 412. The common input and output conduits 41 1 ,412 may be connected in liquid communication with the storage and distribution unit 3, for example to one of the one or more tanks 31 .

The common input conduit 41 1 may be connected in liquid communication, in some embodiments, to input conduit or conduits of the or each first heating mechanism 43a. The or each first heating mechanism 43a is configured to receive liquid to be heated from the common input conduit 41 1 (i.e. from the storage and distribution unit 3 (e.g. from the first tank 31 )) and to heat that liquid before returning the heated liquid, via an output conduit or conduits of the or each first heating mechanism 43a, to the common output conduit 412.

The common input conduit 41 1 may be associated with a common input conduit temperature sensor and/or a common input conduit pressure sensor located between the storage and distribution unit 3 (e.g. first tank 31 ) and the first heating mechanism 43a along the flow path of liquid through the common input conduit 41 1. The common input conduit temperature sensor and/or pressure sensor may be configured to output a signal representative of the temperature and/or pressure of the liquid within the common input conduit 41 1 . This signal may be an electrical signal which is provided to the control equipment 16 associated with the heating and cooling service supply unit 44 of which the first heating mechanism 43a forms a part.

In some embodiments, a common input conduit flow and/or pressure meter is also provided in the common input conduit 41 1 between the storage and distribution unit 3 (e.g. the first tank 31 ) and the first heating mechanism 43a along the flow path of the liquid through the common input conduit 41 1. The common input conduit flow and/or pressure meter may be configured to output a signal representative of the volume of liquid which has flowed along the common input conduit 41 1 . This signal may be an electrical signal which is provided to the control equipment 16 associated with the heating and cooling service supply unit 44 of which the first heating mechanism 43a forms a part. The or each first heating mechanism 43a may further include isolation valves in both the input conduit or conduits of the first heating mechanism 43a and in the output conduit or conduits of the first heating mechanism 43a - the isolation valves being configured to selectively isolate the first heating mechanism 43a from the common input conduit 41 1 and the common output conduit 412.

The or each first heating mechanism 43a may further include its own temperature and/or pressure sensors. For example, a first heating mechanism input temperature sensor may be provided to measure the temperature of the liquid entering the first heating mechanism 43a and to provide that measurement to the control equipment associated with the heating and cooling service supply unit 44. Similarly, a first heating mechanism output temperature sensor and first heating mechanism output pressure sensor may be provided to measure the temperature and pressure of the liquid leaving the first heating mechanism 43a and to provide that measurement to the control equipment 16 associated with the heating and cooling service supply unit 44.

In some embodiments with a plurality of such first heating mechanism 43a provided, the first heating mechanism 43a of the heating and cooling service supply unit 44 are provided as a single module of first heating mechanism 43a (and, in some instances, multiple modules can be interconnected).

The or each first heating mechanism 43a may also be in fluid communication with a fuel supply conduit 41 18 which is configured to supply fuel to the or each first heating mechanism 43a for burning in order to heat the liquid as described herein. The fuel supply conduit 41 18 may be configured to carry natural gas or oil, for example, from a mains supply or supply tank of the fuel. A fuel supply valve may be provided to allow the selective control of the supply of fuel to the fuel supply conduit 41 18.

In some embodiments, a respective heat exchanger 441 is provided between the or each service supply unit 4 (including the heating and cooling service supply unit 44) and the storage and distribution unit 3, to isolate the liquid which passes through the service supply units 4 from the heated liquid in the storage and distribution unit 3. As such, the common output conduit 412 and common input conduit 41 1 may be coupled to the heat exchanger 441 with separate conduits provided (also coupled to the heat exchanger 441 ) for transferring liquid to and from the storage and distribution unit 3.

In some embodiments, a common output conduit pump 4124 may be provided and configured to pump heated liquid from the or each first heating mechanism 43a to or towards the storage and distribution module 3 (which may include pumping heated liquid to the heat exchanger 441 ). Isolation valves may be provided either side of the common output conduit pump 4124 to allow the common output conduit pump 4124 to be isolated. Similarly, the common output conduit pump 4124 may be provided with inlet and outlet pressure sensors which are configured to determine the fluid pressure at the inlet and outlet of the common output conduit pump 4124. The inlet and outlet pressure sensors may be configured to output electrical signals representative of the inlet and outlet pressures and/or a pressure differential across the common output conduit pump 4124. That electrical signal may be output to the control equipment 16.

In some embodiments, a heating mechanism header 433 may be provided between the or each first heating mechanism 43a and the common input and output conduits 41 1 ,412 (in terms of the flow of liquid). The heating mechanism header 433 may be located between the heat exchanger 441 and the or each first heating mechanism 43a and may be between the common output conduit pump 4124 and the or each first heating mechanism 43a (in terms of the flow of liquid).

In embodiments, one or more fuel supply metering devices may be provided to measure the volume of fuel used by the or each first heating mechanism 43a. This may be measured collectively for all first heating mechanisms 43a or individually for each first heating mechanism 43a. This information may be provided to the control equipment 16 associated with the heating and cooling service supply unit 4.

Isolation valves may be provided to allow isolation of the fuel supply conduit 41 18 from the or each first heating mechanism 43a.

The or each second heating mechanism 43b may be connected to the common input conduit 41 1 and the common output conduit 412, such that the or each second heating mechanism 43b is configured to receive liquid (e.g. water) from the common input conduit 41 1 , to heat the liquid, and to return the liquid to the common output conduit 412.

In some embodiments, the or each second heating mechanism 43b is isolated (in terms of fluid communication) from the or each first heating mechanism 43a and, for example, from the common input conduit 41 1 and common output conduit 412 by a heat exchanger 431 . The heat exchanger 431 may be configured, therefore, to transfer heat between liquid from a second heating mechanism output conduit 432 (which may be a common conduit for the or each second heating mechanism 432, which may be connected in series or parallel) and liquid in the common input conduit 41 1 and/or common output conduit 412. Accordingly, the or each second heating mechanism 43b may be used to heat liquid in the common input conduit 41 1 (for delivery to the common output conduit 412) or to heat liquid in the common output conduit 412 whilst being isolated from the or each first heating mechanism 43a.

The or each second heating mechanism 43b may be operated in a separate cascaded manner to the or each first heating mechanism 43a.

The or each second heating mechanism 43b may be a different type of heating mechanism to the first heating mechanism 43a. For example, the or each second heating mechanism 43b may include at least one of a gas absorption heat pump, a biomass generator, a solar panel, a ground source heat pump, a hydraulic power plant, a wind power plant, a district heating system, an air source heat pump, an electrically operated heater, a solar thermal collector, a photovoltaic panel, and a combined heat and power unit.

The or each second heating mechanism 43b may be in fluid communication with the fuel supply conduit 41 18 which may be further configured to supply fuel to the or each second heating mechanism 43b for burning in order to heat the liquid as described herein.

In embodiments, one or more fuel supply metering devices may be provided to measure the volume of fuel used by the or each second heating mechanism 43b. This may be measured collectively for all second heating mechanisms 43b or individually for each second heating mechanism 43b. This information may be provided to the control equipment 16 associated with the heating and cooling service supply unit 4.

Isolation valves may be provided to allow isolation of the fuel supply conduit 41 18 from the or each second heating mechanism 43b.

The common output conduit 412 may be associated with a common output conduit temperature and/or a common input conduit pressure sensor located between the first heating mechanism or mechanisms 43a and the storage and distribution unit 3 (e.g. the first tank 31 ) along the flow path of liquid through the common output conduit 412. The common output conduit temperature and/or pressure sensor may be configured to output a signal representative of the temperature and/or pressure of the liquid within the common output conduit 412. This signal may be an electrical signal which is provided to the control equipment 16 associated with the heating and cooling service supply unit 44 of which the first heating mechanism or mechanisms 43a form a part.

