In Europe, 36% of greenhouse gas emissions and 40% of energy consumption are caused by buildings, where 80% of energy requirements are linked to climate control and domestic hot water production (source: TEHA and Enel Foundation dossier, 2024). To implement the European Union's Green Deal, electrifying and improving the efficiency of the built environment is therefore one of the most important challenges facing the HVAC world. In this context, heat pumps are a key technology, but the architectural and economic impact of a complete retrofit, as well as the complexity of some installation contexts (uninsulated building envelopes, harsh outdoor climates, etc.) risk limiting the large-scale application of this solution.
Olimpia Splendid's Air Hybrid System is an innovative solution that promotes light retrofitting with heat pumps and makes energy upgrading a possibility for everyone.
The system involves converting the existing system into a hybrid system, combining the existing gas boiler and radiators with heat pumps installed in some rooms only. Activating the heat pump as an alternative to gas heating, even only at certain times and under certain conditions (intermediate seasons, mild climates, etc.), allows both a reduction in fossil fuel consumption and the resulting climate-changing emissions, and an increase in self-consumption of electricity, where a photovoltaic system is present. With Olimpia Splendid's new Air Hybrid System, this light retrofit can be carried out in three easy, immediate steps with low architectural impact.
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Step 1 | Installation of air-to-air heat pumps without outdoor units
The pride of Olimpia Splendid's Italian production, air-to-air heat pumps without outdoor units can be installed without major building work and without taking up space outside (even in the presence of architectural constraints), significantly reducing the architectural impact of the installation compared to traditional air-to-air heat pumps.
Choosing the right model from Olimpia Splendid's Unico range is easy, thanks to a wide range of power ratings, all sharing the advantages of the latest generation technology. Low-vibration Twin Rotary compressor, electronics with integrated wireless connectivity and low-noise condensate pump are just some of the components that find their strength in perfect synchronisation. The innovative Sync Power System in the latest Unico models ensures the coordinated and harmonious operation of each element, increasing efficiency (up to class A+) and ensuring maximum acoustic comfort.
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Step 2 | Installation of wireless controls for radiators
You can fully exploit the potential of a hybrid system by automating the management of the switch between the two heating sources. Once the new air-to-air heat pumps without outdoor units have been installed, they must be connected to the existing radiators in the building, installing the new Olimpia Splendid wireless control on each one. Compatible with the main thermostatic valve bodies on the market and easily replaceable with the existing manual valve or traditional thermostatic control, the Olimpia Splendid wireless control allows you to connect the two heating sources wirelessly and program automatic scenarios that activate one or the other source based on specific conditions.
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Step 3 | Programming scenarios with the OS Home app
Unico heat pumps and the new Olimpia Splendidi wireless controls are compatible with the OS Home app, accessible from any iOS or Android smartphone or tablet, which allows you to program typical scenarios. Example A: heat pump heating active when outdoor temperatures are above 7°C and gas heating when the weather is colder. Example B: both heat pump and gas heating when the indoor temperature is below 16°C, for rapid upstart, and heat pump heating only when the set point is reached, for more efficient maintenance.
‘The latest studies show that 75% of buildings in Europe need to be energy upgraded,’ explains Davide Raccagni, Product Innovation Manager at Olimpia Splendid. "As manufacturers of heat pumps, a key technology for the efficiency and electrification of the built environment, our research and development work focuses on retrofitting and, above all, on those contexts where the application of heat pumps is more complex. Olimpia Splendid's Air Hybrid System is a particularly strategic solution: with a simple add-on, efficiency and electrification become accessible and immediate, yet extremely concrete and effective."
