SCHOOL MAINTENANCE
A high efficiency boiler cascade system Getting the right heating mix for your school
Finding the funds for repair or replacement can be a daunting challenge for schools suddenly faced with a heating system breakdown, so when it does come to deciding on an alternative system, energy efficiency and ROI should be top of the agenda to ensure any money saved can be spent elsewhere on site.
Legacy boilers can be costly to repair and often, if restored, are unable to deliver the expected energy efficiency of today’s schools. Therefore, when a school’s heating system breaks down, generally, the most straightforward solution is to replace any inefficient boilers with modern, efficient alternatives.
E
ver-increasing pressure on the budgets of schools around the country means optimised energy performance is key to maximising the funds available for educational resources rather than running costs. In the first of our two features this month on school maintenance and design, Pete Mills, Commercial Technical Operations Manager at Bosch Commercial and Industrial, explains some of the most important considerations to make when it comes to heating and hot water, and the technologies best-suited to delivering reliability and energy efficiency.
Even though many older systems operate at temperatures of 82°C flow and 71°C return, condensing boilers can be made to work efficiently for educational buildings through the use of weather compensation and effective control. Consideration can also be given to the possibility of rebalancing the system to 80°C flow and 60°C return for further savings. With energy efficiency a top priority, schools should be turning to boilers which can automatically modulate their output down to as little as 20 per cent in order to precisely match the demand for heat, helping to reduce fuel consumption and improve overall seasonal efficiency. This is ideal for periods like
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the summer holidays where there may only be limited demand for heating and hot water. For schools planning development to include further facilities, a cascade system can also help to future proof a school to cater for increased heating demand.
Ageing schools and their challenges With some of the UK’s school buildings dating back to the sixth century however, it’s no wonder that some of these buildings are struggling to cope with the use demanded of them. Heritage school buildings, despite their beauty, come at a cost and present certain challenges when trying to incorporate modern energy efficient technologies. Their ageing infrastructure means installers are often welcomed with narrow plant rooms, and old pipework to contend with when trying to install new boilers. However, concerns with mixing the old with the new shouldn’t stop schools from replacing their heating system with a more efficient alternative.
Fortunately, the modern condensing boiler is again the perfect fit despite these restrictions. Bosch Commercial and Industrial’s GB162 boiler for example has compact dimensions when cascaded in systems up to 800kW, which make it especially suitable for plant rooms which are
May 2017
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