We understand the unique demands faced by stadium managers, who must ensure their venue’s HVAC systems can cope with the demands of thousands of spectators at the same time as playing staff and catering teams. We provide energy efficient solutions to ensure clients improve existing systems or invest in sustainable long term installations to meet their goals.
How we work
Operating since 1982, the Lord Combustion Services team draw upon extensive experience of providing heating and hot water solutions for a range of business premises and sites, including sports stadiums.
From an initial review of client requirements and any existing installation, Lord provide options to meet the property needs.
These can include opportunities to “zone” areas of the site, managing energy usage according to building occupation and need.
We can also provide comprehensive designs which include the latest energy efficient systems, along with accompanying timelines and projected savings.
Major projects
One of the leading venues in international cricket, Edgbaston Stadium in Birmingham, has an efficient and more effective hot water system designed and installed by the team at Lord Combustion Services.
The renowned Test venue and the home of Warwickshire County Cricket Club since 1885, turned to its commercial heating and hot water partner when it needed to introduce a new water system for all areas of the stadium’s £32 million South Stand, including the player changing rooms to the kitchens and corporate hospitality rooms.
Edgbaston’s aim is to become the “greenest cricket club and venue in the UK” so Lord were given a brief to ensure that the hot water system met modern standards for efficiency and reduced the use of fossil fuels.
From an initial review of their requirements and the existing installation, Lord provided a comprehensive design which could meet the demands of full capacity Test matches, with accompanying hot water demands for large crowds of spectators over five-day matches, as well as the catering, hospitality and playing staff.
The club management wanted to see a hot water system with improved energy efficiency and reliability, as well as a year-round capacity to cope with requirements for catered events.
Lord identified that an increased hot water recovery rate through use of rapid recovery equipment was needed, along with variable speed pumps to give more control, reducing energy consumption, plus increased insulation.
Lord set about replacing gas fired hot water heaters with more modern and efficient hot water generators to reduce fossil fuel usage. Lord halved the number of gas fired appliances in the plant room, backed with a system design which allowed for energy efficiency strategies to be implemented. Read more here.
Client verdict
Craig Flindall, Chief Operating Officer at Edgbaston, said: “The hot water project was important to Edgbaston because the old system did not provide the output and efficiency we needed to cater for usage throughout the year, peaking on sell-out match days.
“Knowing Lord through our longstanding partnership, we were pleased to find that since the new system has been installed, we are now able to provide hot water more effectively and efficiently, helping with our sustainability drive as well as providing the high-quality match day experience which spectators expect at Edgbaston.
“Working with Lord, we received a high-quality service through the process and an outcome which benefits staff and visitors alike. We were pleased with the way they prepared the initial assessment and proposal through to the completion of the project.
“The quality of the work provides us with a modern system which achieves our objectives. We would recommend Lord Combustion Services for their standards of service and delivery.”
Project features
- A hot water system with improved energy efficiency and reliability, complete with buffer storage to accommodate peak hot water demand.
- Year-round capacity to cope with requirements for catered events, corporate box visits, dinners and Christmas events.
- An increased hot water recovery rate through use of rapid recovery equipment.
- Variable speed pumps to give more control, reducing wasted usage, along with increased insulation.
Other successes
At a local premier league football stadium, four atmospheric gas fired boilers were replaced with a bank of five new condensing fully modulating boilers.
The boilers were installed on freestanding frames with new pipework and a bespoke designed and installed flue installation: Read more.
The installation provided improved reliability and efficiency as the new boilers modulated and operated in a cascade arrangement to match the demand of the stadium.
