DISTRICT & COMMUNAL HEATING OPTIONS APPRAISALS

GENTOO GROUP LTD

BACKGROUND

Gentoo is a housing association that owns and manages more than 29,000 homes in Sunderland. They appointed d3associates to report on the condition of their communal and district heat networks, prepare options appraisals and to identify a uniform metering and billing solution that offers value for money to end users across all district heating sites.

The project was divided into three phases; the first to investigate the condition of the 40 year old boiler houses and pipework that form the district heat networks in Washington and prepare a fully costed options appraisal, reporting on alternative solutions for heat provision.

The second phase was an options appraisal for seven tower blocks in the Northside area of Sunderland where the flats are currently heated by individual combi-boilers. In addition, condition reports and options appraisals on the communal heating systems that serve the seven tower blocks that comprise Lakeside Towers.

The final phase was to report on ten other Gentoo properties, a mix of terraced housing, supported living care facilities and sheltered housing. For all the Gentoo properties on communal or district heat networks, options for a uniform metering and billing solution were identified to replace current installations, a financial assessment of the networks carried out and comments made on the end user heat charges.

OUTCOME

For Phase 1, d3associates prepared a comprehensive report, detailing the current condition of the boiler houses and district heat networks, externally and internally to the properties, and assessed the costs of operating the systems against the income received through heat metering. In addition, d3associates produced a fully costed options appraisal on alternative solutions for the heat provision in Washington. All of which allowed Gentoo to determine their preferred option which provides best value to the housing association and residents.

The reports for Northside Towers considered fossil fuel and renewable energy options for replacing the existing gas combi boilers. Capital and operating and maintenance costs were provided along with the income available from Government incentive schemes. Gentoo are now progressing with their preferred option; a water source heat pump. Gentoo currently have several methods for metering and billing which were assessed and options put forward for a new system which meets all their requirements, to be used on all their properties on communal or district heat networks.