Phoenix Centre
Overview
Hills Energy Management Solutions delivered a new Building Management System installation for an NHS mental health clinic, designed to improve heating control, strengthen plantroom safety and provide a reliable platform for future energy management.
The system was developed to support efficient day-to-day operation while also aligning with wider NHS objectives around compliance, lifecycle performance and long-term carbon reduction. The result is a practical, modern controls installation that improves visibility, resilience and operational control across the heating system.
Client requirement
The client required a modern BMS installation that would provide:
- more efficient and stable heating control
- improved plantroom safety and compliance
- better visibility for estates and facilities teams
- a supportable platform for future monitoring and optimisation
- alignment with wider NHS performance and net zero objectives
The aim was not just to control the plant effectively, but to provide a system that would support the building over the longer term through better data, easier diagnostics and more efficient operation.
The challenge
The project needed to balance efficient heating control, life safety requirements and long-term operational value within a healthcare environment.
The installation had to provide reliable control of the heating plant, support safe management of gas services, and create a system that estates and FM teams could use confidently. It also needed to offer a sensible foundation for future energy monitoring and post-handover optimisation, rather than functioning as a standalone controls installation with limited strategic value.
What we delivered
We installed a new BMS to control and monitor the clinic’s heating and plantroom systems, including a high-efficiency wall-mounted condensing boiler with integral shunt pump, a weather-compensated variable temperature radiator circuit with twin duty/standby pumps, a gas solenoid valve and a pressurisation unit.
The control strategy was built around weather compensation and compensated Delta T control, allowing radiator flow temperature to respond to both outdoor conditions and internal demand. Boiler return temperature was also managed to support condensing operation and improve seasonal efficiency.
To strengthen plantroom safety, the BMS was configured to monitor both carbon monoxide and natural gas levels, with automatic gas shut-off if alarm thresholds were exceeded. The fire alarm was also interlocked with the gas solenoid valve, and a key-operated bypass switch was incorporated to support weekly fire alarm testing without unnecessary loss of heating.
The installation was delivered with commissioning, documentation, training and remote connectivity to support post-handover tuning and ongoing soft landings support.
Plant and system functionality
The BMS now controls and monitors:
- a high-efficiency wall-mounted condensing boiler
- a weather-compensated variable temperature radiator circuit
- twin duty/standby heating pumps
- a gas solenoid valve
- a pressurisation unit
- carbon monoxide monitoring
- natural gas monitoring
- fire alarm interlock and gas shut-off logic
- key temperatures, setpoints, plant status and system run times
The strategy is designed to support efficient condensing boiler operation, stable heating control and improved visibility for estates and facilities teams.
The outcome
The completed installation provided the clinic with improved heating control, better plantroom safety and a more supportable system for long-term operation.
Weather compensation and return temperature control help the boiler operate more efficiently, supporting condensing mode and reducing unnecessary energy use. The control strategy also improves comfort by responding more effectively to external conditions and actual system demand.
From a safety perspective, the system now provides live gas monitoring, automatic gas shut-off and stronger integration between plantroom controls and fire alarm operation, supporting compliance and improving visibility for estates teams.
The installation also provides a strong platform for future development. Although sub-metering is not yet connected, the BMS already logs key temperatures, setpoints, run times and plant status, creating a useful basis for future energy monitoring, optimisation and wider estate performance review.
Overall, the project demonstrates how a well-designed BMS installation can improve control, compliance and lifecycle performance while also supporting longer-term NHS carbon reduction and operational goals.
