The Project:
This project was conceived in March 2021 following an announcement on the Association of University Engineers Network that the Royal Holloway University for a ‘worthwhile cause’ would be making available for re-use 4 boilers providing 2mW of heat output, due to a major redevelopment project at the Campus.
Queen Mary University required to replace similar boilers at the Queens Building, which had reached the end of design life expectancy and attracted a budget of circa £1m to replace.
The university were faced with a requirement to replace the 2mW of boilers to maintain heating provision. Several design options were being considered ranging in value between £300,000 and £500,000 dependent upon final scope.
Utilising the re-purposed boilers which were closely matched to the existing infrastructure arrangements, has brought the project in at a cost to the university of £150,000.
The Donation:
Queen Mary University were pleased to donate to the Royal Holloway University for the boilers.
The donation was presented to the Royal Holloway University ‘Greatest Needs Fund’, which supports a range of student experience activity, including mental health and wellbeing initiatives, employability programmes, as well as access scholarships and bursaries.
Testimonial:
Royal Holloway maintenance team provided the following feedback:
"I just wanted to say how impressed I have been with the overall professionalism of both the preparation details and indeed of the boiler removal works themselves.
Your teams have been courteous, highly skilled and unobtrusive. The RAMS were superb and diligently followed."
Queen Mary University Estates and Facilities team provided the following feedback:
"The University have been reviewing options for the boiler replacement at Queens Building. When we saw the offer on the Engineering network, we despatched BTU our term maintenance provider to see if this was a feasible option and we have been delighted to see the scheme come to fruition. The university now have energy efficient boilers in operation serving the campus which has been delivered in both a cost effective and sustainable manner. With the added benefit of support for the RHU students. A thoroughly good job has been completed by all involved."
BTU Statement:
BTU Installation and Maintenance Limited have completed the liaison between the universities. Visited the RHU, surveyed the boilers, completed the design for the new building and undertook the careful removal and re-installation of the boilers.
“The boilers have been serviced, cleaned and fitted with new pumps, flues and burners. Essentially the boilers are as good new.
We don’t often reuse equipment, however, as soon as these boilers became available, we immediately recognised the opportunity to benefit both RHU and QMUL.
This project is a very good example where a collaborative approach between universities via the engineers’ network can be a real benefit and add value.
Universities can gain several benefits from reducing, reusing, recovering and recycling waste. Recognising that waste activities such as recycling and recovery use energy, the priority should be to reduce waste in the first place, this project demonstrates this in action and is a great example where re-use has benefitted numerous organisations and students at both Universities.
Andrew McCracken
Managing Director
BTU Installation & Maintenance
