Hockerill College has replaced gas-fired heating systems with a combination of biomass and air source heat pump (ASHP) technologies. The work, supported by a £555k grant through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS) and project-managed by ReEnergise, included a new district heating system for student accommodation and the Science Building, and ASHPs for a separate music building.
The project is expected to save approximately 84 tonnes of CO₂e per year and approximately £11,000 annually in energy costs.
Prior to this project, Hockerill College relied on gas for all its heating and hot water. The college partnered with ReEnergise to transition to low-carbon heating systems and reduce long-term energy costs.
The college site posed several logistical challenges. For example, the need to minimise visual impact due to its location in the Bishop’s Stortford conservation area, and tight site conditions for construction. The project team also needed to avoid any disruption to heating supply during term time and maintain clear communication with the college throughout.
The original system had been scoped to be a Ground Source Heat Pump (GSHP) system, but during the outline design stage it was determined that the resulting changes required to the internal distribution system would exceed the anticipated grant budget. It was therefore agreed with the college to opt for a biomass system. The biomass installation was built below ground to minimise impact on local views.
The Music Building, also in scope for the project, was better served by opting for a separate stand-alone ASHP system due to its distance from the biomass energy centre.
Energy efficiency improvements included new VSD pumps, and a water treatment system to mitigate hard water issues.