This is what happens when you get a hole in your ground source heat pipes.. Sintec were back onsite this week to grout the pipes into the boreholes this involves pressure testing them first to make sure they'll work when the system is commissioned -good times. They couldn't get pressure in the last pipe which generally means theres a hole in it and they have to pull the 70m pipe out by hand and replace it -bad times

Posted by Lisa Stewart
Saturday, June 14, 2008 at 14:32 GMT

Topics: 'ground source heat'

After 6 weeks the drilling is finally complete and the rig is taken off site..phew

Posted by Lisa Stewart
Wednesday, May 28, 2008 at 14:00 GMT

Topics: 'ground source heat'

Excavations continue as the external drains are put in, I never though I'd become so preoccupied with holes in the ground (unlike a group of Slade MA students who I recently met at the Merz barn) but the cost of digging trenches and holes out of the bedrock means this aspect of the redevelopment is getting quite alot of my attention.
Needless to say it was a bit of a nasty surprise to find the two giant concrete rings that have just arrived onsite need a hole 3m deep, to provide an inspection pit for the ground source heat system, it all seemed so simple on paper..

Posted by Lisa Stewart
Thursday, May 15, 2008 at 13:00 GMT

Topics: 'biodisc' 'excavations' 'ground source heat'

After a few weeks of technical and mechanical problems the drilling for the ground source heat pumps seems to be getting into its groove. They are just moving onto the 5th borehole and the last two have reached the desired depth of 75m, this seems to have been achieved by the addition of biodegradable industrial strength washing up liquid, which is added to the water used during the drilling process. Only four more to go..

Posted by Lisa Stewart
Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 17:18 GMT

Topics: 'ground source heat' 'Lawson Park'

After much anticipation the drilling rig has arrived on site to start work on the ground source heat pumps. Progress has not been easy so far the drilling rig has been delayed, in need of repair, missing parts and now appears to have found the 'wrong kind of rock' and this is only day three, lets hope it gets better from here. We also have scaffolders, roofers and dry stone wallers on site this week and suddenly it feels very much like a building site, theres mixed feelings about that but mainly pleased things are progressing, just keep off the grass!

Posted by Lisa Stewart
Wednesday, April 16, 2008 at 17:18 GMT

Topics: 'drilling' 'ground source heat' 'Lawson Park'

An interesting site meeting today to discuss and co-ordinate the process for the installation of the ground source heat system for Lawson Park. This system is designed to extract heat from the earth to provide the heating and hot water for the new building. As the geology of the site is principally bedrock, a series of seven vertical boreholes are going be drilled, up to 70m deep, these are then connected via a loop system filled with refrigerant to a heat exchange system which connects to the underfloor heating and hot water system.

This part of the contract is being carried out by Earth Energy and has been partly funded by The Low Carbon Buildings Programme

For more information on ground source heat pumps

Posted by Lisa Stewart
Monday, January 21, 2008 at 16:00 GMT

Topics: 'building' 'ground source heat' 'Lawson Park'