Gas Fired Boilers
CHP Unit
Thermal Store
Charles Dickens Tower Block
Contract Value:
£1.25 million
Timescale:
Apr 03 - Oct 04
Client:
Portsmouth City Council
& United House Ltd.
Portsmouth City Council has been upgrading its housing stock over the last 10 years. A decision was made to deliver a more sustainable solution to the Charles Dickens housing estate named after the famous author who was born nearby.
"I think what is being done here is brilliant, the council should be commended. We need more schemes like this."
Ian Pearson, Environment Minister
The development consists of 515 dwellings in eight medium and high-rise blocks. Two blocks with 176 dwellings were supplied by an existing district heating system, other blocks had a mix of gas fires, electric fan heaters and underfloor off-peak electric heating. Rather than remove the old district heating system Vital Energi worked closely with both United House and the Council to upgrade and expand the heating infrastructure to a modern CHP district heating system.
This highly efficient system not only supplies heat and hot water to housing but also feeds two local schools and a new arts and leisure building. In response to the brief, Vital Energi played a crucial role in redeveloping the existing boiler house as a new energy centre, including the installation of a 520kWe capacity gas-fired CHP unit and a 70m3 thermal store, capable of storing 2.8MWh of thermal energy, sufficient to supply the site for several hours at most times of the year. Vital Energi installed a district heating mains network to serve the 8 housing blocks, the arts and leisure centre and 2 schools. The design of the system enables the opportunity of futher buildings to be connected to the district heating system if required. Wherever possible the pre insulated pipework was installed through grassed areas or within the ground floor of the blocks themselves to minimize costs. In addition, new risers were installed through the blocks and each apartment was fitted with a pre-fabricated Vital Aqua Varm Hydraulic Interface Unit, providing instaneous heating and hot water.
The Benefits:
- Annual fuel bill reductions for residents of about £120
- Annual CO2 reductions of 420 tonnes
- Financial savings for the Council
- Solution helps to alleviate fuel poverty
- Reduced maintenance costs - no need for an annual gas inspection and boiler servicing within the flats
Conclusion
Following completion of the scheme which also included commissioning of all equipment installed, Vital Energi have been appointed to undertake operation & maintenance of the entire heating system.
