Walter Preston Court
The Project was fully managed by Redbridge & Sons Property services as the principal contractor. The project was delivered on time and within budget.
Walter Preston Court is one of the Council’s many sheltered housing schemes, comprising 34 one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments over two floors, run by Stroud District Council. With an aging heating system (approximately 35 years old), the objective was to improve the energy performance and condition of the heating and hot water services by fully upgrading the building’s mechanical plant and electrical infrastructure. This upgrade included the installation of new boilers and associated equipment, building management controls, and nine Grundfos circulation pumps, Magna 3 and Magna 3D types, both single and twin head versions.
Figure-1, Schedule of Circulation Pumps
| Qty | Heads | Operation |
| 3 | Twinset | Variable temperature pumps |
| 1 | Single | HWS to the secondary |
| 2 | Twinset | Primary domestic hot water pumps feeding hot water to heat exchangers |
| 1 | Twinset | Primary heating pump feeding a buffer tank |
| 2 | Single | Shunt pumps feeding each boiler |
Given the sensitivity of the project, particularly the requirement to maintain heating and hot water services for its duration, temporary plant provided alternative means of heating and hot water. This setup ensured these services were maintained with minimal downtime over the 8-week completion period, 2-weeks shorter than the client allowed. A seamless switchover to the new system upon project completion was facilitated with new gate valves installed, providing ease of access and uninterrupted service for future pump replacements and maintenance, and especially the wet side of the system for showering and bathing.
With the plantroom located within the heart of the building adjacent to communal corridors and areas for dining and relaxing, working within a building that’s heavily occupied 24/7 required considered health and safety planning and liaison. Preconstruction proved a critical phase to minimise potential disruption and ensured that all technical and logistical aspects were addressed before the actual installation began.
Restart Phase
This phase emphasised a thorough risk assessment and the development of detailed method statements, ensuring a smooth and efficient transition from the old heating system to the new one, with a primary focus on resident wellbeing and minimising disruptions, deliveries, and traffic movements. The initial step involved a comprehensive risk assessment to identify potential hazards and challenges. Key focus areas included:
- Resident wellbeing – Identifying risks such as noise, dust, and temporary loss of heating and hot water. Measures were planned to ensure residents’ comfort and safety throughout the project
- Service disruption – Assessing the risk of downtime in heating and hot water services and developing strategies to mitigate this, such as using temporary plant equipment
- Traffic and delivery management – Evaluating the impact of traffic and deliveries on residents and the local area. We implemented van sharing to minimise traffic movements and organised just in time deliveries coordinated to each phase of the project.
We subsequently prepared detailed method statements, outlining step-by-step procedures for each aspect of the installations. Key elements included:
- Scope of work – Description of tasks, including removal of the old heating system, installation of new boilers and circulation pumps, and upgrading the electrical infrastructure
- Safety procedures – Safety protocols to protect residents and workers, including the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), safe handling of materials, emergency preparedness and separating work areas from public areas while maintaining safe access in and out of the building from reviewing fire and evacuation management plans.
- Minimising disruption – Instructions for scheduling work to minimise noise and other disruptions, and being proactive in our communication where noisy works and some disruptions were unavoidable
- Traffic management – Procedures for managing traffic and deliveries, including scheduling deliveries outside peak hours
- Site waste management – A site waste management plan guided arrangements for waste reduction, and diversion from land fill
Stakeholder Communication
Effective communication with all stakeholders was crucial. We held regular meetings with local staff to discuss progress and critical phases of the work. We informed residents on project progress via noticeboards and letter drops placed under their front doors.
Procurement and Logistics
Effective communication with all stakeholders was crucial. We held regular meetings with local staff to discuss progress and critical phases of the work. We informed residents on project progress via noticeboards and letter drops placed under their front doors.
Installation Phase
We led and delivered the project via our own professionally qualified mechanical engineers and electrician, with subcontracted support for flue installations and to install the new building management system.
The process began by safely decommissioning the old heating system and installing a temporary plant to maintain heating and hot water services with minimal disruption to residents. The new energy-efficient boilers, Grundfos circulation pumps, and advanced building management controls were then installed, complete with minor builders works to make good followed by passive fire protection to seal service penetrations where required.
Comprehensive testing and commissioning ensured that all components functioned correctly, and the system was balanced for optimal performance and resident comfort. A seamless switchover from the temporary plant to the new heating system was achieved with seamlessly without downtime, facilitated by the installation of new gate valves. Throughout the process, residents were kept informed, and their feedback was collected to ensure satisfaction. The final handover included training and instruction how to operate the new system.
