Delivering predictable performance and regulatory compliance in residential buildings begins long before construction at the engineering stage. Accurate heating system specification is critical not only for comfort and regulatory compliance, but also for ensuring that real-world performance aligns with Ireland’s increasingly demanding energy efficiency standards.

Advanced digital design software

Long established as a leader in Ireland’s home heating sector, Grant has further strengthened its support for engineers, specifiers, architects, builders and developers by investing in advanced digital design software to enhance its free-of-charge Heating Design & Specification Service for new-build homes and residential developments. The investment helps project teams integrate heating systems earlier and more efficiently into the overall design process.

Grant’s in-house design and specification service has been widely used across the industry for many years, valued for its detailed heat loss calculations, technical accuracy, regulatory awareness and practical, time-saving approach. The introduction of the upgraded software builds on this foundation, enabling the Grant technical team to work more efficiently, respond faster to design enquiries, and produce clearer, more detailed outputs – particularly on complex projects.

Using the enhanced digital platform, Grant’s technical specialists continue to carry out in-depth room-by-room heat-loss calculations, detailed sizing for radiators or underfloor heating, and complete pipework circuit layouts. Automated calculation workflows significantly reduce design time, while annotated schematics and clear layout drawings provide design teams with a complete heating system specification that can be reviewed and integrated early in the project workflow.

The calculation engine produces consistent, independently verified outputs, giving M&E engineers confidence that system sizing and performance assumptions align with industry standards. Embedded manufacturer data ensures heat outputs reflect real operating conditions rather than generic assumptions.

With a growing number of NZEB, low-energy and Passive House standard homes in Ireland, the upgraded workflow introduces features particularly valuable on these projects. These include optimised hydronic system layouts, with automatic pipe sizing with flow-rate and pressure-drop calculations and built-in system balancing.

Installer-ready outputs

Installer-ready outputs form a key part of the service, helping M&E engineers bridge the gap between design and delivery. Schematic drawings, underfloor heating layouts, pipe circuits, and material schedules support co-ordination with contractors during first-fix installation reducing the potential for on-site interpretation errors. Designs can also be exported in industry-standard formats, supporting integration with CAD and BIM workflows where required.

In line with Grant’s established approach, the enhanced service continues to support regulatory compliance requirements. This includes the production of SR 50/MCS compliant heat-loss documentation, supporting engineers in demonstrating alignment with Part L and NZEB performance requirements, reducing design risk and minimising late-stage revisions.

The new digital workflow further strengthens Grant’s integrated design approach, with the award-winning Aerona R290 air-to-water heat pump remaining central to new-build specifications.

Designed specifically for the Irish and UK climate, the use of natural refrigerant R290, which has a Global Warming Potential (GWP) of only three, supports long-term decarbonisation strategies, whilst five output sizes ranging from 4kW-16kW, allow engineers to specify accurately across varying property types.

By combining digital efficiency with decades of technical expertise, Grant’s free Heating Design & Specification Service continues to provide practical, real-world support to the Irish construction industry, helping engineers to deliver compliant, future-ready homes.

To avail of Grant’s free Heating Design and Specification Service send house plans to heatpump@grant.ie 

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