In embodiments, common input and output conduit isolation valves are provided which are configured to isolate the or each first heating mechanism 43a from the storage and distribution unit 3 (e.g. the first tank 31 ) selectively.

As described above, the heating and cooling service supply unit 44 further includes one or more cooling mechanisms 45.

The or each cooling mechanism 45 is configured to receive liquid (e.g. water) from the storage and distribution unit 3, to cool the liquid, and to return the cooled liquid (e.g. water) to the storage and distribution unit 3. Accordingly, the or each cooling mechanism 45 is connected to a common cooling input conduit 453 through which liquid to be cooled is received from the storage and distribution unit 3. The or each cooling mechanism 45 is also connected to a common cooling output conduit 454 through which cooled liquid is returned to the storage and distribution unit 3.

The or each first cooling mechanism 45a may include an absorption refrigeration unit 451 a and/or an adsorption refrigeration unit 452a. The absorption refrigeration unit 451 a may use a lithium bromide refrigeration cycle. The adsorption refrigeration unit 452a uses a water-based refrigeration cycle. Both the absorption and adsorption refrigeration unit 451 a, 452a use heat energy in order to cool a liquid.

As such, the or each first cooling mechanism 45a may be coupled to the or each heating mechanism 43 (e.g. to one or more of the first and/or second heating mechanisms 43a, 43b) to receive heated liquid therefrom and to use the heated liquid in order to cool liquid.

In some embodiments, the or each first cooling mechanism 45a is isolated (in fluid communication terms) from the or each first heating mechanism 43a (and may also be isolated from the or each second heating mechanism 43b). In some such embodiments, the or each first cooling mechanism 45a is coupled to the heat exchanger 431 which isolates the or each second heating mechanism 43b from the or each first heating mechanism 43a.

Accordingly, a cooling mechanism heat source conduit 455 may be connected in liquid communication between the heat exchanger 431 (which isolates the or each second heat source 43b from the or each first heat source 43a) and the or each first cooling mechanism 45a. A first pump 456 may be provided to pump fluid from that heat exchanger 431 to a first buffer vessel 457 along the cooling mechanism heat source conduit 455. A second pump 458 may be provided to pump fluid from the buffer vessel 457 to the or each first cooling mechanism 45a. Each of the first and second pumps 456,458 may be provided with respective isolation valves (one either side of each pump 456,458) to allow the first and second pumps 456,458 to be isolated. Similarly, each of the first and second pumps 456,458 may be provided with inlet and outlet pressure sensors which are configured to determine the fluid pressure at the inlet and outlet of each pump 456,458 respectively. The inlet and outlet pressure sensors may be configured to output electrical signals representative of the inlet and outlet pressures and/or a pressure differential across the respective pump 456,458. That electrical signal may be output to the control equipment 16. A cooling mechanism heat return conduit 459 may be connected in liquid communication between the one or more first cooling mechanisms 45a and the one or more second heating mechanisms 43b. The cooling mechanism heat return conduit 459 may also be connected in liquid communication with the first buffer vessel 457 such that liquid passing through the cooling mechanism heat return conduit 459 may pass through the first buffer vessel 457 before being returned to the or each second heating mechanism 43b. The cooling mechanism heat return conduit 459 may be a common conduit for the or each second heating mechanism 43b. Accordingly, the heated liquid which is passed to the first cooling mechanism 45a to power the cooling of liquid may have been heated by the first heating mechanism 43a and/or the second heating mechanism 43b - in the former case, the heat having been transferred via the heat exchanger 431 which isolates the first and second heating mechanisms 43a, 43b, in relevant embodiments.

The or each first cooling mechanism 45a may generate some heat as a result of its operation. In some embodiments, that heat is transferred out of the or each first cooling mechanism 45a by using a liquid in a waste heat circuit 460. The liquid may be at a temperature below 100°C, or below 80°C, or below 60°C, or below 50°C. The waste heat circuit 460 may include an outlet conduit 4601 which is connected in liquid communication between the or each first cooling mechanism 45a and a waste heat management unit 461 . The waste heat circuit 460 may further include an inlet conduit 4602 which is also connected in liquid communication between the or each first cooling mechanism 45a and the waste heat management unit 461 . The liquid is, therefore, configured to circulate from the or each first cooling mechanism 45a to the waste heat management unit 461 (e.g. via the outlet conduit 4601 ) and, once cooled in the waste heat management unit 461 , returned to the or each first cooling mechanism 45a (e.g. via the inlet conduit 4602), and so on. The waste heat management unit 461 is configured to cool the liquid received from the or each first cooling mechanism 45a and to return the liquid to the or each first cooling mechanism 45a. In some embodiments the waste heat management unit 461 includes a dry cooler which transfers the heat from the liquid to the atmosphere. In some embodiments, the waste heat management unit 461 is configured to heat another liquid (e.g. water) using the liquid received from the or each first cooling mechanism 45a. The other liquid may be water which is pre-heated by the waste heat management unit 461 prior to further heating and use in the supply of hot water to one or more of the building units 2 (e.g. as domestic hot water). In some embodiments, the other liquid may be used to pre-heat liquid which is later heated by the or each heating mechanism 43.

A third pump 461 1 may be provided to circulate liquid between the or each first cooling mechanism 45a and the waste heat management unit 461 . The third pump 461 1 may be configured to pump liquid flowing through the inlet conduit 4602 and so may be located in the fluid flow path along the inlet conduit 4602. Isolation valves may be provided either side of the third pump 461 1 to allow the pump 461 1 to be isolated. Similarly, the third pump 461 1 may be provided with inlet and outlet pressure sensors which are configured to determine the fluid pressure at the inlet and outlet of the pump 461 1 . The inlet and outlet pressure sensors may be configured to output electrical signals representative of the inlet and outlet pressures and/or a pressure differential across the pump 461 1. That electrical signal may be output to the control equipment 16.

In some embodiments, one or more fourth pumps 4531 are provided and configured to pump liquid through the common cooling input conduit 453 to the or each first cooling mechanism 45a. Isolation valves may be provided either side of the one or more fourth pumps 4531 to allow the or each pump 4531 to be isolated. Similarly, the or each fourth pump 4531 may be provided with inlet and outlet pressure sensors which are configured to determine the fluid pressure at the inlet and outlet of the or each fourth pump 4531 . The inlet and outlet pressure sensors may be configured to output electrical signals representative of the inlet and outlet pressures and/or a pressure differential across the or each pump 4531 . That electrical signal may be output to the control equipment 16.

In some embodiments, a header 462 is provided in liquid communication with the common cooling input and output conduits 453,454 and the storage and distribution unit 3. In some embodiments, a fifth pump 463 may be provided and configured to pump cooled liquid from the common cooling output conduit 455 to the storage and distribution unit 3. In some embodiments the fifth pump 463 is located between the header 462 and the storage and distribution unit 3. Isolation valves may be provided either side of the fifth pump 463 to allow the pump 463 to be isolated. Similarly, the fifth pump 463 may be provided with inlet and outlet pressure sensors which are configured to determine the fluid pressure at the inlet and outlet of the pump 463. The inlet and outlet pressure sensors may be configured to output electrical signals representative of the inlet and outlet pressures and/or a pressure differential across the pump 463. That electrical signal may be output to the control equipment 16.

In some embodiments, the one or more second cooling mechanisms 45b includes an electrically operated compressor-based refrigeration unit 451 b. The compressor-based refrigeration unit 451 b may be configured to receive liquid to be cooled from the storage and distribution unit 3 and return cooled liquid to the storage and distribution unit 3. Accordingly, the one or more second cooling mechanisms 45b may be coupled to the header 462 by a second cooling mechanism inlet conduit 464 (configured to deliver liquid to be cooled from the header 462 to the or each second cooling mechanism 45b) and a second cooling mechanism outlet conduit 465 (configured to deliver cooled liquid from the or each second cooling mechanism 45b to the header 462). In some embodiments, the header 462 includes or is connected to a heat exchanger to provide isolation (in liquid communication terms) between the cooled liquid from the cooling mechanisms 45 (including a combined heating and cooling mechanism 4345b if provided) and the storage and distribution unit 3.

