Plug and play in-roof system for hybrid installations

Groundbreaking concept brings energy transition up to speed

The hybrid heat pump will be the standard for replacing central heating boilers in homes starting in 2026. A promising development in the context of sustainability, which unfortunately also brings challenges. "The time-intensive installation process of hybrid solutions and the number of homes that need to go through the process of sustainability, combined with the shortage of technical specialists, is leading to an installation meltdown," believes Klaas Kanis, director of Breman Installation Factory. "To turn this tide, together with the Housing Management and Renovation divisions of Breman Installation Group, we have developed a pioneering concept: the Indak Hybrid."

"Breman is the largest family-owned company in the installation sector that focuses on residential construction," Kanis says. "We are strong in serial housing construction and can manage the entire life cycle of a housing installation. Whereas Breman Installation Factory takes care of the engineering and realization of new installations, our Housing Management division, for example, is responsible for maintenance and service. And if the house needs to be renovated after some time, our renovation branch is on standby."

Accelerating energy transition

When it comes to home renovation, Breman sees a huge replacement demand coming at housing associations in particular. "Where in the past a boiler was replaced by a central heating boiler, now at least a hybrid installation must be provided," Kanis knows. "The amount of extra labor required for this is enormous. At a time when technically skilled personnel are becoming increasingly scarce, a new approach is necessary. A gauntlet we are only too happy to take up. In order to accelerate the energy transition, we have already launched an innovation and development project in mid-2022 that has led to the Indak Hybrid. Thanks to this innovative concept, significantly fewer on-site installation hours are required, which means that the time of technical specialists can be better utilized. The installation work is largely transferred from the home to the Breman Installation Plant. On location, it is only a matter of plug & play connection."

Standardized concept

"In the renovation market, work is project-based. This invariably involves the search for project-based solutions, which wastes a lot of valuable time," Kanis knows. "Instead, we were keen to develop a standardized installation concept that can be optimized for each situation." As an example, he mentions the roof pitch. The Indak Hybrid is applicable to roof pitches of 30 to 55 degrees. In addition, the aluminum main frame under the EPS base shell can be easily adjusted to take up as little usable area as possible. This eliminates the need to sacrifice bedrooms, laundry rooms or other useful spaces for our installation, for example. Instead, the Indak Hybrid is seamlessly integrated into the void space of existing and to-be-renovated homes." Because of its position on the roof, noise standards are easily met. "In addition, the system can be installed permit-free."

Minimal resident nuisance

For corporations, adequate support and resident satisfaction are essential. The Indak Hybrid also contributes to this by reducing installation time and inconvenience as much as possible. "The contractor makes the hole in the roof, then the Indak Hybrid is delivered to the project at the appropriate time and lifted from the truck into the roof opening," Kanis said. "Until then, residents can continue to use their central heating boiler freely. Only when the Indak Hybrid is connected to the delivery system and the installer starts adjusting the installation, a maximum of half a day has to be bridged. After that, residents can immediately benefit from their new and sustainable installation."

The Indak Hybrid was designed in consultation with renowned heat pump manufacturers to ensure maximum efficiency. The solution is suitable for various outdoor units. Meanwhile, the first successful pilots have been carried out. The Indak Hybrid will be available from April.