Major Gilmorehill heating project underway
Published: 9 October 2014
The University has awarded the multi-million pound contract for the replacement of the existing steam heating system for the Gilmorehill Campus. Work is getting underway.
The University has awarded the multi-million pound contract for the replacement of the existing steam heating system for the Gilmorehill Campus. The current system is beyond its scheduled lifespan and is increasingly in need of maintenance and repair.
The replacement will be a state-of-the-science Combined Heat and Power (CHP) system which meets many critical environmental/sustainable standards.
Crown House Technology 
(CHt) will officially start work this week and will establish their site headquarters and compound which will be located on part of the Boyd Orr Car Park.
Robert Kilpatrick, Assistant Director (Estates Operations) for the University, said: "This is a very exciting and challenging infrastructure project which will connect more than 30 of our larger, existing buildings through a heating network linked to a new energy centre which will be created within our current main steam boiler house.
"In addition to this, the works will include the replacement of our life-expired underground high voltage cabling networks on both the south and north sides of University Avenue."
Largest
The project has been set a duration of 63 weeks which means an anticipated completion date around Christmas 2015. This is the largest infrastructure project ever undertaken by the University and it includes some capacity in the future to extend into the Western Infirmary site to provide heating for any new buildings in the Campus Vision programme.
On completion the new district heating system will provide significant energy savings and carbon savings in excess of 2000 TCO₂ which will help meet the University's 20% carbon reduction target.
Estates and Buildings say inevitably such a far-reaching project will result in some disruption whilst excavations take place to lay the new pipelines and cabling in the ground. This will be managed as carefully as possible to minimize disruption on campus. The project team will work closely with Central Services - particularly Traffic and Security, SEPS, CVSO, Communications Office and other key services - to ensure that works are progressed in a coordinated way that will allow business-as-usual for University staff and students.
Safety
Robert Kilpatrick said: "In addition to this, we must ensure that we maintain a safe campus environment for staff, students and visitors and therefore delivery of the project will be have a focus on achieving high levels of Health and Safety best practice.
"Such a project provides a unique a learning, teaching and research opportunity for current and future students and Estates and Buildings will be working closely with academic colleagues to ensure that these opportunities are realized."
There’ll be regular updates on the MyGlasgow Staff and Student portals and in Campus eNews as the project progresses.
First published: 9 October 2014
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