In some embodiments, a sixth pump 466 may be provided and configured to pump liquid to be cooled from the storage and distribution unit 3 to the or each second cooling mechanism 45b (the sixth pump 466 may be configured to pump liquid through the second cooling mechanism inlet conduit 464). Isolation valves may be provided either side of the sixth pump 466 to allow the pump 466 to be isolated. Similarly, the sixth pump 466 may be provided with inlet and outlet pressure sensors which are configured to determine the fluid pressure at the inlet and outlet of the pump 466. The inlet and outlet pressure sensors may be configured to output electrical signals representative of the inlet and outlet pressures and/or a pressure differential across the pump 466. That electrical signal may be output to the control equipment 16.

In some embodiments, the one or more second cooling mechanisms 45b and the one or more second heating mechanisms 43b include one or more combined heating and cooling mechanisms 4345b.

The or each combined heating and cooling mechanism 4345b is configured to heat liquid for one or more of the following: for delivery through the common output conduit 412, to heat liquid for delivery through the common output conduit 412 (e.g. through the heat exchanger 431 which isolates the or each first heating mechanism 43a from the or each second heating mechanism 43b), and to heat liquid for use by others of the second cooling mechanisms 45b (such as an adsorption or absorption refrigeration unit 451 a, 452a). The or each combined heating and cooling mechanism 4345b is further configured to cool liquid (a different liquid to that which it is configured to heat, although the liquids may both be water) for delivery to the header 462. Accordingly, the or each combined heating and cooling mechanism 4345b may be configured to receive liquid to be cooled and to output cooled liquid (from and to the storage and distribution unit 3). The liquid to be cooled and cooled liquid may be received and delivered via the header

462.

The or each combined heating and cooling mechanism 4345b may, therefore, take the place of the or each second heating mechanism 43b (with their configuration as described herein) and may include further connections to the header 462 or otherwise to the storage and distribution unit 3.

The or each combined heating and cooling mechanism 4345b may be connected to the other parts of embodiments in the same manner as described above in relation to both the or each second cooling mechanism 45b and the or each second heating mechanism

43b.

In addition, the or each combined heating and cooling mechanism 4345b may be connected to the fuel supply conduit 41 18 such that fuel may be delivered therethrough to the internal combustion engine or engines of the or each combined heating and cooling mechanism 4345b.

The or each combined heating and cooling mechanism 4345b may be operated in a cascade - generally as described above - in accordance with demand.

The or each combined heating and cooling mechanism 4345b may be based around a conventional refrigeration cycle with circulation of the refrigerant driven by a pump which is, in turn, driven by an engine. As such, there may be a mechanical coupling between the engine and the pump through which rotational drive may be transmitted from the engine to the pump. In embodiments, that engine is an internal combustion engine. The internal combustion engine may use natural gas as a fuel or may use some other hydrocarbon (i.e. fossil) fuel. The internal combustion engine may be a reciprocating engine.

The heat generated by operation of the internal combustion engine may be used in the condensing process of the refrigeration cycle. In addition the heat generated by the operation of the internal combustion engine may be used to heat liquid. In some embodiments, the internal combustion engine has a coolant circuit which includes a radiator or the like which is used to transfer heat from the coolant circuit. The radiator may be configured to act as a heat exchanger and used to transfer heat to the liquid to be heated. Similarly, a further heat exchanger may be provided in the refrigerant circuit to cause the cooling of the liquid to be cooled. In some embodiments, a jacket is associated with at least a part of the internal combustion engine. The jacket is configured, in some embodiments, to provide a fluid flow path such that a fluid (e.g. a liquid) flowing along the fluid flow path is in thermal communication with the at least part of the internal combustion engine. Heat generated by the operation of the internal combustion engine may, therefore, be transferred to the fluid in the jacket. That fluid may then be used to heat the liquid to be heated (e.g. through a heat exchanger) or may be the liquid to be heated.

In some embodiments, an exhaust jacket is associated with at least part of an exhaust system of the internal combustion engine. The exhaust jacket is configured, in some embodiments, to provide a fluid flow path such that a fluid (e.g. a liquid) flowing along the fluid flow path is in thermal communication with the at least part of the exhaust system. The heat of the exhaust gases generated by the operation of the internal combustion engine may, therefore, be transferred to the fluid in the exhaust jacket. That fluid may then be used to heat the liquid to be heated (e.g. through a heat exchanger) or may be the liquid to be heated.

In some embodiments, the or each combined heating and cooling mechanism 4345b further includes an electrical generator 434. The electrical generator 434 may be mechanically coupled to, for example, the internal combustion engine of the combined heating and cooling mechanism 4345b. The coupling may be such that rotation of a drive shaft of the internal combustion engine (or some other part of the combined heating and cooling mechanism 4345b) may drive rotation of a rotor of the electrical generator 434. Rotation of the rotor of the electrical generator 434 with respect to a stator of the electrical generator 434 may generate electricity in the electrical generator 434. This electricity may be provided to one or more building units 2 and/or one or more other part of the service supply system 100.

In many instance, the supply of the fuel for the internal combustion engine (e.g. natural gas) is more robust than the supply of electricity. Accordingly, in some embodiments, the or each electrical generator 434 associated with the one or more combined heating and cooling mechanisms 4345b may be used to provide electricity in the event of failure of a main electricity supply. This electricity may be used, for example, to maintain the operation of the service supply system 100. Therefore, in some instances in which the main electricity supply for a building unit 2 is affected by bad weather (e.g. extreme cold), then the or each combined heating and cooling mechanism 4345b may be used not only to generate heated liquid to provide heating and/or hot water for the building unit 2 but also to provide electricity for operation of the service supply system 100 (and/or the building unit 2 or one or more other services associated with the building 1 ).

In some embodiments, the or each combined heating and cooling mechanism 4345b is used to generate electricity during peak periods of electricity usage by the or each building unit 2. At such time, main electrical suppliers will often charge more for each unit of electricity which is used. Accordingly, by using the combined heating and cooling mechanism 4345b to generate electricity, the number of units of electricity from the main electrical supply which are used may be reduced. This may reduce costs and reduce the effects of peak usage periods for the main electrical supplier. An example of a mechanism which may be used as the or each combined heating and cooling mechanism 4345b is the llios HEWH-500-WS manufactured by Tecogen Inc., of Waltham, Massachusetts, USA; another example is the Panasonic Corporation, ECO G, which may be Model S710 WX2E5. Other combined heating and cooling mechanisms 4345b may, of course, be used.

In accordance with embodiments, one or more pressure regulation sub-systems 47 may be provided. The or each pressure regulation sub-system 47 is configured to regulate the liquid pressure in a conduit to which it is connected. The or each pressure regulation sub-system 47 may, therefore, include one or more expansion vessels, valves, and vents. In accordance with embodiments, such pressure regulation subsystems 47 are connected to one or more of: the common input conduit 41 1 , the header 462, the cooling mechanism heat source conduit 455 (e.g. between the first buffer vessel 457 and the second pump 458), and the inlet conduit 4602 of the waste heat circuit 460 (e.g. between the third pump 461 1 and the waste heat management unit 461 .

