Days off due to boiler failure a thing of the past

No school under the jurisdiction of Cheshire County Council has been forced to close due to boiler failure, thanks to the success of a three year boiler renewal and replacement project.

For the past 12 months, no school under the jurisdiction of Cheshire County Council has been forced to close due to boiler failure, thanks to the success of a three year boiler renewal and replacement project undertaken between Cheshire County Council, MITIE Engineering Projects and their consultants Paul Moy Associates, and boiler manufacturers, Potterton Commercial.

Nineteen properties including schools, libraries, a family centre and council offices were refitted in 2004, with 13 in 2005 and replacements to a further 15 anticipated for 2006.

One of the key issues to be considered in terms of installation and commissioning is the time sensitivity of much of the work; Norman Cassata of Cheshire County Council, who was responsible for the initiation of the £3million project, explains: "The majority of the work has to be completed within the six weeks school summer break, this puts pressure on Potterton Commercial not only to have the required stock available for immediate call off but also to meet multiple, simultaneous commissioning deadlines and so far, we haven't been disappointed." Roy Rogers, contracts manager at MITIE Engineering Projects , is one of the people responsible for proposing Potterton Commercial as the preferred partner in the programme.

The decision rested on reliability of product, simplicity of use, high level, post-commissioning support, price and efficiency.

He says: "There were four contenders for the contract.

Potterton Commercial won the business because the products they proposed are simple to operate with intelligent controls.

"Their systems are cost-effective and yet there's no compromise on quality.

One of the stated measures of success is ease of operability; gone are the days of full-time, on-campus caretakers, who are able react immediately to heating and ventilation issues.

The beauty of Potterton boilers is they are simple to control with easy override facilities, striking that necessary balance between energy efficiency and operational effectiveness." The Potterton Commercial boilers chosen for the job included; NXR3s, NXR4s, Derwent Compacts and Paramounts.

The key benefits are contained, lifetime costs, ease of installation - they're perfectly suited to installations in basement boiler houses - and increased energy efficiency.

The NXR3 and NXR4 can also be linked effortlessly into existing pipework.

The NXR3 and NXR4 are cast iron sectional boilers with multiple flueways that increase the heat exchange surface area and achieve maximum combustion performance.

Increased insulation reduces fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, aiding compliance with environmental legislation and the Clean Air Act.

The control panel allows full boiler control.

Both are suitable for running under direct compensated control down to low return temperatures (minimum 35oC).

At only 480mm wide, the Paramount is the one of the narrowest, most compact, wall-hung condensing boilers on the market.

As it weighs from only 58kg, it can be located unobtrusively.

There are 40kW, 60kW and 80kW output options and a recently updated door design provides easy access for service and maintenance.

The compact dimensions are combined with exceptional energy efficiency - up to 109% net - and advanced ultra-low NOx performance, exceeding Class 5, achieved by its advanced heat exchanger design and burner technology.

An inbuilt weather compensation facility optimises seasonal efficiency, with the boilers being capable of full modulation down to 25%, and encourages the boiler to condense whenever possible.

The Paramount's intelligent control system is able to communicate with all LON, EIB and LPB protocols used in most building management systems and clip-in modules for control of weather compensation, building temperature, optimum start/stop and zone control.

It is ideal for multiple application use.

Boiler control module, temperature control module (HKM) and outside weather sensor are all standard features of the Paramount and there are a number of optional extras for the control of hot water.

Controls are simple to use with additional options either integrated into the boiler or remotely sited.

There is a comprehensive range of concentric flue options, including balanced flue, room sealed and conventional flue variants.

Part L2 compliant, the boilers appear on the Energy Technology List and therefore qualify for Enhanced Capital Allowances.

Commenting on the project, Potterton Commercial's national sales and marketing manager, Richard Walker, says: "We are working very closely with Cheshire County Council and MITIE on this project to ensure its continuing success.

The tendering process involved inspection of the whole supply chain by Cheshire County Council prior to the project's launch and we have implemented systems to enhance delivery and easy commissioning of our boilers.

It's a partnership that works because of effective team playing".

All boilers used on this project are covered by the Potterton Commercial "Lifetime Guarantee", when assembled and commissioned by Potterton Commercial engineers.

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