Throughout Europe, the most popular way to provide central heating and hot water for all types of commercial buildings, such as schools, hotels, offices, hospitals and even large apartment blocks, is by using a boiler specially designed for commercial situations.
Fuel
Depending on what fuel is available, boilers can run on natural gas, liquid gas, oil or renewable fuels including bio oils and wood.
Position
Boilers for commercial buildings are usually located in a purpose built plantroom situated within the building or on the rooftop.
Types of boilers
- Traditionally, floor standing boilers are used. However for smaller commercial buildings, space saving wall hung boilers may be suitable.
- It is very common to use more than one boiler in multiple or cascade format in a plantroom. This system means that the increased heating and hot water needs of a large building can be met, and it is also capable of providing a standby facility.
- As well as providing the heating, a boiler can be used to provide the building's hot water requirements using an indirect hot water storage tank or calorifier, a device that heats the water by circulating it over heating coils. Alternatively where hot water demand is high, for example a hotel, a separate direct water heater system may be used and the boilers used for heating only.
- Boilers can be either conventional or condensing.
The term condensing, or high efficiency, means the boiler recovers more heat from the amount of fuel that is burnt, making it more efficient than conventional boilers. By recovering and using heat that would otherwise be lost up the flue, the best condensing boilers are more than 90% efficient. Although condensing boilers cost more initially, they are very economical to use, and can pay back the initial extra cost in fuel savings. Condensing boilers also have lower emissions of toxic gasses making them much better for the environment.
