New Seashell Trust heating scheme benefits from Flexalen pipe technology

CPL Building Services chose Flexenergy's Flexalen pipework to install a new underground district heating system for the Cheshire-based charity, Seashell Trust.

The charity provides a creative and secure environment for children and adults with complex and severe learning disabilities, which include little or no language abilities. It is home to the Royal School Manchester, a non-maintained special school, and the Royal College Manchester, an independent specialist further education college.

Both the school and college are residential and the new heating scheme will initially serve nine houses from an energy centre, but has capacity to supply another phase of houses and other buildings.

The installation was part of an ongoing redevelopment of the site - part of the charity's £20 million Transforming Lives Appeal - and didn't come without its challenges; a high water table meant that the ground was frequently waterlogged making conditions problematic and often impossible for laying new pipework.

"Cost, quality, efficiency and our previous experience of working with Flexalen pipework were all important factors when choosing the best pipework for this project," explains Geoff Ferguson, Senior Project Engineer at CPL. "The Flexalen pre-insulated pipe system installed was the ideal technology for this situation being lightweight and highly flexible making it easier to install, especially in the often atrocious ground conditions we were faced with. The water tight bond between the corrugated outer pipe and the polyolefin insulation offers additional protection against water seeping in, helping to maintain the robust technical qualities of the pipe system."

As a result of this project, the Seashell Trust now benefits from an efficient heating system with low carbon emissions and pipework that is guaranteed for 50 Years.

Geoff added: "We would like to thank Flexenergy for their input into this project including their site visits, selection of materials and throughout the course of the installation. The Flexalen system, with its availability in long lengths of pipework and with a wide selection of fittings has been the ideal choice for this project."