Four Ares Tec commercial boilers have been installed at Boothroyd Primary School in Dewsbury, replacing the school’s ageing boiler plant with a smarter, high-efficiency heating solution designed to respond more closely to changing demand.
Like many established school buildings, Boothroyd Primary School needed to modernise its heating plant while working within the constraints of the existing property. The previous boilers had reached the stage where replacement was required, creating an opportunity to improve the efficiency, controllability and long-term reliability of the school’s heating and hot water provision.
Access was also an important consideration. The plant room is located in the basement, meaning any replacement equipment had to be transported down the stairs and through the existing doorway. This made the physical dimensions of the proposed boilers an important part of the specification.
Matching school heating demand with a wide modulation range
The solution comprises four 150kW Alpha Ares Tec boilers, providing a total installed boiler capacity of 600kW.
A key reason for selecting the Ares Tec was its combination of high efficiency and wide modulation range. Each 150kW appliance can modulate down to just 12kW, allowing the four-boiler cascade to respond much more closely to the building’s changing heat requirements.
This is particularly relevant in a school, where demand can vary considerably according to the time of day, occupancy, hot water requirements and external temperature. Rather than simply operating at high output regardless of demand, the new cascade can bring boilers on and modulate their output as required.
The result is a plant configuration capable of providing the high output needed during periods of peak demand while also operating effectively when the school’s requirements are substantially lower.
Upgrading a legacy heating system with modern boiler technology
Replacing boilers in an established building involves more than selecting the appliances themselves. The condition and characteristics of the existing heating system also need to be considered.
At Boothroyd Primary School, the new Ares Tec cascade has therefore been installed alongside a 600kW barrier plate heat exchanger. This hydraulically separates the new boiler plant from the school’s existing heating circuit, helping to protect the new equipment from contaminants and conditions within the legacy system.
This approach can be particularly valuable when modernising older buildings because it allows new, high-efficiency equipment to be introduced without necessarily requiring the entire heating distribution system to be replaced.
A new Building Management System (BMS) has also been incorporated into the project, providing improved control of the heating installation and enabling the boilers to respond effectively to the demands placed on the system.
Overcoming restricted plant room access
Plant room restrictions are an important but sometimes overlooked part of commercial boiler replacement.
At Boothroyd Primary School, the basement location meant that equipment dimensions and access had to be considered from the outset. The Ares Tec boilers offered the required output and modulation performance in a format that could physically be manoeuvred through the building and into the existing plant room.
The four-appliance arrangement also provides a modular solution rather than relying on a single large heat source. As heating demand changes, individual boilers can be brought into operation as required, enabling the system to make use of the cascade’s broad overall modulation range.
The completed installation will provide both space heating and hot water for the school, while the new appliances are supported by a 10-year warranty, giving the school additional reassurance over the long-term operation of its new heating plant.
A practical approach to commercial heating retrofit
The Boothroyd Primary School project demonstrates how commercial heating upgrades can be approached in older and existing buildings where simply replacing the entire system is neither practical nor necessary.
Careful consideration of modulation, system separation, controls and physical access has allowed the ageing boiler plant to be replaced with a modern 600kW cascade while retaining the wider heating infrastructure.
For schools and other public buildings facing similar challenges, this type of considered retrofit can provide a practical route towards more efficient, controllable and dependable heating without the disruption of a complete system overhaul.
If you need help with a heating system upgrade, please contact us and a member of our team will be happy to offer advice on the best solution.