The stunning Abbot Court and Greenbank House apartment complex has been developed by Cosgrave Developments on the former Dun Laoghaire Golf Course and it makes the most of the benefits of district heating.
In addition to the low running costs and compressed plant size offered by this system, a custom-made smartphone app allows the end user to see their apartment’s energy consumption as it happens, giving them a new insight into how they are consuming energy and how simple adjustments can help them save money.
The complex consists of 226 apartments off 16 stair cores, all over a basement car park. The building is serviced for heating, hot water and cold water from a centralised district heating system. M&P Mechanical installed two 450kW, fully modulating condensing boilers to manage the peak system loads. Flow and return temperatures are selected and monitored to ensure the system maintains full condensing mode to maximise boiler efficiency at all times.
The energy efficiency is enhanced by the inclusion of a number of renewable elements, including three 5.5kW (electrical), 14.5kW (thermal Combined Heating & Power Units (CHP) and one 3,000L buffer vessel. During lower heating load periods, the heat from the CHP is utilised to reduce running costs. This effective and efficient control allows the system to modulate its heating input from 940kW to 14.5kW, giving the system the ability to vary the gas consumption from 100% to just 1.5%.
The CHP units also meet the electrical supply requirements for the landlord services and central plantroom, making this almost self-sustaining.
Once a highly efficient central plant system was set out, M&P Mechanical turned its attention to the apartments and how end users would interface with the system. On-demand hot water generation is available in the apartments, removing cylinders and the standing losses from stored hot water. As hot water is readily available, this removes the end user’s need to set time clocks.
The inclusion of return limiters on the heating pipework enhances the use of heat within each apartment, ensuring the end user is not wastefully circulating heated water and incurring unwanted costs.
SYSTEM DESIGN
Heat recovery ventilation systems are used to support the high air tightness of the building. Positive charged air supplies to spaces with external wall is promoted to reduce cold air leakages in to spaces, which can generate drafts and extra heating costs.
The entire system was designed to comply with current building regulations to meet energy efficiency requirements.
Anthony O’Conaill, Senior Operations Manager at M&P Mechanical, conculded, “This was our first district heating system with Cosgrave Developments so we are delighted at how well the project went. We were able to install a highly efficient system without reducing the level of control or effective access to hot water by end users.”
PROJECT DETAILS
Client: Cosgrave Developments
Mechanical Consultant: McElligott Consulting Engineers
Mechanical Contractor: M&P Mechanical
Plumbing & Heating Supplier: Hevac, Tubeco, Polytherm and Origen
Sanitary Ware Supplier: Tubs & Tiles
CHP Units: Glenergy
For more information on the mechanical contractor, M&P Mechanical, telephone (NI/RoI) 00353 (0)42 937 9090, e-mail info@mandpmechanical.ie or visit www.mandpmechanical.ie
CLICK HERE to read more about the project.
