Founded in 1932, Pershore High School has served as a community school for over 70 years and during this time has expanded with additions to most departments, most recently with a state-of-the-art science block and 6th form centre.  It now has 1200 pupils and has established a reputation for excellence which it extends beyond the academic side into all aspects including the quality of the school environment and its buildings.

The school has recently upgraded its heating system to meet the ever-growing demand for energy efficient heating and hot water and, at the same time, to replace the three existing boilers which have come to the end of their lives.

After careful assessment of the current heating needs, two new Buderus boilers have now been installed to provide a modern, high efficiency integrated heating and hot water system.

Steve Wedgbury of Consultants Stewart Associates, who worked with Buderus and Solihull based building services contractors SG Maintenance Services Ltd, explains: “We chose the two GE515 Buderus boilers because they provide a very efficient solution for the specific needs of this installation.  Because we were putting the new boilers onto an existing system with high flow and return temperatures and, at the same time, adding to it, we needed boilers with large waterways to accommodate the high water content of the system.  It also had to be able to cope with potential debris which is often present in an older existing system of pipes and radiators.  For these reasons it was not practical to opt for a condensing system but the 86% seasonal efficiency rating for these modern cast iron boilers is impressive.”

The school is expecting a saving in fuel costs of at least 10% compared to the old system because of the high efficiency of the boilers.

The new heating system is in accordance with Worcestershire County Council and Pershore High School’s environmental policies.  The energy efficient operation of the Buderus boilers ensures reduced emissions of carbon and NOx and was an important factor in their specification.  Alongside the boiler replacement the school has also installed solar panels for which an ECA grant was given and a sustainable drainage sub-system as the strong ecological group within the school works towards green flag status.