ADVERTORIAL
Carbon-neutral heating for Sudbury Hall
As part of its drive to reduce carbon emissions across its estate, the National Trust
has replaced two oil-fi red boilers at Sudbury Hall in Derbyshire with wood pellet
biomass boilers manufactured by Hoval.
Sudbury Hall is a Grade I listed 17th Century family home that features richly
decorated interiors and is also home to the Museum of Childhood, with displays
about childhood from the 19th Century onwards. Many of its exhibits are
sensitive to changes in temperature and humidity so a responsive and reliable
space heating system is critical to protecting these assets.
Following a feasibility study by Lorien Engineering Solutions, Project Manager
and Engineering Consultant throughout the project - as well as visits to local
Hoval installations - carbon-neutral biomass boilers were identifi ed as the best
replacement for the existing, ageing oil boilers.
“The National Trust is committed to installing renewable energy technologies in
its properties wherever appropriate,” explained Charles Robinson, the National
Trust’s senior building surveyor. “The fact that we were able to source both the
boilers and wood pellets locally also helped to reduce the project’s carbon
footprint,” he continued.
“The choice of wood pellets, rather than chips, was dictated by a number of
factors. These included the higher density and calorifi c value of wood pellets and
the available space for fuel storage.” added Lorien’s Nick Fox.
Before the large Hoval biomass boilers and pellet hopper for fuel storage could be installed in the designated cellar space, it was
necessary to remove the existing oil boilers and oil tank. Working closely with installer partner Instatherm, which also supplied
the pellet feed system and underfeed stokers, Hoval took a turnkey role in designing the system and managing these works, right
through to the commissioning of the new boilers. The unique nature of the project presented the team with some interesting
challenges.
A signifi cant complication was the fact that the 12,000 litre oil tank had been built in-situ and could not be removed intact through
existing doorways. Consequently, this had to be emptied and dismantled prior to removal. As no hot works were permitted in the
vicinity of the tank this was carried out using cold cutting techniques. In addition, no noisy works were allowed between the hours
of 10am and 5pm, when the building is open to the public, so the work was carried out within clearly defi ned windows.
Sudbury Hall’s listed status also meant that no alterations to the external fabric were allowed. “This presented us with a challenge in
getting the boilers to the cellars,” explained Hoval’s Ian Dagley. “Having considered various options we decided to use a crane to lift
the boilers over the building to an inner courtyard and manhandle them through underground passages to the cellars,” he added.
In its role as Principal Contractor, Lorien was also responsible for managing Health & Safety during the project. “Health and safety
issues were given a very high priority during the project because of the lifting works and the basement location of the installation.
There were also members of the public close to the site for much of the time,” recalled Nick Fox.
The pellet hopper, located adjacent to the boilers, is manufactured from a special fabric, mounted on a steel frame – so it could be
easily assembled in the cellar. The fabric is designed to allow air to pass through while retaining dust, so the hopper does not need
to be vented during fi lling. The pellets are sourced from local biomass fuel specialist Strawsons Energy.
Another benefi t of using wood pellets was the ability to construct a fl exible feed system that could be routed around obstacles in
the cellars. A wood chip feed system would have been confi ned to straight runs and 90 degree bends.
Hoval’s Ian Dagley also points out the importance of good communications with the client from the start of the project. “Most
people have no experience of solid fuel boilers and, while modern biomass boilers are very easy to use, different procedures are
involved. For that reason we explained the details to the staff before the project began so they would fully conversant with routines,
such as removing ash every fortnight or so, once the boilers were handed over”.
Despite its complexity, the project was completed within a six week period. “We are very pleased with the outcome and received
an excellent service from Lorien, Hoval and Instatherm throughout the project. In fact, our staff at Sudbury Hall are so pleased with
the support they’ve received that they’ve named the boilers Lawrence and Colin after our main contacts on the project,” Charles
Robinson concluded.
For further information: 01636 672711, hoval@hoval.co.uk,
www.hoval.co.uk
HOVAL 1p33_CIBSEMagMar09 1 24/2/09 10:06:482/3/09 14:44:13
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