During early 2024 four rural leisure centres, operated by Parkwood Leisure and managed by Everyone Active, were granted Salix funding under the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme utilising the Fusion 21 Decarbonisation Framework. These works included the replacement of existing natural gas boilers with a combination of air source heat pumps and photovoltaic panels. The four leisure centres, Moulton, Daventry, Brackley and Towcester also all required upgrades to their heating systems including new air handling unit coils and radiators.
Working closely with Ridge & Partners in Birmingham Strebel assisted with this and provided technical support up to detailed Stage 4 design, each time selecting a combination of S-ASX-VP100 and VP60 air source heat pumps, TS thermal stores and, where appropriate, a selection of S-LC-I large volume hot water calorifiers. The S-ASX-VP units were selected by Ridge based on their outstanding SCOP as well as high output, especially at low ambient air temperatures and high water flow temperatures. These units benefit from EVI (Evaporative Vapour Injection) technology which enhances an already impressive performance. Having an existing listing on the national ENA electricity network connection database was also a significant assistance during the approval process.
From our initial contact, throughout the design stage, install and commissioning we have been impressed with Strebel’s system engineering knowledge. Their ASHP units have excellent performance and this is well supported by their technical teams both on site and in their office.
– Alexander Hall, Ridge and Partners LLP
Location: Brackley
4 x S-ASX-VP100 & 2 x VP70 (540kW output power) feeding
2 x TS3000 and 1 x TS2000 Thermal Stores (8,000 litres) as well as 2 x S-LC-I-2000 and 1 x 1500 DHW Calorifiers (5,500 litres)
Location: Daventry
13 x S-ASX-VP100 (1.3MW output power) feeding 4 x TS6000 Thermal Stores (24,000 litres) as well as 2 x S-LC-I1000 DHW Calorifiers (2,000 litres)
Location: Moulton
12 x S-ASX-VP100 ASHP (1.2MW output power) feeding
4 x TS6000 Thermal Stores (24,000 litres) as well as
3 x S-LC-I800 DHW Calorifiers (2,400 litres)
Location: Towcester
14 x S-ASX-VP100 (1.4MW output power) feeding
4 x TS6000 Thermal Stores (24,000 litres) as well as
2 x S-LC-I1000 DHW Calorifiers (2,000 litres)
Briggs and Forrester (Special Projects) Ltd were awarded the installation programme and after verifying the Stage 4 designs confirmed orders for supply of the designed equipment for each site.
Each site provided a different challenge for the installation and commissioning teams with Daventry specifically requiring flat roof space to be modified and utilised to site 13 of the S-ASX-VP100 units. Towcester also required the installation of a large siting slab for 16 of these units alongside 4 thermal stores each with a 6000 litre capacity.
Delivery of the Air Source Heat Pumps, and associated equipment, took place over a period of 6 months and required close co-ordination between Strebel’s project management team and Brigg and Forrester’s site teams.
Upon commissioning our site technical specialists provided handover training and product familiarisation at each location. Additionally, as part of the standard
S-ASX-VP unit supply scope each ASHP cascade was installed with a remote webserver and a 4G connection for the duration of the two year warranty period.
These projects were challenging in all respects. Time scales were tight and the engineering was complex and varied. At all times we found Strebel to have a flexible, pragmatic and common sense approach – managing issues as and when they arose seamlessly with our own site teams.
– Joel Copus, Briggs & Forrester (Special Projects) Ltd
