Imperial War Museum
Ground source heating project
Background
South Staffordshire Plc is working with IWM Estates to deliver an innovative solution using heat from an existing borehole to deliver a low carbon heating solution to the main buildings and hangars across the historic core of IWM Duxford.
Live updates
February 2024
Connection to the borehole is complete
OnSite has completed the connection works between the borehole and heat exchanger while meeting the required clean water standards.
November 2023
South Staffordshire Plc businesses win 2023 Utility Week Award
Cambridge Water, together with South Staffordshire Plc’s engineering businesses and Imperial War Museum, have been awarded the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Initiative of the Year Award. To learn more, click here.
September 2023
Build-up of various plant rooms has begun
IWS M&E has started the plant room installations for hangars 2, 3, 5 and building 200. This involves building up the room with various pipework, pumps, thermal stores and electrical equipment.
August 2023
Distribution pipework in hangar 2 started
Directional drilling work commenced in hangar 2, providing a tunnel for the connecting pipework between the air handling unit and the plant room. Using noise and dust suppression tents, OnSite were able to conduct the work without disruption to the museum and its visitors.
June 2023
Timelapse cameras installed
Capturing the installation inside hangars 2 and 5, timelapse cameras were installed.
May 2023
Heat exchangers complete and ready for final connections
Building 68 was completed and ready for its connection to the borehole and ambient loop.
May 2023
Old air handling units were removed
Existing oil-fired air handling units were removed from hangars 3 and 5, making way for the new units. The existing ducting would be used alongside the new units to avoid wastage and impact to visitors.
April 2023
Work begins in building 200
Providing heat to various offices and smaller buildings, refurbishment and enabling work starts in building 200 ready for the plant room installation.
April 2023
It’s official!
In view of the public, signs were placed around the site announcing the project and the benefits it will provide.
March 2023
Installation of the heat exchangers starts in building 68
Following the production of a 3D computer aided design model, installation started on the pipework and pumps for the heat exchangers in the old salt store.
February 2023
Work paused for filming at IWM
Accommodating filming on location at the IWM, work was paused for three weeks
December 2022
Ambient loop completed
Trenches were backfilled and made good and the roads reopened ready for connection to plant rooms in the relevant hangars and buildings. The pipework was capped at either end of the ambient loop to allow for further expansion of the network in the future.
November 2022
Ambient loop pipework installed
Providing a link between the heat exchangers and plant rooms, the ambient loop pipework was installed.
October 2022
First hole in the ground
The first hole was dug in preparation for the ambient loop pipework to be laid. The opportunity was taken to lay electrical cables around existing network pipes to reduce impact, time and waste.
September 2022
Enabling works started, including the refurbishment of an old salt store
The existing building (no.68) was stripped back, structurally enhanced and redecorated ready for the installation of the heat exchangers.
June 2022
Agreement in place
Work agreed between IWM and SS Plc, programmed to cause minimal disruption to the museum and its visitors.
February 2022
Conceptual design started
Following the feasibility study, IWM engaged with SS Plc to undertake a full conceptual design.
September 2021
SS Plc conducted a feasibility study
A feasibility study was undertaken to assess the potential of a low carbon ground source heating solution, looking at potential cost savings and carbon reduction for IWM.
March 2021
Conversations started with the Imperial War Museum (IWM)
Discussions began on a low carbon solution of heating buildings across IWM’s site using an existing borehole.
Summer 2020
South Staffordshire Plc (SS Plc) began looking into alternative low carbon solutions
To fulfil our own carbon reduction commitments and those of our customers and the communities in which we operate, the group began looking into new and innovative solutions. One of these included the use of existing assets, such as boreholes, in conjunction with ground source heat pumps.
Page last updated on 26.02.2024