A new off-site manufactured CHP (combined heat and power)
boilerhouse is helping Birmingham Women’s NHS Foundation Trust to
deliver on its commitment to improve energy efficiency.
Established in 1994, the Trust is one of only two specialising in
women’s healthcare. Based in Edgbaston, adjacent to the University
Hospital Birmingham, it has around 150 adult beds and 43 neonatal
cots. On average it looks after 50,000 patients a year, performs
approximately 3,000 operations and delivers around 7,000 babies.
Improving energy efficiency is an important objective for the Trust.
Following a project feasibility study carried out by the Carbon
Trust, it was identified that the introduction of an advanced
technology combined heat and power (CHP) plant at the site would
enable the site to reduce its energy costs and reduce overall carbon
emissions by generating its own electricity.
Instead of assembling the boilerhouse from individual components on
site in the traditional way, the project removed the build of the
boilerhouse away from the hospital. The boilerhouse was designed by
experienced engineers at Armstrong, using the latest 3D computer
modelling technology. Armstrong then constructed and tested the
boilerhouse at its purpose-designed factory in nearby Halesowen and
delivered it to the site for final connections.
To enable movement by road, the large boilerhouse was
purpose-designed and manufactured in six sections which could be
connected together quickly after delivery to site. Once the site
connections for the boilerhouse were complete, the CHP unit was
delivered. Within one day, the roof was removed from the boilerhouse,
the CHP unit was craned in, the roof was replaced and the
connections made to the on-site services.
This had a number of advantages for the Trust. The risks of carrying
out works on an occupied site were avoided, meaning that the Trust
could safeguard safety of patients, visitors and staff more
effectively. As the boilerhouse was manufactured off-site, the
actual installation time needed for the project was drastically
reduced, requiring a couple of days rather than several months.
Traffic at the busy site was not aggravated by the arrivals and
departures of contractors and deliveries of equipment during the
construction phase.
The design and product selection for the boilerhouse delivered
additional benefits. By using 3D computer modelling Armstrong was
able to determine how best to optimise the space and reduce
footprint. In order to allow the maximum amount of HVAC equipment to
be installed in the minimum amount of space, and to still allow room
in which engineers can carry out maintenance, Armstrong used a
pipeline hanging installation method. The design of the Armstrong
4300 Series vertical inline pumps used in the plant rooms enables
them to be suspended in the pipework instead of having to be
anchored to inertia bases on the floor. This meant that a ‘second
level’ of equipment could be installed above the floor-mounted
equipment, reducing significantly the footprint necessary for this
major HVAC application.
Steve Cooper, Director of Renewables and Sustainability for
Armstrong said, “New generation HVAC equipment, and technologies
such as CHP, have huge potential for health sector sites, delivering
significant benefits of cost-saving and improved environmental
performance. When upgrading to equipment of this type, off-site
construction can provide a far more acceptable route for the NHS
Trust by significantly reducing any impact that the project might
otherwise have on the day-to-day care of patients.”
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