ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN EDUCATION
AN EDUCATION IN HEATING
REFURBISHMENT
Baxi has supported the heating refurbishment programmes of two primary schools, installing efficient and reliable solutions that help keep pupils and staff comfortable
The solution at a glance
• RLB specified the solution, Ignis Group delivered the refurbishment works, Baxi supported with technical input, supply and commissioning.
• Billesley Primary School received six Quinta Ace 55 boilers, a Megaflo 300l indirect hot water cylinder, and a wall-mounted Quinta Ace 115, and a Megaflo 150l direct electric hot water cylinder.
• Highlees Primary School received three Remeha by Baxi Gas 120 Ace boilers on an offsite-fabricated cascade, with a PHE, pump sets, dosing pot, and expansion vessel.
W
hen the non-condensing cast iron boilers serving Billesley Primary School in
Birmingham and Highlees Primary School in Peterborough reached the end of their lifespan, The Elliot Foundation Academies Trust (TEFAT) appointed M&E consultants Rider Levett Bucknall (RLB) to explore efficient ways of delivering reliable heating and hot water.
BILLESLEY PRIMARY SCHOOL At Billesley Primary School, RLB specified a solution based on modular condensing boilers. To meet requirements, Baxi supplied six Quinta Ace 55 boilers for the building’s basement plant room, plus a Megaflo 300l indirect hot water cylinder for the kitchen. It also provided a wall-mounted Quinta Ace 115 and a Megaflo 150l direct electric hot water cylinder for the Early Years building plant room. As the works needed to be completed in term
time, minimising disruption and adhering to tight deadlines were major considerations. With the main building’s plant room difficult to access via narrow stairs and a single door, the boilers were supplied in a modular cascade design, helping overcome site restrictions, improve redundancy, and optimise the efficiency of the boilers. Commercial heating contractor Ignis Group was appointed to undertake the full replacement works.
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Terry O’Neill, director, said: “We know Quinta Ace boilers well, and our engineers find them straightforward to install and highly reliable in operation. This, together with their space-saving dimensions, proved helpful in overcoming space constraints and meeting the tight project deadlines.” Andrew Hanson, senior M&E consultant at
RLB, added: “The Quinta Ace is renowned for its excellent quality and has the backup we look for
The solution at Billesley Primary School
from a well-known, well-respected brand. “This is an extremely successful project that will
make a huge difference to the school. The school and trust are extremely happy with the outcome. It meets the high efficiency and reliability requirements and is easy to control through the building management system by the caretakers for straightforward operation and future maintenance.”
HIGHLEES PRIMARY SCHOOL At Highlees Primary School, Baxi supplied three Remeha by Baxi Gas 120 Ace boilers on an offsite fabricated cascade. Working with RLB, the Baxi team prepared CAD and 3D drawings of the boiler cascade arrangement tailored to the design parameters and integrated specially sized pump sets and a plate heat exchanger (PHE) into the design. The PHE was recommended to hydraulically separate the new boilers from the existing heating system and protect them from any debris, corrosion or poor water quality. A pressurisation unit, a dosing pot and an expansion vessel were also included. Once the design was agreed, the cascade was created off-site, reducing time and labour needs and helping Ignis keep to a tight schedule, with final commissioning by Baxi engineers. “The reduction in on-site time and labour saved us around two to three days which, given the tight schedule, was extremely helpful in keeping the project on track,” explained O’Neill. Neville Radford, national education sector
At Highlees Primary School, Baxi supplied three Remeha by Baxi Gas 120 Ace boilers
ENERGY & SUSTAINABILITY SOLUTIONS - Spring 2026
manager at Baxi, commented: “The refurbishment programmes at both Billesley and Highlees are perfect examples of the actionable, positive steps, schools can take to improve their overall energy efficiency and system reliability, all while cutting down on needlessly high bills and contributing towards a more comfortable and productive working environment. We understood the various challenges associated with both projects and delivered the necessary technical support to ensure a quick turnaround without any issues.”
Baxi
www.baxi.co.uk
www.essmag.co.uk
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