HTHW DHN Reactive Maintenance

Overview

The university`s city campus underground district heating network (DHN) provides thermal energy to most of our teaching, research and student accommodation properties located on campus in addition to providing all the space heating and domestic hot water required by the NHS Dundee Dental Hospital. This thermal energy assists the university to comply with the H & S at Work Act 1974 and provides acceptable environmental comfort conditions for our staff, students, visitors, clinical patients and animals housed within our SoLS Resource Unit research facilities. We are looking to commence a new Framework contract with the existing supplier, or with a new supplier to replace the soon to expire Framework contract UoD-EFM-145-TC-2022. The thermal energy serving the DHN network is generated at source within our centralised main energy centre located at the northeastern corner of the campus. Most of the DHN schedule 40 and heavyweight mild carbon steel pipework below ground distribution system is located within purpose-built brick construction underground services ducts with load bearing slabs laid over beneath footpaths, road carriageways or soft landscaping. Over the last 20 years, extensions and additions to the DHN have generally been laid directly within soft or hard landscaping. The HTHW District Heating Pipework Lay Dates drawing, indicates that much of this network dates back to 1962 and is still in operation. Over the years and as the university has expanded and the thermal load increased, new excavations have been undertaken and new pipework laid below ground. The most recent extension of note to the DHN was in 2014.