New boilers and controls slash energy usage
New Forest District Council is looking forward to substantial reductions in heating costs following the replacement of boilers in 12 buildings that had heating running continuously with the only control being the boiler thermostat. Savings of up to £2500 a site will achieve a payback of just one year at current gas prices.
The new boilers from Ideal Commercial Boilers have the company’s Universal Sequencer Kits with inside, outside and flow-pipe sensors. They have been installed at nine sites accommodating older people and three hostels. The controls fully regulate the heating systems, which now operate at a regular 22°C and include night setback between midnight and 4 a.m.
Rob Sowden, commercial gas engineer for New Forest Council, specified the equipment. The control systems were installed by local accredited Ideal Commercial Boilers contractor Gary Jones Services, with just some straightforward modifications to the existing wiring.
The biggest challenge was educating elderly tenants about the new system. With the previous system, much of the heat requirement was met by the pipework, and tenants were used to turning on just one or two radiators when they needed more heat. For the new system, tenants were told to set all their TRVs to suit their own comfort levels and that no further action would be needed.
Rob Sowden comments, ‘The tenants have experienced fantastic benefits, as the heating systems require minimal operation and each building now remains at a constant temperature, preventing dramatic changes in indoor temperature as a result of changing weather.
New Forest District Council is committed to reducing its CO2 emissions and energy bills. Installing the Universal Sequencer Kits is a huge step in this direction.’
