Encasement helps improve energy efficiency at Doncaster School for the Deaf
Pre-formed pipe boxing from Encasement is helping improve energy efficiency at Doncaster School for the Deaf as part of a major project that has already saved the school around £30,000 in energy costs during the first year.
Working closely with the energy consultants to deliver the scheme and ensure everything was delivered to the site on time, Encasement supplied more than 1,000 metres of Versa pipe boxing, which was used as part of the school’s heating system refurbishment programme.
In addition to contributing to the energy efficiency improvements, Encasement’s pre-formed pipe boxing also made a significant impact on the school’s hygiene and cleanliness, particularly in the long corridors, as the new boxing removes dust traps and provides a durable melamine surface, which is not only robust but also quick & easy to clean.
While the initial outlay for the projects was around £45,000, which was funded by a loan from the Carbon Trust, the school is expecting energy efficiency savings to enable them to recoup this figure in around 18 months on saved energy bills.
The initial thermal profile prepared by the projects energy management consultants showed that there was a significant heat loss through the school’s central heating system and the water temperature dropped by 11°C between the boiler and the building’s most distant radiator. Most of the losses were due to long runs of pipe work between radiators in the building’s long corridors and the 75m2 of open space on two floors, while the lack of localised heating control in different parts of the building caused heat to be wasted by constantly heating areas that were only used occasionally, such as meeting rooms.
By also installing intelligent motorised valve controls on every radiator, linked by Wi-Fi to remote temperature sensors, and improving insulation by lagging all of the pipe work and covering it with Encasement Versa 5 pre-formed plywood pipe boxing, the temperature drop was improved by almost 90% to just 3°C. The Encasement boxing also has the advantage of being able to conceal unattractive lagging and providing an anaesthetic pipe boxing solution.
The project’s energy consultant, Jonathan Froggatt, explained: “Cost and time are key considerations for us and our clients and if we attempted to use site made boxing to conceal the pipework, we know it could add weeks to a project as it takes almost four times as long to fit than Encasement’s pre-made solution.”
He added: “Significant improvements in energy efficiency can be made by improving insulation, but as lagging is not an attractive product, we use Encasement pipe boxing to provide a clean and consistent finish that not only looks good but also add a little extra insulation.”