When the heating system in a housing scheme and drop in centre for
vulnerable people in Bristol reached the end of its useful life, it
looked as though the facility would have to shut down for
maintenance during the crucially important winter months. But the
off-site construction of an innovative integrated heating system
made it possible for the changeover of the boiler plant to take
place within just one day, meaning that the visitors to the centre
could continue to receive support. Further down the line, the
high-efficiency equipment is continuing to deliver benefits, by
slashing the centre’s energy bills and reducing its carbon
footprint.
The organisation managing the Jamaica Street scheme and drop in
centre in Bristol, Riverside ECHG (part of the Riverside Group), was
faced with a dilemma. It had been carrying out extensive internal
refurbishment at the drop in centre. Surveys of the ageing boiler
plant showed, however, that it was beyond repair and that complete
replacement of the boiler room was unavoidable.
Budget was made available for the new boiler plant, and the work was
put out to tender, but due to the timescales (the work could not
commence until early December) the personnel running the centre
feared that, without heating and hot water, it would have to turn
people away until the work could be completed.
The Riverside Group’s facilities management company, Integral, was
able to avoid the disruption to services however. It recommended
offsite construction and approached Armstrong for supply of the
company’s award-winning MBS integrated heating solution. While work
began on site to prepare for the changeover, Armstrong set to work
preassembling the system in its purpose designed factory in
Halesowen.
The changeover between the two heating systems needed careful
planning to keep the centre open for use. Many of the visitors to
the centre rely heavily on it, and the typical installation time,
which would have meant the centre being without heating and hot
water for four or five weeks, wasn’t feasible. Instead the teams
involved in the project set the ambitious target of moving from the
old to the new boiler in the space of just one day.
In preparation for the changeover day, an old oil supply tank (which
had been unused since 1985), and its bund wall, were removed. This
freed up space for the installation of two new gas-fired water
heaters. The domestic water supply was moved across to the new
equipment so that there would no loss of services for occupants on
the changeover day. Work was also carried out in advance to prepare
the site for the new boiler plant. An investigation of the chimney
stack had revealed that, with the addition of a new lining, it was
suitable for use with the new plant room, and this was relined in
readiness.
On the day designated for the installation, the preassembled MBS
integrated heating solution was delivered to site by Armstrong,
requiring only final connections. Temporary heating arrangements
were made for building occupants for the day and the changeover
began.
The old boiler plant, the old flue dilution system and ceilings,
which had deteriorated to an unsafe condition, were stripped out,
and the new integrated heating solution, and the prefabricated
pipework, were installed in their place.
The MBS is designed in a modular format, making it possible to move
sections of the system quickly and easily through a standard
doorway, without the need for specialist lifting equipment. The
modules were put in place in the building and quickly connected
together, the water and energy connections were made, and the
equipment was made ready for use. The hard work of the contractors,
and the design of the new boiler plant, meant that the project met
its extremely challenging 24 hour time schedule.
The equipment has proved to have many additional benefits, beyond
those of fast installation. The MBS incorporates high efficiency
condensing boilers, variable speed drive pumps and advanced
controls, which automatically match the heat and hot water delivered
to the changing demands of the building and its occupants. This has
significantly reduced the energy costs for the site, and has made it
possible to reduce the carbon footprint for the centre
significantly. The new equipment also requires much less space,
taking only around one third of the floor area of the previous
system, enabling the site occupants to make better use of the
premises. The boiler room is also much cleaner, improving the
physical environment.
Mike Smith of Integral said, “I think it was the fastest changeover
we’ve ever carried out. It was essential to maintain services for
the centre’s visitors, but with traditional equipment and assembly
approaches it just wouldn’t have been possible. The design of the
MBS however meant that it could be brought in, moved down stairs,
round corners, through standard doorways, and connected up in a
fraction of the time it would have otherwise taken. And the ongoing
energy efficiency performance of the system will mean a more
comfortable environment for the building occupants at a lower cost
and carbon footprint, throughout the equipment’s lifetime.”
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