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network. The work was planned to support long-term carbon-reduction ambitions for the education estate and the wider city, while protecting the building’s listed fabric and maintaining surrounding operational constraints. The scope of works included the design, supply, installation and commissioning of a buried heat network connection, along with building plate heat exchangers, plant room pipework, and associated controls.
challenges was identifying a viable route for the buried connection through heavily congested city centre streets. Existing underground services created additional constraints, requiring careful investigation before works could begin. This had to be achieved while maintaining full operation of an adjacent multi-storey car park operated by NCP, ensuring there was no disruption to public access or revenue-generating activity. To achieve this, the delivery team from
PPSL District Heating worked closely with civil engineering specialists CPC Civils to undertake detailed route development. This included the use of ground- penetrating radar (GPR) surveys and targeted trial holes during the design phase, allowing utilities to be positively construction began. From the outset, the project demanded a high level of coordination between stakeholders, including the College, the car park operator, manufacturers and principal contractor Briggs and Forrester. Early engagement enabled a fully integrated programme to be developed for the city heat network. This collaborative approach ensured
that all enabling works, deliveries and installation activities were carefully sequenced. As a result, the team was able to execute the connection works within the critical shutdown period, avoiding any risk to programme or operational continuity. A further layer of complexity
was introduced by the need to install two large plate heat exchangers within the basement plantroom of the listed building.
Restricted access, limited headroom and structural constraints required careful lift planning and phased installation methodology. The team successfully completed
a lift-and-shift operation to position the equipment, followed by detailed pipework installation and controls integration. Despite the constrained environment, the plantroom works were delivered minimising risk to the existing building fabric. Following installation, the buried
network pipework and internal systems, including the plate heat exchangers, were fully commissioned in accordance with BSRIA BG29 standards. This ensured that system performance, hydraulic balancing and control integration met recognised industry
benchmarks for quality and operational reliability. The project was completed in line
with the planned summer shutdown, achieving full programme certainty and successful energisation of the connection. The key factor in the success of the
project was the quality of planning and stakeholder alignment achieved before site works began. The project highlights how historic education buildings can still successfully adopt modern energy infrastructure when planning and stakeholder coordination align. With the right collaboration and engineering approach, even the most constrained heritage assets can be successfully decarbonised without compromising operational continuity or architectural integrity.
WG216
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