Clitheroe Royal Grammar School Sixth Form, Clitheroe
Phase 1: Heating System UpgradeVital Synergy delivered a time-critical heating upgrade at Clitheroe Royal Grammar School's Sixth Form site, replacing a failing oil-fired heating plant and half of the school's aged distribution system with a modern, energy-efficient gas heating solution. Phase 1 was completed on schedule within a tight summer works window, restoring reliable heating to the Sixth Form's main building with no safety incidents and minimal disruption to the occupied school, while laying the groundwork for the subsequent Phase 2 works.
Client Overview
CRGS's Sixth Form centre occupies a mix of heritage and modern buildings in Lancashire. By early 2025, its main building heating system, reliant on a decades-old oil-fired boiler and severely corroded pipework, was failing. The school needed an urgent replacement that would restore reliable heat before the new academic year, delivered without disrupting term-time teaching.
Working within a live, occupied school placed specific demands on sequencing and safety. All works were planned around the academic calendar, with the most disruptive activity confined to the summer holiday, and asbestos, safeguarding and site segregation managed to the standards required on an active school campus.
The existing oil tank and oil-fired boiler were safely drained and removed under strict environmental controls. A new underground gas main was brought in from the street to the basement plant room, with a new gas meter installed to supply the increased demand of the replacement boiler plant.
Multiple high-efficiency condensing gas boilers, with a combined output of approximately 960 kW, were installed in a cascade arrangement with full redundancy. The flue and ventilation system was upgraded to current emissions and safety standards, including a new chimney liner and automatic isolation dampers.
Roughly half of the school's central heating distribution was renewed in the Sixth Form's main building, replacing failing steel pipework, cast-iron radiators and outdated fan convectors with insulated pipework and modern heat emitters, alongside new pumps, valves, expansion vessels and metering.
A new digital BMS was installed in the plant room, integrating the boiler plant and Phase 1 heating zones with weather compensation, zonal control, scheduling and gas safety interlocks, with built-in provision to incorporate Phase 2 zones and equipment.
Key Outcomes and Benefits
Combined output of the new condensing gas boiler plant, configured in a cascade arrangement with full redundancy for reliability.
Phase 1 ran from July to late October 2025, aligned with the school summer break, reaching practical completion on schedule ahead of colder weather.
Phase 1 was completed without any accidents or incidents, supported by rigorous RAMS, licensed asbestos removal and a proactive site safety culture.
No unplanned classroom downtime during term time; major works were confined to the summer closure and out-of-hours periods.
New boiler plant and Phase 1 heating zones integrated under a single digital Building Management System with weather compensation and zonal control.
Spare capacity built into the boiler headers, pumps and controls to accommodate the remaining heating system in the next phase, simplifying future works.
Project Detail
What We Delivered
The Clitheroe Grammar School project was delivered as a targeted infrastructure upgrade, beginning with the replacement and upgrade of the site's heating and gas systems, including the installation of a high-efficiency cascade boiler plant with associated controls, bespoke BMS integration and safety components. The works also included the installation of a new medium-pressure gas meter with AMR capability, integrated into the existing system to support increased load and improve overall performance, alongside upgrades to distribution pipework, insulation and associated plant to enhance system efficiency and reliability.
The following phase focused on the optimisation and integration of system performance across the site, including enhancements to control strategies and distribution networks to ensure consistent operation. All works were delivered within a live educational environment, incorporating full testing, balancing and commissioning to provide a reliable, efficient and fully integrated heating solution designed for long-term performance.
Key Benefits
- Delivery of a high-efficiency cascade boiler system, optimising performance and reducing gas consumption
- Increased system capacity and reliability through upgraded gas infrastructure and AMR-enabled metering
- Enhanced control and safety through bespoke BMS integration and modern control systems
- Future-proofed heating solution designed to support long-term operational demands
The Vital Synergy team were professional throughout and worked closely with us to ensure the school could continue operating with minimal disruption. The new system has given us much better control of our heating, improved efficiency and helped us reduce energy usage across the site.
Estates Manager, Clitheroe Royal Grammar School
