Oventrop supplies regulating valves used in the heating systems of new retirement village in Birmingham

(28/04/2010)

The New Oscott Retirement Village at Erdington provides 260 one- and two-bedroom apartments surrounding a village centre. This offers health and leisure facilities including a gymnasium, restaurant, craft centre, shops, hair salon, bar and laundrette. There is also an IT suite and a garden with a greenhouse.

All the regulating valves used in the heating systems of the new retirement village in Birmingham are of Oventrop UK supply and were chosen by Regal Building Services, the mechanical services contractors, following their experience with them on past projects.

The ExtraCare Charitable Trust manages the village in partnership with Birmingham City Council, Midland Heart and the Homes and Communities Agency. The apartments are in a half-moon shaped block comprising three floors and covered walkways with resident controlled access. Main contractor for the £37 million complex was GallifordTry, Wolvey, Leicestershire and Contractor Design Ltd developed the system design for Regal.

Five gas fired condensing boilers, housed in a ground floor plant room within the building, serve low surface temperature radiators in the apartments and ceiling units in the common areas. Each apartment has between four or six radiators depending upon size and position. Each lounge radiator is controlled by a roomstat which can switch the apartment heating off/on as required.

Oventrop double regulating and differential pressure valves are used throughout the building to control system balance. Each apartment is fitted with an Oventrop Aquastrom T Plus multifunction domestic hot water secondary circulation regulating valve on the DHW return leg. As well as thermostatically controlling temperature and flow in the system. The valve is factory preset and simplifying the commissioning stage, this valve provides significant energy savings by eliminates cold deadlegs and the risk of Legionnella bacteria growth.

A spokesman for Regal Building Services said that it is always difficult to balance the DHW in buildings like this and Oventrop’s Aquastrom greatly simplifies the task. “I like Oventrop valves, particularly this one” he commented.

Related categories:  Hot water generation and supply   Residential applications   Valves