Heat Pump Ready Fan Coil Units
Ability heat pump ready fan coil units combine effective chilled water cooling with heating performance designed for lower-temperature systems, including heat pumps and low-temperature district heating networks. A redesigned coil increases heat transfer at reduced water temperatures without requiring a larger fan or increased airflow, helping projects transition towards lower-carbon heat while maintaining compact dimensions and acoustic performance.
Ready for the transition?
As heating systems move towards heat pumps and lower-temperature district heating networks, FCUs need to deliver the required heating performance with lower-temperature water. Ability's heat pump ready technology uses a redesigned coil with increased surface area and a contra-flow configuration to maximise heat transfer. This allows the FCU to operate with lower-temperature hot water while maintaining standard airflow rates and cooling performance.
The redesigned coil allows lower-temperature heating performance without requiring larger fans or an increased unit footprint.
Heating output can be achieved without relying on increased fan speeds and higher air volumes, helping maintain acoustic performance.
The changes to the heating coil do not compromise cooling performance, allowing the FCU to continue providing effective chilled water cooling.
Heat pump ready FCUs can work with traditional higher-temperature systems as well as lower-temperature heat sources, providing an option for buildings planning a future transition in heat source.
Heat Pump Ready across the Ability range
EVO
Heat pump ready technology is available within the EVO range, combining the flexibility of Ability's core fan coil platform with coil technology developed for lower-temperature heating systems.
Matrix
Matrix combines heat pump ready coil technology with independently controlled fans and self-balancing airflow, supporting lower-temperature heating alongside simplified system setup and commissioning.
Learn moreMultiroom
Multiroom combines heat pump ready performance with the ability to serve and individually control multiple spaces from a single fan coil unit, creating additional flexibility within the wider system design.
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Designed to work together.
Dimplex Heat Pumps
Explore Dimplex heat pump solutions and how they can work alongside Ability heat pump ready fan coil units as part of a lower-temperature heating strategy. Together, heat generation and heat distribution can be considered as part of the wider system design, supporting effective building performance as projects transition towards lower-temperature heating.
FAQs about Heat Pump Ready FCUs
A heat pump ready FCU is designed to provide heating and cooling using both traditional higher-temperature systems and lower-temperature heat sources, including heat pumps and low-temperature district heating networks. This provides flexibility for current building services strategies while supporting a future transition to lower-temperature heating.
Ability's low-temperature coil uses an increased surface area and contra-flow design to maximise heat transfer. This enables the FCU to extract sufficient energy from lower-temperature water at standard airflow rates, without requiring a larger fan or increased unit footprint.
Ability's heat pump ready technology was initially developed around the Matrix range and is now available across EVO and Multiroom solutions. The existing technical content confirms operation for comfort heating at flow temperatures as low as 45°C.
Yes. Ability heat pump ready FCUs are suitable for low-temperature district heating networks as well as heat pump systems. Their redesigned coil allows useful heat to be transferred from lower-temperature water without automatically requiring a larger FCU or increased airflow.
Test against your projects design conditions
Validate performance at lower temperatures
Ability can recreate relevant elements of the proposed system at its testing facility in Poole, assessing acoustic, airflow and thermal performance against project requirements. This provides a route to validate heat pump ready FCU selection before installation and commissioning. Clients receive documented test results, photographs, layout drawings and calibration certificates.
Where Heat Pump Ready FCUs add value
Planning for lower-temperature heating?
Our specification and technical teams can help assess operating temperatures, heating and cooling duties and FCU requirements to identify the most appropriate solution for your project.
Discover our resources
Explore technical thinking around fan coils, heat pumps, district heating networks and low-temperature system design.
Explore Insights
Develop your understanding of fan coil technology and the considerations involved in modern system design.
Explore CPDs
See how Ability technology has been applied to real project and low-temperature heating requirements.
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