In some embodiments, therefore, the or each first heating mechanism 43a may be used to provide heated liquid for use by the or each first cooling mechanism 45a (which uses the heated liquid to generate cooled liquid). In some embodiments, the or each second heating mechanism 43b (e.g. the or each combined heating and cooling mechanism 4345b) may be used, in combination or not with the or each first heating mechanism 43a, to heat liquid for use by the or each first cooling mechanism 45a (which uses the heated liquid to generate cooled liquid). Which combination of the first heating mechanisms 43a and the second heating mechanisms 43b is used to provide the heated liquid will depend on the demands on the service supply system 100. For example, during winter there is a high demand for heating and hot water whilst there is a low demand for cooling. The high demand for heating and hot water may be best served by the or each first heating mechanism 43a (which may be configured to provide heated liquid of a relatively high temperature). Therefore, at least a portion of any cooling which may be required can be generated using a portion of the liquid which is heated by the or each primary heating mechanism 43a (which is then used by the or each first cooling mechanism 45a).

In summer, there is a high demand for cooling and a relatively high demand for hot water, but a low demand for heating. In summer, therefore, the or each second heating mechanism 43b may be used to provide heated liquid for use by the or each first cooling mechanism 45a, with the or each first heating mechanism 43a only used periodically during periods of very high demand for hot water, for example. A large portion of the cooling, in such examples, may also be provided by the or each combined heating and cooling mechanism 4345b (which may be the or each second heating mechanism 43b).

As will be appreciated, therefore, the most efficient combination of heating and cooling mechanisms is used at any given juncture to meet the expected demand for heated and/or cooled liquid.

In some embodiments, see figure 14 for example, the or each first and/or second heating mechanism 43a, 43b is configured to provide pre-heated liquid which is further heated by a building unit hot water heating mechanism 18 for use in the building unit 2. In some such embodiments, the or each first and/or second heating mechanism 43a, 43b may service (and be associated with) a plurality of building unit hot water heating mechanisms 18 (with one or more building unit hot water heating mechanisms 18 being provided for each of a plurality of building units 2). In some embodiments, the or each building unit hot water heating mechanism 18 may be located within or adjacent the building unit 2 with which it is associated.

The or each building unit hot water heating mechanism 18 may include one or more boilers which may be a natural gas, oil, or other fossil fuel (or hydrocarbon) based boiler. The or each boiler may be a condensing boiler which operates, as will be appreciated, to scavenge additional heat from the exhaust gases - causing water vapour in those exhaust gases to condense.

In some embodiments, the or each building unit hot water heating mechanism 18 may be electrically operated and may, therefore, include one or more electric heating elements. Similarly, in some embodiments (irrespective of the provision and use of a building unit hot water heating mechanism 18), the or each first heating mechanism 43a may be electrically operated and may, therefore, include one or more electric heating elements.

In some embodiments, the or each building unit hot water heating mechanism 18 includes one or more building unit hot water heating mechanism tanks 181 for the storage of heated water for use in the building unit 2. In some embodiments, the or each first or second heating mechanism 43a,43b is configured to heat a liquid in a pre-heated liquid tank 31 b of the one or more tanks 31 . The or each first or second heating mechanism 43a, 43b may be configured to heat a liquid which is passed through a conduit 31 1 b which extends into the pre-heated liquid tank 31 b such that heated liquid passing through the conduit heats another liquid in the pre-heated liquid tank 31 b. The other liquid may be water. The conduit 31 1 b in the preheated liquid tank 31 b may be in fluid communication with the common input conduit 41 1 and the common output conduit 412. The conduit 31 1 b in the pre-heated liquid tank 31 b may be in the form of a coil (or may be a heat exchanger instead). That other liquid may be passed through one or more conduits 182 to the or each building hot water heating mechanism 18. In some embodiments, that other liquid is isolated (in terms of liquid communication) from the heated water which is used in the building unit 2 (e.g. output by one or more taps or the like as described elsewhere herein). This isolation may be achieved by the use of one or more heat exchangers in the or each building unit hot water heating mechanism 18.

In some embodiments, the liquid which is passed through the one or more conduits 182 to the or each building hot water heating mechanism 18 is isolated (in terms of liquid communication) from the liquid in the pre-heated liquid tank 31 b. In some embodiments, the isolation is achieved by a conduit (which may be the form of a coil) which extends into the pre-heated liquid tank 31 b or a heat exchanger. That conduit or heat exchanger may be configured to receive water from a main water supply 9, such that water passes from the main water supply 9, and through the heat exchanger or conduit before passing to the or each building hot water heating mechanism 18 through the one or more conduits 182.

In some embodiments, the or each service supply unit 4 and/or the storage and distribution unit 3 are housed in a plant room 200. In some embodiments, the combined heating and cooling mechanism 4345b and/or the waste heat management unit 461 and/or one or more of the second cooling mechanisms 45b may be housed outside for the plant room 200.

As mentioned above, the distribution system 5 in some embodiments comprises the network of pipework 51 including the hot and cold distribution output conduits 51 1 a,b and the hot and cold distribution return conduits 512a, b.

The distribution system 5 may further include a hot distribution pump 513a and a cold distribution pump 513b. The hot distribution pump 513a is configured to pump liquid through the hot distribution output conduit 51 1 a to the heat transfer unit or units 52. The cold distribution pump 513b is configured to pump liquid through the cold distribution output conduit 51 1 b to the heat transfer unit or units 52.

In some embodiments, the hot and/or cold distribution pumps 513a,b forms part of the storage and distribution unit 3 instead of the distribution system 5. As will be appreciated, in such embodiments, the hot distribution pump 513a may be configured to pump liquid through the main heating output conduit 7 (which is in liquid communication with the hot distribution output conduit 51 1 a) and so the effect and operation of the hot distribution pump 513a will largely be the same irrespective of whether it forms part of the distribution system 5 or the storage and distribution unit 3. As will also be appreciated, in such embodiments, the cold distribution pump 513b may be configured to pump liquid through the main cooling output conduit 7a (which is in liquid communication with the cold distribution output conduit 51 1 b) and so the effect and operation of the cold distribution pump 513b will largely be the same irrespective of whether it forms part of the distribution system 5 or the storage and distribution unit 3. An upstream distribution pump sensor 5131 and a downstream distribution pump sensor 5132 may be provided either side of the or each distribution pump 513a,b with respect to the flow path of liquid through the distribution output conduits 51 1 a,b (or main heating output conduit 7 or main cooling output conduit 7a, as the case may be). The upstream and downstream distribution pump sensors 5131 ,5132 may each be configured to measure a liquid pressure and/or a liquid temperature and/or a liquid flow rate and/or resistance to liquid flow in the associated distribution output conduit 51 1 a,b (or main heating output conduit 7, or main cooling output conduit 7a, as the case may be). The measurements are output to control equipment 16 associated with the relevant distribution pump 513a,b.

In addition, one or more differential distribution conduit pressure sensors may be configured to measure a differential pressure between the hot distribution output and return conduits 51 1 a, 512a or between the distribution output and return conduits 51 1 b, 512b at one or more locations. Again, this information is provided to control equipment 16 for the hot and cold distribution pumps 513a,b.

In some embodiments, distribution output conduit pressure and/or temperature sensors 51 13 are provided downstream of the distribution pumps 513a,b and configured to measure a liquid pressure and/or temperature of the liquid in the distribution output conduits 51 1 a,b. This information may be provided to control equipment 16 as will become apparent. The distribution return conduit pressure and/or temperature sensors 5124 may also be provided and configured to measure a liquid pressure and/or temperature of the liquid in the distribution return conduits 512a,b. This information may be provided to control equipment 16 as will become apparent. A distribution return conduit expansion vessel 5125 may be provided and connected in liquid communication with the hot distribution return conduit 512a to reduce/normalise the liquid pressure in the hot distribution return conduit 512a. As will be understood, the distribution return conduit expansion vessel 5125 could equally be provided in liquid communication with the main heating return conduit 8 to reduce/normalise the liquid pressure in the main heating return conduit 8 (and the vessel 5125 may, therefore, form part of the storage and distribution unit 3 rather than the distribution system 5).

