Cheapest/best way to heat UFH?

[sendu]

I'm doing a renovation and adding wet UFH to ground floor, and possibly to 1st floor as well.

What's the cheapest or best way to heat the UFH water?

 

I plan on having a gas system boiler to heat hot water for showers etc. Should this just be used for the UFH as well?

 

Or is it worth having a separate ASHP to heat the UFH water? Connected "directly", or with a buffer tank? Can 1 ASHP heat the UFH on both ground floor and 1st floor?

 

Combine the ASHP with solar panels (which may be useful anyway) to cut down on electricity costs?

 

Any other options worth considering?

[Mr Punter]

Make the house airtight and well insulated - especially the ground floor - and add MVHR and the space heating costs can be reduced to the point where ASHP v gas will make little cost difference.  The gas boiler / heat pump can be swapped later but the insulation / airtightness / ventilation is a far bigger job.

 

A single ASHP should be fine for both floors.

[sendu]

Thanks, I was planning on MVHR and making it airtight anyway.

 

If I get an ASHP, do I need a tank for it, or can it directly heat the UFH?