A historic church made more sustainable with Renson heat pumps

Existing underfloor heating lays the foundation for a sustainable future

Immanuel Church in Ermelo has taken an important step towards a more sustainable future. The existing gas-fired heating system has been replaced with a modern Renson heat pump system. Thanks to the underfloor heating installed in 2006, the heat emission system could be retained. This made it possible to improve the energy efficiency of the historic building without major structural work. The installation was carried out by Meddens & Van Ree, part of the Pronk Groep.

“An existing building always presents a challenge, of course,” explains Jonathan van der Heiden, project manager at Meddens & Van Ree. “You cannot simply circulate water from a heat pump through any existing installation. Traditional gas boilers supply water at high temperatures, while heat pumps operate with lower water temperatures and higher flow rates. Fortunately, the existing underfloor heating at Immanuel Church provided an excellent basis for this energy-efficient renovation.”

This project highlights the flexibility of our solutions, both for new-build and renovation projects.

Pieter van Loon, Country Manager Netherlands

A Renson solution for an exceptional building

For Immanuel Church, two Renson Arean 22S heat pumps were installed in cascade. The heat pumps heat the building and are controlled by Renson’s Brain and HVAC modules.

According to Pieter van Loon, Country Manager Netherlands at Renson, the project demonstrates the versatility that heat pump technology can now offer. “This project highlights the flexibility of our solutions, both for new-build and renovation projects. Making existing buildings more sustainable is often considered complex. Immanuel Church demonstrates that suitable existing heat emission systems can be combined perfectly with modern heat pump technology. In this way, a building with character can be made future-proof without compromising its identity.”

The former warm-air heating system remains available as a backup in the church. The underfloor heating, powered by Renson heat pumps, now serves as the church’s primary heating system.

Quiet, efficient and user-friendly

The low noise level is a major advantage of the selected Renson solution. The two outdoor units are installed behind the church and operate almost inaudibly. “The exact location makes relatively little difference,” explains Van der Heiden. “These heat pumps are exceptionally quiet. That is a major advantage of this type of installation, especially in a project like this, where comfort and tranquillity are essential.”

In addition to comfort, ease of use was also central to the project. The online platform allows the church manager to monitor the installation’s operation and adjust the settings when necessary.

The installation can therefore be fine-tuned to match the building’s actual use more closely. This contributes not only to comfort, but also to the system’s efficiency

Jonathan Van der Heiden, project manager at Meddens & Van Ree

Collaboration and a tailor-made approach

For both Renson and Meddens & Van Ree, the project demonstrates how collaboration can lead to a tailored solution.

“Our experience with heat pumps and sustainable installations undoubtedly helped us,” explains Van der Heiden. “We were also able to rely on Renson’s support during the design and implementation phases. By combining our knowledge and experience, we created an installation tailored to the church’s use, dimensions and character.”

For Renson, too, the installation highlights the opportunities offered by the energy-efficient renovation of existing buildings.

“We are seeing organisations increasingly look for sustainable alternatives to traditional heating systems,” says Van Loon. “This project shows that heat pumps can also be an excellent solution in existing buildings, provided that the technology, preparation and implementation are perfectly coordinated.”

Sustainable heritage

Thanks to this new installation, Immanuel Church now has a future-proof heating system that helps reduce energy consumption and CO₂ emissions while preserving visitor comfort.

For the project partners, the installation demonstrates how modern heat pump technology can contribute to the energy-efficient renovation of existing buildings without altering their architectural character.

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