www.heatingandventilating.net From the editor


Focus falls on training


T


he critical skills shortage in HVAC is well documented and industry professionals have long been calling


for decisive action. The shortage is due to a combination of


factors including an ageing workforce, lack of training opportunities and a growing demand for HVAC services. Changes and developments across the industry including pending standards and regulations, and the drive to decarbonisation mean there is now a strong focus on training from both industry bodies and manufacturers. To reflect this, HVR has included a


new Training Supplement this month to introduce some of the best opportunities available across the sector. The guide features top manufacturers including Ideal Heating and NIBE, and leading trade body NAADUK. It highlights everything about their training offering including entry requirements, accreditation, certification and cost. The importance of apprenticeships, the shift in favour of low carbon training and the importance of upskilling in the era of heat pumps are features that make up for an very interesting read. The Training Supplement starts on pg 19 and will be a regular feature in the February issue.


Heathe Ramsden, Edito Magazine Team Editor


Business Development Manager Media Director Artwork Editor


Circulation Curwood CMS Ltd Heather Ramsden


James Marshall-Loughran Louise Tiller Nic Mandeville


datateam@c-cms.com


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Welcome & news Cutting edge


heat & vent AI monitoring and control is helping to decarbonise district heating network


A


rtificial Intelligence is being used to extend the efficiency of one of


the UK’s largest, oldest and most successful district energy schemes in Sheffield. Following an extensive trial and integration phase, the data driven thermohydraulic modelling tool is now being used to optimise temperature and network pressure over the 44km long network. By taking real time data from across the network, including data collection from the individual heat meters that serve connected buildings, and predicting heat demand and weather patterns, the system is set to reduce peak loads by up to 20% and increase the heat delivery capability by 25%. Operating since 1988, Sheffield’s District Energy Network supplies low carbon energy from the Sheffield Energy Recovery Facility which transforms non-recyclable household waste to generate heat supplies for the district heating scheme. Over 50% of the heat qualifies as renewable under the Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin (REGO) scheme and is fed to over 125 commercial and public sector buildings including the Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield City Hall, Weston Park Hospital, the Universities and the Millennium Galleries. To achieve the major increases in efficiency the


AI software takes data inputs from multiple sources and sensors across the network, and combines this with external data, to provide full network modelling and scenario planning. The system then calculates potential heat losses in individual underground pipe


sections, internal pipework in plant rooms and energy centres and optimises the energy consumption of the buildings.


This means common


problems such as hydronic bottlenecks are avoided, which limits any potentially disruptive and costly retrofits


on the underground heat networks, and improves fault tolerance and estimation of energy consumption. Commenting on the extended capabilities from this technology, Donald Macphail, chief operating officer – treatment, at Veolia said: “In the UK, almost half of the final energy consumed is used as heat, and the domestic, commercial and public sectors account for two-thirds of this consumption for space heating and water heating. As we move to reduce climate impact we need to decarbonise these important heat requirements, and district heating systems are a proven technology to help reduce this carbon footprint. By integrating the network in Sheffield with the latest artificial intelligence we have advanced efficiency, and taken another important step towards a Net Zero future.” In the UK Veolia currently manages the energy plant and networks across 60 sites and operates over 120 community heating schemes serving large campuses and hospitals. These distribute low carbon or renewable heat from combined heat and power plants, waste wood biomass and Energy Recovery Facilities. Globally the company currently operates around 600 district heating networks covering 7,000km of heat mains.


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www.heatingandventilating.net


February 2024


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