Whole life costs make AmbiRad radiant heating first choice for coach service centre

Coach and bus services operator Simonds who are based in Diss, Norfolk opted for radiant tube heating from AmbiRad after calculating the whole life costs of a system to heat its brand new garage premises.

The new radiant heating system offers: Energy efficient warmth Lifetime fuel cost savings Clean, environmentally friendly operation Rapid warm-up, even on very cold mornings Flexibility.

Adrian Tant, Engineering Director of Simonds, says: “Taken over the entire life of the heating system, radiant tube heating worked out considerably cheaper than other forms of space heating. A slightly higher initial investment in the equipment was offset by on-going fuel cost savings achieved by the economical operation of the heaters.”

Simonds coaches and buses have been serving the Diss area for 75 years. The company amalgamated two service yards in Diss and Botesdale into a single operation on a green field site. Its new service depot was designed by architect Nathan Sargeant of Anglia Design.

The building has six workshop bays, each of which can accommodate two coaches. There is also a VOSA approved MOT testing lane and a bodyshop. The design of the heating system allows double-decker buses to be elevated on lifts to enable operatives to work underneath the vehicles.

Radiant tube heating from AmbiRad, comprising eight AR22 linear and three AR25 linear heaters in herringbone configuration, was installed by Anglia Heating and Ventilation. Five of the units are fitted with extended reflectors to restrict the powerful heating to a narrower ‘corridor’ in order to protect buses and coaches, particularly when they are elevated, without compromising comfort temperatures for operatives.

With ‘up and over’ entrance/exit doors in operation most of the time, the building is subject to temperature fluctuations. Radiant tube heating quickly restores working temperatures without wasting energy in warming the vast volume of air within the building.

Adrian Tant adds: “The AmbiRad radiant heating solution provides immediate warmth so our employees feel the benefit from it the moment it is switched on. The system has been well received by all Engineering Staff. It is flexible enough to allow us to lift vehicles in between the tubes without interfering with the heating.”

Web: www.ambirad.co.uk