St Peter’s C of E Primary School

Brief Summary:

CHJ Mechanical Ltd successfully delivered a full heating and hot water system upgrade at St Peter’s C of E Primary School in Shropshire. The £308,000 project introduced a new hybrid heating solution combining air source heat pumps and high-efficiency gas boilers to improve sustainability, efficiency, and comfort across the school. Completed on time and within budget, the works were carefully managed to minimise disruption during term time.

Overview

At CHJ Mechanical Ltd, we were proud to deliver a complete heating and hot water system upgrade for St Peter’s C of E Primary School in Shropshire. The project aimed to improve the school’s energy efficiency, reliability, and comfort levels while reducing its environmental impact and long-term operating costs.

Our scope of work included the design, supply, and installation of a new hybrid heating and domestic hot water system, incorporating modern air source heat pumps, high-efficiency gas boilers, and associated mechanical infrastructure.

The works were carefully planned around the school calendar, with the bulk of disruptive activity completed during the summer holidays to ensure minimal impact on staff and pupils. Remaining non-disruptive works were completed during term time and fully commissioned in time for the heating season at the end of October.

This project showcases our expertise in sustainable mechanical services design and installation within live educational environments, highlighting CHJ Mechanical Ltd’s ability to combine innovation, reliability, and collaborative working practices.

Challenges

Working in a live primary school setting presented a series of logistical and technical challenges that required careful planning and coordination.

1. Limited programme window:
The most disruptive elements of the works—such as major pipework strip-out, and internal heating upgrades—had to be completed within the narrow summer holiday period. This required a tightly controlled schedule to ensure completion before staff and pupils returned. The plant room works, including boiler plant and hot water storage equipment, flues / pumps etc were completed during term time but with additional safety procedures to segregate and protect the staff and pupils.

2. Maintaining safety and functionality during term time:
Portions of the project extended into the early autumn term. To ensure safety and continuity, we phased the works around school operations, coordinating closely with the school’s management team to isolate work areas and avoid disruption to daily teaching.

3. Integrating modern technology into an existing building:
The school’s existing heating system was outdated and inefficient, relying solely on traditional gas-fired boilers. Integrating new air source heat pumps and gas boilers with hybrid control systems into the existing infrastructure required careful design to balance efficiency, space, and noise control.

4. Collaborative coordination with other trades:
As part of a larger building improvement scheme, CHJ Mechanical Ltd worked alongside the electrical and construction teams. Seamless communication and collaboration were vital to maintain programme deadlines and achieve a unified finish.

Our Solution

To meet the school’s needs for energy efficiency, reliability, and sustainability, CHJ Mechanical Ltd delivered a comprehensive turnkey solution covering the full mechanical scope from design to commissioning.

1. Complete system strip-out:
We began by safely decommissioning and removing the existing gas-fired boilers, flues, pipework, valves, heat emitters, and domestic hot and cold water services. This created a clean slate for the new installation and allowed for improved layout efficiency.

2. Installation of a new hybrid heating system:
The new system combined air source heat pumps with high-efficiency gas-fired boilers, linked via a buffer vessel and controlled through a modern building management system (BMS). This hybrid approach allows the system to prioritise renewable energy generation while retaining the reliability and responsiveness of gas backup during peak demand or extreme cold.

3. Sustainable and efficient design:
Air source heat pumps significantly reduce the school’s carbon footprint by utilising ambient air energy, while condensing gas boilers ensure optimal performance at times of higher load. Together, the system delivers substantial energy savings compared to the old plant, with improved control and reduced running costs.

4. Upgraded heating distribution and emitters:
We replaced the entire heating distribution network, installing new fan convectors, LST (low surface temperature) radiators—including fan-assisted models—and conventional radiators throughout the school. Each was selected to provide safe, even, and efficient heat distribution suitable for an educational setting.

5. New domestic hot and cold water services:
New insulated domestic pipework was installed throughout, with hot water fed from upgraded gas-fired hot water generators, storage cylinders, and direct electrical hot water heaters. This provides reliable and efficient hot water provision across all school facilities.

6. Electrical and control system integration:
New electrical power supplies were installed for all mechanical plant, along with new automatic controls to optimise performance. The BMS ensures intelligent operation, sequencing, and monitoring of both the heat pump and boiler plant, maximising efficiency while maintaining comfort.

7. Collaborative and safe delivery:
Throughout the project, we worked closely with the school management team, the main contractor, and other trades to maintain clear communication, ensure safe working practices, and meet all deadlines. Our team’s flexible approach enabled the project to proceed smoothly even when minor on-site challenges arose.

Results

The completed installation has transformed the school’s heating and hot water infrastructure, providing long-term benefits in energy efficiency, reliability, and environmental performance.

• Energy efficiency: The hybrid system achieves significant reductions in gas consumption and carbon emissions, aligning with the school’s sustainability goals and supporting the UK’s wider decarbonisation objectives.
• Improved comfort: Classrooms and communal areas now benefit from faster heat response, more consistent temperatures, and quieter operation.
• Operational reliability: The combination of modern plant, new distribution pipework, and intelligent controls ensures dependable operation throughout the year, with reduced maintenance requirements.
• Future resilience: The system has been designed to allow for future upgrades as renewable technology continues to evolve.
• Successful collaboration: Despite the tight programme and complex integration requirements, all works were completed on schedule, within budget, and to a high standard of quality and safety.

This project is a clear example of how CHJ Mechanical Ltd applies technical expertise, planning, and teamwork to deliver efficient, sustainable, and practical solutions for educational environments.

Client Feedback

 ‘CHJ Mechanical worked efficiently, communicated clearly throughout, and delivered an excellent standard of work. The school now benefits from a much more reliable and energy-efficient system, and we were very impressed with how smoothly the project ran, even during term time.’
Project Manager