BGES Group has scooped a coveted Building Controls Industry Association (BCIA) award for a complex BMS retrofit (hotel heat decarbonisation) at The Oxfordshire Golf Hotel and Spa.
BGES won Technical Innovation of the Year for the project, which integrates the controls of three legacy heating and cooling systems and a new closed loop water source heat pump system. As part of a drive to decarbonise hotel energy use, water from the golf course lake is used as the main heat source.
The system was designed and retrofitted by Geyser Thermal Energy, and sees pipework take water from the lake to the heat pump in the main plantroom. The resort’s old oil-fired boilers and chiller have been replaced with a low-energy heat pump system, linked to a 250kW solar array installed onsite.
Smart optimisation
The upgraded BMS, which was designed and installed by BGES Group, provides intelligent monitoring and control of plant. The precise control & visibility provided by the BMS is contributing towards a vast reduction in energy input demand for the club’s heating/cooling and hot water: from 1,410kW to below 100kW.
Prior to the upgrade, there were 3 different independent heating and cooling systems with a non-working BMS. BGES Group upgraded the controls on the existing BMS plant and designed a new panel to control the new heat pumps; tying them in with existing boiler plant to maximise the efficiency of the heat pumps.
The user-friendly front end of the BMS helps resort staff to understand how the system works, and it is crucial to understanding what the loads are in the pool, spa and air conditioning. Monitoring and control is key to the project’s success as it will allow for ongoing tweaking to drive further output and efficiency improvements
Recognition of excellence
The BCIA Awards – held on 9th September 2021 – brought together manufacturers, installers and customers in a celebration of the best projects and technologies in the sector. As well as the Technical Innovation award win, BGES Group made the final shortlist in the Best Service and Maintenance Provider category for their work at Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust. Two BGES Group team members – Paul Brown and Lewis Stevenson – were finalists in the Engineer of the Year and Young Engineer of the Year categories respectively.
Gareth Barber, Managing Director of BGES Group comments: “We are thrilled to have been recognised by such a respected industry body as the BCIA with our award win. This project is a perfect example of the work we are doing to drive energy efficiency and support heat decarbonisation in buildings.
“I’m also very proud that Paul Brown and Lewis Stevenson have been recognised for their individual achievements, as well as the team behind the outstanding work we are doing at Sheffield Children’s.”
“We always strive for excellence and these accolades are testament to the hard work, dedication, and significant talents of our team.”