St John's College, Cambridge

We were tasked with finding an alternative way to heat a college’s building that was using gas boilers and 4-pipe FCUs. We collaborated with Savills on the initial design as part of a feasibility study. After considering the options, we selected Mitsubishi Electric R32 VRF and installed 4.5kW ducted fan coils to allow for modular offices to be built within the suites. We also opted for a Swegon thermal wheel type AHU without pre-heat and DX heating or cooling, which was ducted to the return air path on the FCUs above the ceilings as per existing. The emersion tank was left for heating DHW in toilets. The decommissioning process was completed over a 14 week period in phases.

We were successful in finding an efficient alternative to gas boilers and making modifications to the existing system to accommodate future changes. We achieved such an improvement by taking out the gas boilers and chiller systems and installing R32 air conditioning equipment and an AHU. This significant improvement to climate control systems meant we exceeded expectations and achieved an A21 rating for the building’s EPC. This project has given our team valuable insights for another job in Cambridge, where we hope to replace AHUs and eliminate gas boilers. 

This project demonstrates that the knowledge and expertise we gained, can be applied to future initiatives, putting us in an excellent position to improve industry sustainability. To find out how we can help improve your company's green credentials, contact us today!