Kyungdong Navien Integrated Piping System Proves Energy Savings in District Heating

Simultaneous Verification of Heating and Hot Water Usage Efficiency and Safety in Demonstration Study with Korea District Heating Corporation

Kyungdong Navien's integrated piping system, Hity Hub Plus.
Photo by Kyungdong Navien

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jong-hwa] Kyungdong Navien announced on the 30th that it has proven the energy-saving effect through a large-scale demonstration study of the integrated piping system, which was conducted for the first time in Korea.

This study was conducted jointly by Korea District Heating Corporation, Hyundai BS&C, and Kyungdong Navien to verify the effectiveness of the energy-saving integrated piping system in district heating and to expand its distribution. Unlike the conventional method that used a total of four pipes with separate piping for heating and hot water supply (domestic hot water), the integrated piping system, which functions as a heat exchanger for the boiler, is installed in each household to allow heating and hot water use as needed. Since energy is used only as much as required per household, it is highly efficient, and heat loss within the pipes is reduced, preventing energy waste. Additionally, because separate piping for hot water supply is not necessary, space utilization is improved, and its use is rapidly increasing overseas.

The demonstration study was conducted over about a year targeting 364 households at 'Goyang Samsong Hyundai Harriet' located in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. It was confirmed that the energy consumption of all households could be reduced by up to 7.1% when using the integrated piping system. Even considering that heating consumption may vary depending on the insulation performance of the building, the system demonstrated an average energy use reduction of about 6.2% per unit area. Furthermore, the system operated under design conditions throughout the experimental period regardless of the season, proving its stability.

This demonstration study has raised expectations that the integrated piping system could expand domestically as well. Although it is a stabilized technology with increasing application cases overseas, it is still unfamiliar in Korea, causing hesitation in applying it to buildings. However, as the district heating market continues to grow, voices advocating the use of the integrated piping system as an alternative to reduce fossil fuel use have increased. The results of this study simultaneously confirmed the efficiency and stability of the integrated piping system, marking a new turning point for district heating.

A Kyungdong Navien official stated, "As our name 'Navien' means a guide for energy and the environment, we strive to provide a comfortable living environment for our customers based on efficient energy use," adding, "Based on the condensing technology developed first in Asia, we aim to be part of our customers' lives not only domestically but globally, and we will also strive to be with our customers in the district heating market through the integrated piping system."