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Commissioning valves, check valves, ball valves and strainers from Crane Fluid Systems, a brand of Crane Building Services & Utilities, are being installed in the heating and cooling system of a prestigious new school development in Devon.
Designers on the £44 million Bideford College development demanded that the HVAC valves should be lighter in weight and more compact in order to save space and achieve a higher degree of accuracy. They hope to minimise energy usage and reduce CO2 emissions. Crane Fluid Systems is rising to the challenge with value-engineered products designed to maximise energy efficiency.
Devon County Council is showcasing Bideford College as a national benchmark for the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme. It is trying to make the college as close as possible to being carbon neutral by using systems including bio-mass boilers that burn woodchip rather than gas (with gas boilers installed as a backup), solar heating and a rain-water recycling system for use in flushing WCs.
All the systems will be controlled by a sophisticated building management system (BMS) which will monitor temperatures and automatically maintain a comfortable environment for students.
Devon County Council developed the BMS with property consultants, NPS South West. The system specified by NPS is being installed by electrical and mechanical engineers MITIE. The commissioning valves, check valves, ball valves and strainers for the HVAC system have been supplied by Crane Fluid Systems via its distributor in the South West, BSS. Phase 1 is due for completion in July 2010.
Static balancing valves from Crane's Pro-Balance range have been specified at Bideford College to control and measure the flow of water around the heating and cooling systems with an accuracy of +/- 5%. Performing to standards identified by CIBSE and BSRIA, the valves will enable the systems to manage flows at maximum efficiency.
Keith Dixon, senior mechanical engineer with NPS, said: "Commissioning valves from Crane Fluid Systems allow us to accurately regulate and balance flow rates in the system. They help the system to perform consistently to optimise performance and thereby create significant energy savings."
Crane Building Services & Utilities
Crane House
Epsilon Terrace
Ipswich
IP3 9FJ
Tel: 01473 277 300
Email: sshand-brown@crane-ltd.co.uk
Web: www.cranebsu.com
