Case Record – CHP a forgotten asset: gas saving measures at DYRMS

Details:

Date: Client: Main Contractor:

August 2003 Duke of York Royal Military School Carillion Services

Issue
To determine if the use of an electronic water descaler would significantly reduce scale build up in the school’s heating systems to result in a saving of energy and costs through reduced gas consumption. The Duke of York’s Royal Military School is an MOD subsidized establishment run on an agency basis to MOD and educational guidelines & procedures with an Estates Management Team professionally supported by Carillion Services Ltd. As the MOD school, a co-educational boarding school, is situated within a very hard water area, the reported news item was bought to the attention of the school’s Estates Manager with a view to investigating this further to determine if the school could benefit financially. The overall total cost of the required equipment is estimated at £20k and made this an ‘immediate spend’ impossibility against the strict military budgeting systems in place and unless a determined payback period could be established the equipment needed would not be considered.

Solution

Carillion Services, serving as the Establishment Works Consultant (EWC) at the school, were instructed to investigate the news item further, which also involved trialing the device, and to submit a report with their recommendations. A single electronic unit was obtained on a hire basis with an option to purchase. Calorifier temperatures were monitored over a three-month test period in the boarding house with the worst heat recovery record. The school has nine similar sized boarding houses. The results obtained during the trial period were encouraging to the extent that in the short period of operation, the water temperature monitoring equipment installed during the test period supported by the in-house building management system recorded a significant reduction in the heating make-up period, reducing this by over two hours per firing which subsequently led to a reduction in boiler usage and gas consumption. Given the favourable preliminary results of the short survey, Carillion Services were further instructed to purchase the device used, together with computer compatible recording equipment and undertake a further investigation withncreased parameters to give a more detailed survey and produce a report by December 03. Based on the conclusions submitted, consideration will then be given for a programme of equipment purchase and installation in future financial spends.

Business Benefits:

• Improve customer relations - Carillion Services proactive move on client’s behalf to reduce fuel costs.
• Pollution risk minimized - Overall reduction of CO² into the atmosphere.
• Reduced Costs - Reduction in gas usage and annual maintenance descaling procedures.