BLENCATHRA FIELD STUDY CENTRERAUTHERMEX pre-insulated pipe

Annual carbon

savings for the

centre of around

200 tonnes

BLENCATHRA FIELD STUDY CENTRE, KESWICKNew heating and how water scheme installed with REHAU

More than 200m of REHAU’s RAUTHERMEX pre-insulated district heating pipe is at the heart of a new heating and hot water scheme at the Blencathra Field Study Centre near Keswick.

The pipework was specified and installed by renewable energy specialists Barden Energy, who were commissioned by the Field Studies Council which owns the site, to install a sustainable hea-ting system which would deliver major cost e�ciencies.

Barden Energy designed and built a discreet boiler house and fuel store and installed a 300kW Hertz Firematic biomass boiler which could meet all of the heating and hot water requirements of the 18,000 visitors who stay overnight at the centre every year. By siting the boiler house at the edge of the Blencathra estate, nearly 80m from the study centre, they were able to minimise disruption during construction and during future fuel deliveries.

For Barden, REHAU’s RAUTHERMEX pipework was the obvious choice to transport the hot water from this boiler house to the centre because its high levels of insulation meant that any heat losses would be minimised.

RAUTHERMEX comprises a PE-Xa carrier pipe surrounded by closed cell polyurethane foam which has a lambda value of just 0.0216W/mK. A robust, corrugated LDPE outer jacket means it also o�ers excellent onsite durability.

Jonathan Tebb, Project Manager at Barden Energy commented: “From a project manager’s view, working with REHAU’s excellent RAUTHERMEX and in particular with Karl Price, this has enabled us to deliver this district heat install on budget and well within the projected install schedule.

“The pipework and fittings are excellent quality and the installation method is fast and e�cient, meaning we could backfill the trenches ahead of schedule, giving the client their car parks back and limiting the distruption.”

The installation is expected to deliver annual carbon savings for the centre of around 200 tonnes and an annual fuel saving over the previous oil, electric and LPG system of around £18,000. Coupled with payments from the RHI scheme, the Blencathra centre estimates that it will save a total of £58,000 and achieve payback in five years.

Tim Foster, Head of the Field Studies Council said: “The Renewable Energy Project has created an opportunity for us to lead the way in multiple renewable technologies, reducing the carbon footprint of the Centre and to become a low carbon exemplar within the Lake District National Park. A key part of this is our excellent biomass boiler and district heating system.”

Working with

REHAU‘s

RAUTHERMEX

enabled us to install

on budget and

schedule.

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