Our brief was to report on the potential for improving thermal comfort, increasing energy efficiency and reducing running costs associated with the heating system on site.
The Grade 2 Listed status of the building and its very attractive ceiling detailing had to be taken into full consideration. The installed heating system used 4” cast iron distribution pipework which was in poor condition and which had a water content that would take over 2 hours to bring up to design temperatures. The boiler was a conventional gas-fired boiler installed in 2003.
Calculations demonstrated that the boiler should be able to offset the heat losses of the building, but that the distribution system was undersized by about 30% for current design standards. Improving levels of thermal insulation of the building fabric was not considered feasible here due to the construction of the building.
Our report recommended replacing the heating distribution system with a low surface temperature two pipe system serving LST radiators run continuously along perimeter walls at low level. The system would have sufficient heat output to improve comfort levels and a simple optimum start controls system could be installed with night set-back to help keep some heat in the building fabric.
The boiler could be replaced when funds permit with a more efficient and larger unit to assist with intermittent operation and cold start loads.
Destratification fans in the Sanctuary were recommended to reduce heat losses through the uninsulated roof.