A distribution return conduit metering device 5126 may be provided and configured to measure the volume of liquid being returned through the each of the distribution return conduits 512a, b to the storage and distribution unit 3 (e.g. to the first and/or second tank 31 ). This information may be provided to control equipment 16 as will become apparent. As will be understood, the distribution return conduit metering devices 5126 could equally be provided to measure the volume of liquid being returned through the main heating return conduit 8 or main cooling return conduit 8a (and the metering devices 5126 may, therefore, form part of the storage and distribution unit 3 rather than the distribution system 5).

The network of pipework 51 may, as will be appreciated, comprise a main trunk of pipework from which branches of pipework extend - each branch comprising a portion of the distribution output conduits 51 1 a,b and a portion of the distribution return conduits 512a, b. For example, one branch may be provided for each floor in a building 1 . One or more branch valves may be provided to allow a particular branch to be isolated or shut-off.

The or each heat transfer unit 52 may be connected to the distribution output and return conduits 51 1 a, 51 1 b, 512a, 512b and this may be at the main trunk or along one of the branches. As described above, the heat transfer unit 52 (see figures 7, 12, and 13) may include one or more heat exchangers 521 a-c. The heat transfer unit 52 may also include one or more metering devices 522.

In more detail, the heat transfer unit 52 includes at least one metering device 522 associated with the or each heat exchanger 521 a-c. The or each metering device 522 may be configured to measure the volume of water which passes through the second heat exchanger conduit 5212 for the or each heat exchanger 521 a-c. In some embodiments, a combined metering device 522 is provided to measure the volume of water flowing through more than one heat exchanger 521 a-c (through the second heat exchanger conduits 5212 thereof). The first and second heat exchanger conduits 521 1 ,5212 may comprise passages between metal plates (the metal plates separating the two conduits 521 1 ,5212. The passages may be tortuous in order to increase the time required for the water to flow through the second heat exchanger conduit 5212 and the time required for the liquid to flow through the first heat exchanger conduit 521 1 .

The heat transfer unit 52 may include one or more expansion vessels, pressure regulation devices, and/or the like in order to regulate the pressure within the or each heat exchanger 521 a-c. The heat transfer unit 52 may also include one or more pressure or temperature sensors to measure the liquid pressure and/or temperature in the or each heat exchanger 521 a-c, for example, and to pass this information to control equipment 16 of the heat transfer unit 52. The heat transfer unit 52 may include, in some embodiments, a thermostat 523 which is connected to control equipment 16 of the heat transfer unit 52. The thermostat 523 may be remote from the or each heat exchanger 521 a-c (as will become apparent) and may be configured to measure the ambient temperature in the whole or a part of the building unit 2 associated with than heat transfer unit 52. Accordingly, the control equipment 16 associated with the heat transfer unit 52 may use a set point temperature and the measurement by the thermostat 523 to determine whether or not to heat or cool liquid using one of the heat exchangers 521 a-c of the heat transfer unit 52.

The heat transfer unit 52 may include, in some embodiments, a clock 524 which is configured to monitor the current time and to provide this information to the control equipment 16 associated with the heat transfer unit 52.

The clock 524 may be remote from the or each heat exchanger 521 a-c (as will become apparent) and may be part of a controller which forms part of the control equipment 16 associated with the heat transfer unit 52. The controller may include a user interface and a memory. The controller may be configured to permit an end-user to interact with the controller to set an operating program for the heat transfer unit 52 (e.g. for the scheduled provision of heating and/or hot water) - as is known in the art.

The heat transfer unit 52 may include a heat transfer unit safety valve and drain 525 configured to allow water within the heat transfer unit 52 to be drained in an emergency.

The heat transfer unit 52 may be configured such that it can be plugged into and out of the building unit heating system return 221 and output 222, the main water supply 9, the building unit hot water supply output 10, the distribution output conduits 51 1 a,b, and/or the distribution return conduits 512a,b. Accordingly, each such conduit, etc., may be provided with a respective plug or socket arrangement which is configured to mate with a corresponding plug or socket arrangement of the heat transfer unit 52 and/or each may be provided is an isolation valve 526.

The heat transfer unit 52 may also include a shut-off valve 527 in respect of each connection to the distribution output conduits 51 1 a,b. The or each shut-off valve 527 may be configured for remote actuation and operable to inhibit or substantially prevent the heat transfer unit 52 from operating. For example, the or each shut-off valve 527 may be configured to inhibit or substantially prevent the flow of liquid from the distribution output conduits 51 1 a,b to the rest of the heat transfer unit 52 (e.g. to the or each heat exchanger 521 a-c). The or each shut-off valve 527 may also act as a pressure or flow regulation valve. The or each shut-off valve 527 may include a pressure independent controlled valve which is configured to deliver a substantially constant flow rate of liquid through the valve irrespective of the liquid pressure in the distribution output conduits 51 1 a,b. The or each shut-off valve 527 may, in some embodiments, not be configured to prevent the flow of liquid to the rest of the heat transfer unit 52 but may still act as a pressure independent controlled valve. As such, the or each shut-off valve 527 may, in some embodiments, be a pressure independent controlled valve rather than a shut-off valve as such.

The heat transfer unit or units 52 may be located outside of the confines of the building unit or units 2 with which they are associated. For example, the heat transfer unit 52 for an apartment may be located outside of the apartment in a communal part of the building 1 .

As will be appreciated, other than the necessary pumping within the building unit 2, and potentially the thermostat 523 and/or clock 524 in some embodiments, the aforementioned construction allows the majority of the parts of the system to be located in areas of the building 1 which are readily accessible by, for example, the management-user (potentially without the need to obtain the end-user's consent). As such, maintenance work can be performed more efficiently because access to individual building units 2 is not normally necessary.

Aspects of embodiments of the control system 6 will now be described in more detail.

The control system 6 may include the control equipment 16 which has been discussed above or may be separate from that control equipment 16. The aforementioned control equipment 16 may, for example, be configured to receive one or more instructions from the control system 6 and may then control the parts and components of embodiments to implement the instructions provided by the control system 6. The control system 6 may be at least partially housed in a plant room 200. In some embodiments, some of the operations and aspects of the control system 6 are provided remote from the building 1 to which the system 100 has been installed.

As will be appreciated, some of the operations of the control system 6 may be implemented by a computer system. Embodiments of the present invention, therefore, include a computer program which, when executed, causes the operations of the control system 6 to occur. Embodiments, also include a computer readable medium including such a computer program and a computer programmed with the computer program. The control system 6 is configured to receive information from the various temperature and pressure sensors which have been described herein. The control system 6 is also configured to receive information from the other metering devices described herein. The control system 6 is also configured to issue instructions to one or more valves described herein as well as to the service supply unit or units 4, and/or the distribution pump 513, and/or the storage and distribution unit 3. Accordingly, the control system 6 includes an input/output module 61.

The input/output module 61 may include a sensor/meter interface 61 1 configured to be coupled to one or more of the various sensors and metering devices disclosed herein through a 'wired' communication channel. The sensor/meter interface 61 1 may include a plurality of connectors, each of which is configured to be coupled to an electrical conductor which is also coupled (directly or indirectly) to one or more of the sensors and metering devices. The sensor/meter interface 61 1 may be an input/output interface in some embodiments (i.e. capable of two-way communication) or may be an input-only interface (i.e. capable of one-way communication only). For example, the sensor/meter interface 61 1 may use a communication bus in order to receive information from one or more of the sensors and/or metering devices - which may use a standard communication bus technology such as the KNXBus or MBus.

