Project Details

Axis installs new District Heat Network (DHN) systems and new Heat Interface Units (HIUs) at three blocks of flats for our client Brentwood Borough Council.

Axis have been working with Brentwood Borough Council since 2019 and have supported Brentwood’s Community in various events.

The boiler installation works started at the beginning of December 2021 (at St George’s Court) and aims to finish entirely by January 2023. The value of this 13-month project is £3m (St Georges Court- £1.3m, Victoria Court and Oldfields- £1.7m).

The properties are St Georges Court in Highwood Close and Victoria Court and Oldfields on Victoria Road. We created a District Heat Network (DHN) for Victoria Court and Oldfields and a Communal Heating System at St Georges Court.

Individually, Victoria Court comprises 27 one-bedroom flats; St George’s Court comprises 25 one-bedroom flats and 25 bedsits; and Oldfield’s comprises 19 flats. And all were fully occupied during the works. The tenure is a mix of leasehold and tenancy.

Care of our Residents

All three properties house vulnerable residents (a mix of Sheltered and General Needs accommodation). We took care to prioritise their needs during the works.

For example:

• We installed new LST (Low Surface Temperature) radiators which minimise the risk of burns.
• At St George’s Court we installed a cooker with the help of City Plumbing Fund.
• When necessary, if residents had to vacate their flats during the works, we arranged Respite Rooms and a TV lounge.
• A temporary central boiler house ensured that residents were never without hot water.
• At all times we worked very closely with the residents explaining the process and progress of the works, delivering regular newsletter updates, and hosting very well-attended coffee mornings as well as a very popular fish and chip supper at St George’s Court.

“Having dinner with the tenants made them become more confident and comfortable with the works that will be carried out” – Axis Contracts Manager Michael Martino

As a result of our works, residents can now control their heating and hot water separately and independently – before our works, their heating system was centralised and they were wasting heat (the heating had to stay on all the time to heat the water).

HIUs and TRVs give residents more control over their heating and hot water providing a more convenient and economical service with less waste. Installing HIUs (as opposed to heat pumps) minimised disruption for residents and meant they would be familiar with the technology to heat their homes and water.

All the new Worcester Bosch boilers in the plant room are hydrogen ready. These work as efficiently as gas boilers but use hydrogen instead of natural gas reducing carbon emissions improving environmental sustainability.

Victoria Court and Oldfields are located next to each other, so we were able to supply both buildings on the same network.

Axis installed a QR code onto each boiler at the Brentwood properties. Residents are then able to scan the QR code on their phones or tablets, a simple informative video will then come up showing them how best to use their boiler, contact numbers they may require, any errors that may occur and how to resolve.

Find more of our housing projects, here.