Our general design and delivery philosophy was to utilise multiple modular “off the shelf” heat pump units to replace the gas boilers with the new heat pumps being integrated simply into the existing primary heat infrastructure. This provides resilience (e.g. if one unit fails), and ensures the design and operation is straightforward for the end users. Roof mounted solar thermal was also utilised on many of the sites to complement the heat pump system.
A new bespoke controls system ensures performance of the system is optimised according to heat demand and external temperatures. These controls will also enable the assets to be operated commercially (i.e., linked to the price of electricity) to facilitate further cost reductions and efficiencies.
The initial due diligence and surveys carried out at the beginning of the process was critical to the success of all 84 sites. This ensured that any planning permission and acoustic considerations were addressed at the design stage, along with early identification of asbestos and any abatement required. Given the increase in electrical demand imposed by the new heat pumps, another vital element to ensure success involved liaising with the relevant District Network Operator (DNO) to understand the incoming electrical capacity of each site, any potential network upgrade requirements, associated costs and the timeline for proposed DNO works.