In some embodiments, the sensor/meter interface 61 1 includes a wireless communication unit 61 1 1 which is configured to communicate wirelessly with one or more of the sensors and/or metering devices. In some embodiments, the sensor/meter interface 61 1 is an optical interface which is coupled by optical fibre or fibres to one or more of the sensors and/or metering devices (this is another example of a wired communication channel which may be a one or two way communication channel). As will be appreciated, the sensor/meter interface 61 1 may use several different communication techniques (wired or wireless) to receive information from one or more of the sensors and/or metering devices. For example, it may receive information wirelessly from one sensor, and over a communication bus from another sensor, etc. In some example embodiments, the sensor/meter 61 1 may communicate with one sensor over a communication channel which comprises both wired and wireless portions in series.

The input/output module 61 is also configured to communicate with other parts of the system 100. For example, the input/output module 61 may be configured to communicate with the service supply unit or units 4, and/or the distribution pump 513, and/or the storage and distribution unit 3. This communication may include one or more instructions which are output by the control system 6 to these parts of the system 100. Therefore, the input/output module 61 may also include an instruction interface 612.

The instruction interface 612 may, in some embodiments, be the same as the sensor/meter interface 61 1 and/or may be of the same type. If the instruction interface 612 is a one-way interface, however, the direction of communication is from the control system 6 to the other parts of the system 100 (rather than vice versa, as may be the case for the sensor/meter interface 61 1 ). In some embodiments, however, the instruction interface 612 is a two-way interface which may be over a wired and/or wireless communication channel.

The input/output module 61 may further include an ancillary communication interface 613. The ancillary communication interface 613 is configured to receive and/or send information to one or more ancillary services 12 - as will become apparent.

The control system 6 further includes a control strategy module 62 which is configured to receive information from the input/output module 61 relevant to the operation of at least part of the rest of the system 100, and to output one or more instructions to at least part of the rest of the system 100 to control an aspect of the operation of the system 100 in accordance with a control strategy.

In some embodiments, the control strategy module 62 is configured to use the information received from one or more temperature and/or pressure sensors, and/or one or more metering devices, of the system 100 in feedback loops as part of the control strategy and to ensure the correct operation of the system 100.

The control system 6 includes a computer readable medium 614 on which is stored configuration and additional information for the system 100. This configuration and additional information may include one or more of:

- the type and operating characteristics of the one or more service supply units 4 of the system 100,

- the type and operating characteristics of the distribution and storage unit 3, - the type and operating characteristics of the distribution pump 513,

- the type and occupancy characteristics of the building unit or units 2 which the system 100 serves,

- details of the layout of the building unit or units 2 which the system 100 serves,

- details of the geographical location of the building unit or units 2 which the system 100 serves,

- information about the climate in that geographical location,

- details of the orientation of the building unit or units 2 which the system 100 serves,

- historic information regarding service usage characteristics for one or more building units 2,

- one or more economic constraints,

- one or more environmental constraints, and

- information about public holidays.

In some embodiments, the control strategy module 62 may be configured to access the configuration and additional information stored on the computer readable medium 614 and to use at least a part of that information in defining the control strategy.

The control strategy module 62 may further receive (and/or request) ancillary information from one or more ancillary service 12 via the ancillary communication interface 613. This ancillary information may also be used by the control strategy module 62 in defining the control strategy.

In some embodiments, the control system 6 seeks to predict the likely level of demand for the services which the system 100 is configured to serve - e.g. hot water and/or heating and/or cooling.

In anticipation of a high demand for hot water and/or heating and/or cooling, the control system 6 may issue instructions which cause one or more of the service supply units 4 to heat liquid for storage in the storage and distribution unit 3 (e.g. in one of the one or more tanks 31 ). Cold water may be similarly stored in anticipation of high demand. In anticipation of low demand for hot water and/or heating and/or cooling, the control system 6 may issue instructions which cause one or more of the service supply units 4 to shut down and to stop heating and/or cooling liquid for storage. Similarly, the control system 6 may issue instructions to control the operation of the or each distribution pump 513a,b to increase the speed of the pump 513a,b for anticipated periods of high demand and to decrease the speed of the pump 513a,b for anticipated periods of low demand. The control system 6 may also be configured to issue instructions which cause the transfer of liquid between tanks of the one or more tanks 31 of the storage and distribution unit 3 in order to prepare for periods of high demand or low demand.

The control system 6 seeks, therefore, to control aspects of the operation of the system 100 to anticipate demands on the system 100 and to operate the system 100 to meet the demands in an efficient manner. The control system 6, therefore, seeks to reduce the oversupply issues seen in some earlier centralised systems.

The control system 6 may, for example, use information about the type and operating characteristics of the one or more service supply units 4 of the system 100, to determine which service supply unit 4 of a plurality of service supply units 4 would be the most efficient to heat and/or cool liquid for use in relation to a particular demand or anticipated demand. For example, in certain environmental conditions (such as extreme cold) certain types of service supply unit 4 or parts thereof may not function or may not function efficiently (e.g. a gas absorption heat pump); therefore, the control system 6 may issue instructions to cause the heating or cooling of liquid using a different service supply unit 4 or part thereof. In some instances, the control system 6 may use one service supply unit 4 or part thereof to preheat liquid which is then used as the return liquid for another service supply unit 4 or part thereof in order to achieve more efficient operation.

In embodiments, the control system 6 uses information about the operation of parts of the heating and cooling service supply unit 44 to determine how to achieved the required heating and/or cooling efficiently. For example, the control system 6 may be configured to determine which heating mechanism 43 is best suited, under the particular conditions at the time, to provide heated liquid to the or each cooling mechanism 45 - e.g. the adsorption or absorption refrigeration unit 451 a, 452a. The control system 6 may use information about the type and operating characteristics of the distribution and storage unit 3 to determine if a tank of the one or more tanks 31 may be used in a particular manner to improve the overall efficiency of the system 100.

The control system 6 may use information about the type and operating characteristics of the or each distribution pump 513a,b to determine the optimal operating speed of the or each distribution pump 513a,b and to issue instructions with a view to maintaining more energy efficient operation of the or each distribution pump 513a,b for longer. This may include operating the or each distribution pump 513a,b within its range of most efficient operating speeds for longer. It may, for example, prove more energy efficient to operate the or each distribution pump 513a,b at a speed which is faster than is necessary for the given demand and to use other parts of the system 100 to relieve any excess liquid pressure.

In embodiments, the control system 6 is configured to operate the hot distribution pump 513a based on a control algorithm which seeks to minimise the temperature of the liquid which is returned via the main heating return conduit 8. In other words, the control system 6 may be configured to operate the hot distribution pump 513a such that the heat energy supplied through the main heating output conduit 7 is substantially used and/or lost in the distribution system 5. Therefore, the temperature of the liquid which is returned via the main heating return conduit 8 may be substantially equal to the ambient temperature in some embodiments - or this may be the aim of the control system 6. The control system 6 may control the operation of the hot distribution pump 513a and/or the service supply unit or units 4 to achieve the desired minimum return temperature for the liquid. In some embodiments, the temperature of the heated liquid delivered to the main heating output conduit 7 is substantially constant but the pressure of the liquid is varied - using the hot distribution pump 513a. In some embodiments, the temperature of the heated liquid varies within a range and the pressure of the liquid is varied - using the hot distribution pump 513a. The control system 6 may be configured to operate in the same manner in respect of cooled liquid - but, for example, seeking to maximise the temperature of the liquid which is returned via the main cooling return conduit 8a.

In embodiments in which the distribution system 5 includes the temperature and/or pressure and/or flow sensor 53, the control system 6 may use feedback from the temperature and/or pressure and/or flow sensor 53. In such embodiments, the control system 6 may use a control algorithm which seeks to minimise the temperature of the liquid sensed by the temperature and/or pressure and/or flow sensor 53 - again, by controlling one or more aspects of the operation of the storage distribution unit 3 and/or distribution system 5, such as by controlling the operation of the or each service supply unit 4 and/or the distribution pumps 513a,b.

