One of the first installations of the Stokvis Energy Systems high performance, solar thermal system has been completed at a cutting edge new hotel, created through the eco-refurbishment of a Grade II listed property in Bournemouth.
The Green House is described by its architects, Archipeleco, as a 'Deep Green Boutique' hotel. The designers' ecological ethos extended right through the selection of sustainable, and wherever possible, local materials, while the building's heating and hot water, as well as some of its power requirements, are met through the use of a CHP unit, plus the solar panels on the roof.
Spetisbury Construction was the main contractor leading the £5 million regeneration of this architecturally important property, with the mechanical and electrical consultant on the project being BEP Services Engineers.
Careful appraisal of the accommodation and 'back-of-house' needs for hot water led to the specification of the Stokvis Ecotube Solar Thermal Panels, which are of the evacuated tube type, and a Stokvis Solar Pump Station together with all the accompanying equipment. In total five Stokvis Ecotube Panels were supplied to the M&E contractor, Wessex Building Services, and linked to a Stokvis 1000 litre, single coil, solar thermal vessel.
The size of the array was in fact restricted by considerations relating to the building's heritage and the local authority's stipulation that none of them should be visible from street level. The project associate for Archipeleco, Lucy Pedler, cites the solar thermal and CHP systems as being part of the success story.
Stokvis was also called upon to supply one of its well proven Econoflame R6000, fully modulating, fully condensing, ultra low Nox boilers as back up for the combined heat and power plant. This was fitted along with a Stokvis 300 litre buffer vessel and a Stokvis Econoplate fully packaged plate heat exchanger to ensure peak demand for hot water from the guest bedrooms could always be met.