Gaia System Heats New
State-Of-The-Art School Building
S
pecialist contractor, Kershaw
Mechanical Services Limited, has
installed Gaia’s wet underfloor
heating system as part of its £1.9m
mechanical & electrical (M&E) package
at the new Further Education building for
West Suffolk College.
Located on the college’s campus in Bury
St Edmunds, the new FE building is
the main focus of all FE provision and
provides improved study facilities as
well as student support and recreational
opportunities.
With a focus on energy efficiency,
the building’s M&E works included a
natural ventilation system, a biomass
boiler, domestic services, heating,
air conditioning and full building
management system.
Gaia’s underfloor heating system was
installed throughout the ground floor
of the new building which consists of
a social seating area, shop and drop-in
computer station.
The system was chosen partly for its
energy efficiency, but also for the fact
that it offered the most effective heating
solution for the space, says [John
Pritchard, Project Manager]:
“Underfloor heating is ideal for use
in large open plan areas as the heat is
distributed evenly throughout the area,”
S/HE said. “The Gaia system is wellproven and reliable and the technical
assistance offered by Gaia helped
ensure a trouble-free installation“. John
Pritchard, Project Manager.
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Gaia wet underfloor heating system
utilises water at low temperatures. The
water is circulated through a series of
continuous pipe loops laid within a
screed or between timber joists beneath
the floor surface. The pipe loops for each
room (or zone) all run from and back to
the system manifold.
The nature in which heat is radiated
across the whole floor surface makes
underfloor heating a highly cost efficient
and comfortable alternative to traditional
radiant heating methods.
For further information on Gaia Climate
Solutions, please call 0845 434 9488 or
visit www.gaia.co.uk.