Nuneaton College

Scope

Air source heat pump, solar PV, and extensive fabric upgrade package for further education college under PSDS funding

Project Overview

Alternative Heat were engaged to design and deliver extensive building fabric upgrade and decarbonisation works under Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS) Phase 3B funding for NWSLC at their main educational campus in Nuneaton.

The existing site comprised multiple buildings between one and five storeys, of standard construction built between 1960’s to 1980’s, all with poor thermal and energy efficiency performance, and sharing a common centralised fossil fuelled heating system which was deemed to be end-of-life.

Under the conditions of PSDS funding award, the client was required to complete all works before March 2025 and achieve 450 Ton CO₂ annual savings in order to release funding, with any additional project costs to be incurred by NWSLC. Based on this it was imperative that the final solution delivered ultimate certainty on programme duration, budget certainty and carbon reduction to ensure the scheme fully complied with and could be delivered under the PSDS funding constraints.

Final scope of works included:

• Heat pump system comprising 2No. 500 kW ASHP with 4No. 250 kW WWHP to boost flow temps to 70/50 to meet space heating requirements of site.
• 300 kWp Roof mounted Solar PV arrays.
• DNO upgrade works including application and site civils package.
• Site-wide electrical distribution upgrades
• 400 m² High efficiency double glazing
• LED lighting comprising c.2000 new luminaire units, sensor controls and rewiring of radial circuits.
• 2700 m² Pumped cavity Wall insulation.
• 2000 m² Roof Insulation (including re-decking and weatherproofing)
• Full strip out and replacement of existing primary LTHW distribution system
• Structural upgrade works to accommodate Solar PV mounting and window upgrades.
• Site-wide electrical distribution upgrades
• Asbestos removal works.
• BMS system upgrade

Alternative Heat successfully delivered full scope of works with minimal disruption to core college operation, programming and delivering all intrusive fabric upgrade works within academic holiday periods, utilising stringent site management, and installing new LTHW system in parallel to existing fossil fuel system to permit full commissioning and testing prior to switchover.

To ensure full ongoing compliance with PSDS operational reporting, Alternative Heat have integrated a comprehensive remote monitoring package with extensive on-site service generation and distribution metering within the upgraded BMS system. These 360 operational visualisations enable NWSLC to automate required operational reporting to verify carbon savings achievement in line with funding/design parameters. Additionally this system provides full live and historic visibility of all aspects of site heating and electrical performance, allowing NWSLC to review all aspects of site wide performance and identify/implement further cost savings (e.g. optimising on-site utilisation of Solar PV generation to minimise grid import costs), and operational efficiencies (e.g. use of localised thermostatic controls to minimise overheating in buildings and associated additional generation requirement).