Ark Academy has largest Andrews’ solar thermal hot-water installation
Hot water for the new Ark Academy in Wembley is provided by two solar-thermal systems and five direct-fired storage water heaters from Andrews Water Heaters in what is the largest area of the company’s glazed flat-plate collectors in a single project. The new school buildings provide education for children aged from three to 18. Planning requirements required a percentage of renewable energy to reduce the school’s carbon footprint.
The two separate SOLARflo systems have a total of 150 m2 of collectors installed in two areas. 100 m2 serves the classroom buildings on the flat roof of the primary school. A further 50 m2 is installed on the pitched room of the separate sports building.
There are two MAXXflo water heaters in a ground-floor plantroom to serve classrooms, laboratories, kitchen food-tech room, toilet areas and tea points. In the sports building are three MAXXflo water heaters in a fist-floor plantroom and serving showers and toilet areas.
Water is preheated by the solar collectors, and the heat is transferred to an unvented cylinder which supplies the MAXXflo water heaters to reduce the consumption of natural gas.
The SOLARflo package includes solar controls, pump station, expansion vessels, first fill of heat-transfer fluid and collector-mounting accessories.
The collectors and stainless-steel unvented cylinders come with a 10-year guarantee.
Andrews can supply a complete package of matched equipment to simplify procurement.
