Three Evomax 2 commercial condensing boilers from Ideal Commercial Heating have been installed at Littlecote House Hotel in Berkshire, providing a modern, energy-efficient heating solution for one of England’s most historic country house hotels.
Operated by Warner Hotels, Littlecote House is a Grade I listed Tudor manor house that has played host to centuries of British history. Today, while guests visit to experience its unique heritage, maintaining comfortable indoor conditions in the 208-bedroom hotel remains a key operational priority.
When the heating system serving the original manor house reached the end of its service life, mechanical engineering specialist J&B Hopkins was tasked with delivering a replacement solution that would provide improved efficiency and reliability while working within the constraints of a listed building
Ideal’s Evomax 2 specified
A long-standing Ideal Commercial Heating customer, J&B Hopkins selected three Evomax 2 120kW wall-mounted commercial condensing boilers operating in cascade, delivering a total output of 360kW to serve the historic section of the hotel. The boilers were installed on an Ideal Commercial Heating low-height frame and header kit, complete with preformed insulation kits and a low loss header.
The project presented several challenges due to the age and status of the building. Much of the existing heating system is around 100 years old and, because of the Grade I listing, there was a requirement to retain as much of the original infrastructure as possible.
To achieve this, a low loss header was incorporated into the design, providing hydraulic separation between the new boiler cascade and the existing heating system. This enables both systems to operate independently, ensuring stable flow rates through the boilers while accommodating the varying demands of the hotel’s heating network.
Access to the plant room also proved challenging. Located within a 500-year-old cellar and accessed via an uneven staircase, the installation required equipment that could be transported safely without risking damage to the historic structure. The compact dimensions and lightweight aluminium heat exchangers of the Evomax 2 boilers made them particularly well suited to the application. Rather than attempting to install a single large boiler, the cascade arrangement allowed three smaller units to be manoeuvred into position while still providing the required output.
Tony Stockton, Mechanical Project Manager (Technical Services) at J&B Hopkins, says: “Evomax 2 is our go-to boiler. It’s very reliable, and we have no issues with them, plus we are very used to fitting them.”
As the UK’s number one selling wall-mounted commercial boiler, Evomax 2 combines high efficiency with flexible installation options. Available in outputs from 30kW to 150kW and capable of delivering up to 900kW in cascade, the range achieves up to 99.6% full load efficiency and up to 110% part load efficiency, while maintaining low NOx emissions.
To ensure optimum performance from day one, the installation was supported by Ideal Commercial Heating’s free commissioning service, which also activates a five-year warranty on the boilers at no additional cost.
For more information on Ideal Commercial Heating’s range of commercial boilers, visit idealcommercialboilers.com
