Empiric Student Property Plc / Hello Student wanted a more reliable and sustainable option when it came to upgrading its heating and hot water system in its prestigious student accommodation at The Ballet School, Glasgow. Although suitable at the time of installation, the buildings existing gas fired DHW boilers were experiencing a greater frequency of breakdowns, unavailability of parts and had reached the end of their serviceable life.

To provide the building with a reliable system that would help to reduce its carbon footprint, Robert McKendry of ECG Facilities Services reviewed the system and provided a solution using an electric wall hung boiler and fast recovery cylinder combination.

Robert McKendry of ECG Facilities Services commented: “Given the nature of the building and its use, leaving occupants without water for long periods wasn’t a viable option. To overcome this, we needed a system that could be installed with minimum disruption to services”

The chosen system consists of an E-tech 36kW three-phase electric wall-hung boiler which provides the heat to a HR s 800 litre tank-in-tank stainless steel indirect cylinder. The E-Tech W 36 Three Phase Electric boiler is a wall-hung electric sealed system that features a long-life high-grade incoloy 800 stainless steel heating element. It also provides protection from electrical surges due to built-in 3-amp MCB.

Simple and easy to install, all components are integrated into one unit (10 litre expansion tank, pressure gauge, safety valve, low water pressure switch, pump, and automatic air vent), making it a good match for use with external cylinders such as the stainless-steel indirect HR s 800 cylinder.

To undertake the upgrade, ECG Facilities Services also performed a complete change to the building’s DHW system. Adapting from a direct feed system to a primary secondary system, which is beneficial for larger installations with longer pipe runs, less energy is now required to move water through the entire system which provides the building with an effective and efficient solution.

The upgrade means that the building will now benefit from reduced costs and maintenance as the stainless steel tank requires no anode protection. As hot water is now stored at higher temperatures, above 60 degrees, thanks to tank-in-tank technology, scale build-up and the threat of legionella is also considerably reduced.

Eliminating the threat of a dangerous Carbon Monoxide leak, which is a risk in faulty gas boilers and a major consideration for student accommodation, an electric boiler is also less complex with fewer components compared to gas. As a result, the new system reduces the risk of failure, saving valuable time and money when it comes to servicing.

Completed within two weeks from design to limit disruption, students are benefitting from a more reliable and effective heating and hot water system which requires less maintenance and subsequent disruption. Furthermore, the school can now expect to see a reduction in energy costs and environmental impact.

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