Now an integrated DACHS mini‐CHP system and four Potterton Eurocondense Plus 160 boilers have taken the place of the seven existing gas‐fired boilers and two gas‐fired water heaters at the Town Hall. The original boilers, installed in mid‐eighties, were obsolete and spares were not readily available. The boilers were also prone to faults, breakdown and high maintenance repair costs.  

The four new Potterton Commercial condensing boilers were set up in a linear line formation on the original boilers’ concrete plinth base and the packaged, ready‐to‐install DACHS mini‐CHP was installed alongside. Generating electricity as well as heat, the DACHS mini‐CHP unit, which is manufactured by Baxi group company SenerTec GmBH in Germany, is a far more energy efficient way to provide both heating and power for the Town Hall and has led to less reliance on centralised power generation.

The DACHS unit also operates as the lead boiler for both heating and hot water. It produces 12.5kW thermal output and 5.5kW of electricity which is used for the site’s electricity requirements.

The low NOx Eurocondense Plus 160 boilers, which incorporate a modulating pre‐mix burner, offer a full load efficiency of 86 per cent gross and a part load efficiency of 96 per cent gross. The new boilers are set‐up in series with the four units together giving a maximum output of 612kW. Each is sequence controlled for even running periods.