There are two 199kW Herz boilers which burn woodchip in a centrally located purpose built boiler house. Also in the boiler house are two back-up oil boilers which are used when the woodchip boilers are being serviced or if there is a problem with the woodchip boilers. The other two main occupants of the boiler house are the two 5,000 litre buffer tanks.
The two Herz boilers
The oil backup boilers and buffer tanks
The heavier duty boiler supplies heat an hot water via a heat main to the main building operated by Care Ashore which is a large Victorian house which has been substantially extended and a 1960s annexe known as Radcliffe House. It is hoped that in due course the annexe will be demolished and replaced by more modern and more efficient living accommodation better suited to the needs of Care Ashore’s residents.
Sachel Court and Radcliffe House
The other boiler provides heat and hot water via two heat mains to tenants of Care Ashore in a residential block called Cunard Mews and to a complex of small houses, maisonettes and bungalows.
The bungalows near the entrance to the estate
Altogether the total length of heat main amounts to a fraction under half a kilometre.
Prior to installing the district heating system the Co-operative commissioned and paid for a full energy audit of the main buildings to identify any potential energy management and reduction work and has paid for £15,000 of energy efficiency and demand management work.