In embodiments, it will be appreciated that an increase in demand for hot water or heating will need to be satisfied by the provision of more heat energy via the distribution system 5. This may be achieved by increasing the temperature of the liquid (using the or each service supply unit 4) and/or by increasing the flow rate (and hence the pressure) of the liquid (using the distribution pump 513). A short period of increase in demand may be more efficiently met with an increase in the flow rate of the liquid as this can be more quickly achieved and more quickly returned to a lower flow rate after the short period of demand. A long period of increase in demand may equally be met using a higher flow rate but could also be achieved (either in combination or alone) with an increase in the temperature of the liquid. If a long period of increase in demand is anticipated then addition liquid can be heated and stored in advance. The flow rate can also be varied in the event of an anticipated long periods of increase in demand in order to meet short term peaks in demand and/or to reduce the temperature to which the liquid must be heated in order to meet demand. The same applies to the provision of cooled liquid.

A low temperature of liquid in the main heating return conduit 8 helps to reduce system losses in the main heating return conduit 8 - which are conventionally very high. Similarly, a relatively high temperature of liquid in the main cooling return conduit 8a helps to reduce system losses in the main cooling return conduit 8a - which are conventionally very high. With the use of the or each distribution pump 513a,b to control flow rate in order to meet demand for heated and/or cooled liquid, the liquid does not necessarily need to be heated and/or cooled as much as would otherwise be necessary - e.g. in a system in which demand is conventionally met by increasing the temperature of the liquid.

Embodiments may also allow the use of smaller gauge conduits (i.e. pipes) for the main heating output conduit 7 and the main heating return conduit 8.

In embodiments, the control system 6 may use a control algorithm which will react to an increase in demand for heated liquid by, initially, increasing the flow rate of heated liquid delivered to the main heating output conduit 7. The algorithm may then delay controlling the or each service supply unit 4 to provide more heated liquid (and/or hotter heated liquid) for a predetermined period - which may vary depending on one or more other factors (such as the time of day) which may be used to predict possible demand. After the predetermined period, the control algorithm may then assess whether or not the demand (and, in some embodiments, also anticipated future demand) has been met. If the demand (and anticipated future demand, in relevant embodiments) has not been met, may not be met in the future, or the risk of demand not being met is unacceptable, then the control algorithm may be configured to control the or each service supply unit 4 to generate more (and/or hotter) heated liquid. The same approach may be adopted for the provision of cooled liquid.

The control system 6 may use information about the type and occupancy characteristics of the building unit or units 2 which the system 100 serves to determine likely schedules for demand for services (such as hot water, and heating). For example, retired occupants of building units 2 which are apartments will demand hot water, heating, and cooling at different times of day compared to occupants of the same building units 2 who are of employed. Similarly, building units 2 which are offices will have different typical demands to building units 2 which are one bedroom apartments, which will have different typical demands to building units 2 which are three or four bedroom apartments. By using information of this type it may be possible for the control system 6 to anticipate likely demand for services, the level and likely timing of that demand. The control system 6 may use details of the layout of the building unit or units 2 which the system 100 serves to determine whether there is likely to be high demand from some of the building units 2 or from part of a particular building unit 2. For example, some building units 2 or parts of building units 2 may be exposed to strong sunlight or strong winds at certain times of the day or year. The control system 6 may use this information to predict changes in demand for services and may operate the system 100 accordingly.

The control system 6 may use information about the geographical location of the building unit or units 2 which the system 100 serves to determine demand characteristics which are dependent on geographical location. For example, sunrise and sunset times at the geographical location may influence demand for services or whether or not a particular service supply unit 4 can be operated (e.g. solar panels). The control system 6 may use information about the climate in that geographical location to determine likely demand and use restrictions for particular types of service supply unit 4 - which may also be based on the time of year.

The control system 6 may use details of the orientation of the of the building unit or units 2 which the system 100 serves to aid in determining which parts of the building unit or units 2 may be exposed to particular environmental conditions.

The control system 6 may use historic information regarding service usage characteristics for one or more building units 2 to predict future demands - historic demands often being representative of future demands.

The control system 6 may use information about one or more economic constraints to determine whether demand is best fulfilled by one service supply unit 4 or another. For example, the control system 6 may determine that a particular demand can be met using a service supply unit 4 that is less expensive to operate than another.

The control system 6 may use information about one or more environmental constraints to determine whether demand is best fulfilled by one service supply unit 4 or another (or by one part thereof or another). For example, the control system 6 may have an emissions target and, as a result of the emissions target, may favour one form of service supply unit 4 over another (or one heating mechanism 43 or cooling mechanism 45 over another). The control system 6 may use information about public holidays to determine likely changes in demand due to altered patterns - for example, for building units 2 comprising apartments, a public holiday may mean a later than normal demand for hot water in the morning and for building units 2 comprising offices, a public holiday may mean a very low demand for all services for the whole day.

The control system 6 may receive additional information from one or more ancillary services 12 to predict demand for services. For example, the information from the one or more ancillary services 12 may include weather forecast information. Weather forecast information may allow the control system 6 to anticipate short term changes to environmental conditions which are not available from more general climate information. Weather forecast information (and climate information) may include temperature, rainfall, snowfall, hail, solar gain, wind chill, and like.

Other ancillary services 12 may include a news service which provides information regarding unexpected public holidays - e.g. a day of national mourning. Such unexpected public holidays may change the expected service demand to be more similar to a weekend or normal public holiday and the control system 6, on receiving this information, may be able to operate the system 100 to anticipate the demand appropriately.

A public holiday is an example of an indicator of a likely atypical demand. Other indicators may also be used.

The control system 6 may, in embodiments, be configured to record service demand information for future use by the control system 6. Similarly, the control system 6 may be configured to record information about the operation of components of the system 100 for future use by the control system 6 - for example, this information may be used to provide more accurate predictions regarding the operation of the system 100 - such as how long a service supply unit 4 takes to heat or cool liquid to a particular temperature or how much fuel the service supply unit 4 consumes. As will be appreciated, the actual usage information may differ from information provided by the manufacturers and so real-life information may allow for more accurate and efficient operation in the future.

In some embodiments, a prediction program may be provided. The prediction program may be provided as part of the control system 6 or may be independent of the control system 6 or, indeed, independent of the system 100. In example embodiments in which the prediction program is provided as part of the system 100, the prediction program may use information about the system 100 to predict the effects of changes to the information used by the control system 6.

Thus, for example, the predicted cost of operating the system 100 can be determined for a given period based on the predicted operation of the control system 6 in instructing other parts of the system 100. Changes in any of the information detailed above - such as information about the type and operating characteristics of the one or more service supply units 4 (or parts thereof) of the system 100 could be altered to provide predictions of the effects of upgrading or changing a service supply unit 4 or the addition of a new service supply unit 4. The same is true in relation to alterations of any of the other components of the system 100.

Similarly, the effects of changes to the type and occupancy characteristics of the building unit or units 2 which the system 100 serves can be predicted. This may allow a management-user, for example, to predict the effects of changing occupancy characteristics for the building unit or units 2.

The prediction program may be made available to a management-user to allow the management-user to predict the effects of changes in the operation and management of the building unit or units 2.

The prediction program may, therefore, provide a user interface on a display screen which allows the user to interact with a model of the operation of the system 100 and to see the effects of changes to the information used by the control system 6 or to the components of the system 100.

The effects may be financial or environmental, for example. The effects may be visualised by the prediction program as charts or graphs, for example.

In effect, therefore, the prediction program provides a simulation of the operation of the system 100 which can be modified. In some embodiments, the control system 6 is provided with a remote monitoring interface 615 which is configured to allow the control system 6 to communicate with a remote monitoring system 13. The control system 6 may be configured to transmit information to the remote monitoring system 13 regarding the demand for services and/or the operation of the components of the system 100. This transmitted information may include any of the other information which the control system 6 is configured to use as part of its operation. The remote monitoring system 13 is configured to receive the information from the control system 6 and to use this information to generate models and additional information for use by that and other control systems 6 - to improve their ability to predict demand and operate the system 100 more efficiently.

