Case studies: Queens College Taunton

Queen's College needed to reduce its heating costs, in the light of repeated increases in gas prices sustained, despite shopping around for the best available contract price at each annual contract renewal. Estates Manager Tim Starling explains, "Energy cost increases forced us to seek ways in which we could achieve significant physical reductions in consumption without adversely affecting working conditions for both pupils and staff and ensuring continual hot water provision."

Queen's College took up Total Energy Controls' offer of a free diagnostic survey of it's various heating systems followed by a detailed report recommending the installation of TEC Energy Management Controls. Compatible with boilers fired by natural gas, LPG or oil the TEC Controls could be tailored to monitor and manage the College's heating requirements intelligently, without disruption to or replacement of the existing boilers or pipework.

The school accepted the recommendations and a range of TEC boiler management controls were installed to manage the various central heating systems.

"The savings achieved were really impressive, with no detriment to the internal working conditions across the site" commented Tim. "Following a thorough comparative analysis of gas consumption over a sustained period, taking into account weather fluctuations, we achieved a saving in heating gas consumption of 22%." Based on the schools current gas price this equates to a real-time saving of over £18,000 per annum. Furthermore, the TEC systems installed paid for themselves in less than 18 months following installation. Tim concluded, "We are naturally delighted with Total Energy Controls Systems and what they are saving us in gas consumption. We recommend that other schools take up their offer of a free survey and report. Their proposals are supported by a money back guarantee, so there is nothing to lose and a whole lot to gain."