Colindale Gardens is a mixed-use development under construction by Redrow Homes Limited in the London Borough of Barnet. The development is located on the site of the former Metropolitan Police training facility (Peel Centre).
When completed, the estate will comprise approximately 3900 homes across 24 residential blocks, 11,700 m 2 of commercial space, a resident’s gym, a primary school and more than 9 acres of landscaped gardens. A number of off-site heat network connections have also been approved including a nearby proposed student accommodation complex and the remaining Metropolitan Police training centre and driving school.
The heat network comprises an energy centre, approximately 2km of underground heat distribution pipework and heat interface equipment within each building and individual dwelling. The energy centre houses heat generation plant of 17MW capacity including a CHP, natural gas boilers and 100,000 litres of thermal storage. The network is managed and operated by Metropolitan under a 25-year Energy Services Agreement.
Therma Mech were appointed in late 2016 to carry out the installation, testing and commissioning of the secondary LTHW distribution within the first development phase (4 residential blocks). We since have retained responsibility for the secondary LTHW system works in all phases/blocks completed to date and have also undertaken the construction of the main energy centre, extension of the primary (buried) LTHW network (across several phases) and installation of building heat interface plant.
KEY CHALLENGES
The phased nature of the development has necessitated careful staged extension and connection of the heat network. The partially occupied estate was initially served by a temporary energy centre.
Upon completion of the permanent energy centre, the live heat supply was switched with no interruption to service.