In some embodiments, the remote monitoring system 13 is communicatively coupled to a plurality of control systems 6 and is configured to receive and record information from each for use in improving the operation of those control systems 6 and other control systems 6.

In some embodiments, the control system 6 is configured to receive information from the one or more metering devices 522 of the heat transfer unit 52 via the sensor/meter interface 61 1 . The control system 6 may be configured to forward the information received from the one or more metering devices 522 to a remote billing system 14 (see figures 8 and 10) via a remote billing interface 616 of the control system 6. The information may include one or more identifiers for the heat transfer unit 52 from information originated along with the information regarding usage obtained from the one or more metering devices 522. The remote billing system 14 may be configured to match the one or more identifiers for the heat transfer unit 52 with end-user information (including a name and address) stored in the remote billing system 14. The remote billing system 14 may be configured to generate one or more bills for the usage of the services provided by the system 100 accordingly. In some embodiments, the remote billing system is configured to calculate the cost of the usage of the or each service for inclusion in the generated bill. In some embodiments, the or each service which is provided by the system 100 may be billed separately and the cost for heating water per unit of volume of water heated may be different from the cost of providing heating per unit of volume of water heated, for example.

In some embodiments, the or each heat transfer unit 52 is configured to transfer the information directly to the remote billing system 14 rather than via the control system 6. Accordingly, the heat transfer unit 52 may be provided with the remote billing interface 616 instead of the control system 6 being provided with this interface 616.

In relation to the one or more heat transfer units 52 of some embodiments, the clock 524 was described as potentially being remote from the or each heat exchanger 521 and that it may be part of the controller which forms part of the control equipment 16 associated with the heat transfer unit 52. That controller may, as discussed, include a user interface and a memory. The user interface may be configured to display to the user information about the usage of the service or services provided by the system 100 through the associated heat transfer unit 52. For example, the information may include the volume of hot water generated and/or the volume of water heated. In some embodiments, the remote billing system 14 is communicatively coupled to that controller such that the user interface is also configured to display to the user information about the cost of the services provided. The controller and/or user interface may be provided as part of a separate remote device such as a computer, tablet, mobile (i.e. cellular) telephone, laptop, watch, or the like.

In some embodiments, the communicative coupling between that controller and the remote billing system 14 is via the control system 6. The control system 6 may provide additional information for display to the user, such as predicted usage - including the cost of predicted future usage. Parts of the system 100 may include one or more tamper prevention mechanisms and sub-systems 15. For example, a respective first tamper switch 151 may be provided in relation to a housing of at least the one or more heat transfer units 51 . The first tamper switch 151 may be configured to actuate on removal or movement of the housing of the heat transfer unit 51 . Actuation of the first tamper switch 151 may activate the shut-off valve(s) 527 of the heat transfer unit 51 to prevent further operation of the unit 51 . The first tamper switch 151 may be reset by an authorised user (such as a management- user) and this may be done locally in some embodiments (i.e. by direct manipulation of the shut-off valve(s) 527) or remotely (e.g. via the control system 6). The first tamper switch 151 may be communicatively coupled to the control system 6 such that the control system 6 is aware of the actuation and/or that that the shut-off valve(s) 527 has been activated. The control system 6 may, as a result, issue an alert to a management- user (e.g. an automated email or the like), for example.

A second tamper switch 152 may be associated with the plant room 200 (see figure 1 1 ) such that the opening of a door of the plant room 200 to gain unauthorised access may actuate the second tamper switch 152. Actuation of the second tamper switch 152 may trigger an alarm which may be an audible and/or visual alarm in the vicinity of the plant room 200. Unauthorised access may be determined if a key is not used in a lock of the door, or a signal is not received by the control system 6 warning of intended authorised access to the plant room 200 (an authorised user being able to interact with the control system 6 remotely to inform the control system 6 of intended access). The second tamper switch 152 may, therefore, be communicatively coupled to the control system 6.

A tamper detection sub-system 153 may be associated with the or each heat transfer units 52 respectively (each heat transfer unit 52 may be associated with its own tamper detection sub-system 153). The tamper detection sub-system 153 may be configured to compare the volume of water which has been heated and/or cooled by one or more of the or each heat exchangers 521 a-c (as measured by one or more of the metering devices 522) with an expected change in temperature. The expected change in temperature may be an expected change in temperature as measured within the associated building unit 2 (e.g. using the thermostat 523) or may be the expected temperature change of the liquid in a part of the system 100 (e.g. in the distribution output or return conduits 51 1 a, 51 1 b, 512a, 512b) in the region of the heat transfer unit 52 (e.g. measured by one or more temperature sensors 51 13,5124), or may be a temperature change within of the water or liquid within the heat transfer unit 52 (which may be measured by one or more temperature sensors of the heat transfer unit 52 and configured to measure the temperature of the water and/or liquid downstream of the or each heat exchanger 521 a-c).

In some embodiments, if the volume of liquid which has been heated or cooled does not result in a predetermined temperature change (e.g. within a predetermined temperature range), then the tamper detection sub-system 153 determines that the heat transfer unit 52 may have been tampered with and the shut-off valve(s) 527 is activated to terminate use of the heat transfer unit 52 (as described above). In any event, on detection of suspected tampering, the tamper detection sub-system is configured to issue an alert and this alert may cause, for example, the activation of the shut-off valve(s) 527 or the sounding of an alarm.

The comparison may be performed by a part of the tamper detection sub-system 153 which is part of the heat transfer unit 52 or the comparison may be performed by a part of the tamper detection sub-system 153 which is part of the control system 6 (and which is configured to receive the required information for the comparison from the heat transfer unit 52).

In some embodiments, the heat transfer unit 52 and/or the control system 6 includes a leak detection sub-system 17 which is configured to compare one or more measured pressures within the heat transfer unit 52 or system 100 to determine if there is likely to be a leak in a building unit 2. If a likely leak is detected, then the leak detection subsystem 17 may activate the shut-off valve(s) 527 and may also be configured to activate one or more of the isolation 526 valves for the heat transfer unit 52 with a view to reducing wasted energy and/or water.

References have been made herein to "liquid", "cooled liquid" and "heated liquid". Such references are to be construed as encompassing that liquid being water or water-based. For example, the liquid may be a solution and/or may contain one or more additives. Such a solution or additives may make that liquid or heated liquid unsuitable for human consumption. For example an additive may inhibit the formation of ice within the liquid.

References to features using the words "hot" and "cold" are intended simply to differentiate between features used for cooling (i.e. "cold") and features which are used for hot water and/or heating (i.e. "hot").

In some embodiments, a second heating system is provided to provide a small amount of heat to the various components of the system 100 to inhibit or substantially prevent the formation of ice.

Any sensors or meters disclosed herein may be provided with a display to display the measurements the sensor and/or meter has made.

As will be appreciated, in the case of condensing boilers used as heating mechanisms 43, each boiler would be in liquid communication with a drain to drain away the condensed water produced through operation. In addition, each boiler would be in fluid communication with one or more flues to ensure the exhaust gases are exhausted to the atmosphere safely.

Embodiments, therefore, seek to provide efficient heating and cooling mechanisms 43,45 which work together to provide an efficient overall system. For example, as will be apparent, one or more cooling mechanisms as described herein may scavenge or otherwise heat which is generated by one or more heating mechanisms and vice versa.

In some embodiments, efficiency may be determined in view of carbon production during operation rather than as a coefficient of performance (i.e. rather than a ratio of energy input vs. energy output).

When used in this specification and claims, the terms "comprises" and "comprising" and variations thereof mean that the specified features, steps or integers are included. The terms are not to be interpreted to exclude the presence of other features, steps or components. The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.