Altecnic Insights: The Power of Off-Site Fabrication in Commercial Heating Systems

The rise of off-site fabrication presents a game-changing solution for specifiers, contractors, and building operators tackling refurbishment challenges and striving for high-performance heating and hot water systems in commercial buildings.
Establishing efficient heating systems amidst constraints like limited space, tight schedules, skill shortages, and product availability issues has been a persistent struggle. Embracing off-site fabrication simplifies this complexity. It streamlines installations, cuts on-site time and labour, ensures safety, and guarantees superior quality. From full plant room installations to single boiler system upgrades, prefabrication offers a wide-ranging solution for diverse project needs.

Strategic Planning for Success
Prefabricated modules follow a design process utilising BIM tools and 3D CAD modelling. This collaborative approach allows for iterative improvements, ensuring top-notch design, installation, and ongoing maintenance.
Central to success is thorough planning. Gathering key stakeholders from the start addresses project needs, limitations, and future considerations. For example, planning an interface unit for integrating air source heat pumps ensures seamless integration in later stages. This meticulous planning ensures the success of off-site fabrication and streamlines future refurbishment phases.

Quality-Controlled Production
Once the final design receives approval, production occurs within a controlled factory environment. Utilising specialised machinery, stringent control procedures, and comprehensive end-of-line testing ensures the highest build quality. Notably, off-site fabrication's potential to minimise waste contributes to a reduced environmental impact, aligning with the building services industries and building operators' sustainability goals.

Design Flexibility and Real-world Applications
How is the off-site technique applied in practice? Prefabricated and preassembled modules can be tailor-made to offer a plug-and-play solution that maximizes time and space efficiencies.
In the realm of boiler installation projects, bespoke boiler rig modules are custom-designed to optimize available space, whether within confined basement plant rooms, energy centers, or expansive rooftop packaged plant rooms. Manufactured off-site, these boilers are delivered to the site on wheeled rig units or smaller modules for simplified reconnection into a single frame inside the plant room.
For older heating systems, the integration of specially sized Plate Heat Exchangers (PHE) and air/dirt separators into the rig, coupled with matched boiler pumps, optimizes the lifespan of the new boilers. Furthermore, rig design can incorporate integrated controls for superior seasonal efficiency and lower operational costs. System connections on the rig can also align with existing system pipework in the plant room, facilitating seamless connection.

Containerised Solutions and Streamlined Management
Off-site fabrication also allows for relocating heating and hot water services, notably through containerised packaged plant rooms, which are gaining popularity, especially in time-sensitive projects like schools. These rooms act as a single system hub, integrating heat sources (boilers, CHP, pumps) with controls and accessories. This approach minimises delays, maintains schedules, and avoids last-minute product availability issues. Contractors benefit from just-in-time delivery, eliminating on-site storage and simplifying management. Custom-designed sections ensure easy transportation, accurate positioning, and simplified installation to meet diverse site needs.

At Altecnic, we understand that the materials and components we incorporate must evolve accordingly as construction methods advance. This philosophy makes Altecnic the prime partner for off-site construction projects. With years of collaboration with off-site construction partners, we consistently deliver top-tier products, an extensive array of solutions, technical expertise, and swift service.
View our products and services for the Offsite Sector:

• Free BIM schemes for typical installations
• Heat Interface Units
• Dirt & Air Separators
• Radiator Valves
• Mixing Valves
• Flow Regulation

Related CPDs:

• CPD 3: System Design For Efficiency for Using Electronic Intelligent HIUs
• CPD 4: Drivers for Change and Understanding the BESA HIU Test Regime
• CPD 7: Thermostatic Mixing Valves

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