The Knaresborough Inn

The Knaresborough Inn opens its doors to a warm and inviting space.

The Knaresborough Inn (formerly known as Dower House) recently reopened its doors, following an exciting and major multi-million-pound investment programme by its new owners, The Inn Collection Group.  

As part of the refurbishment, Sine Consulting Ltd was employed by the new owners to develop the mechanical and electrical design of the building. This involved employing a high-efficiency low-temperature hot water (LTHW) heating system from Hamworthy Heating to help the inn minimise energy costs and maintain a comfortable environment for all bedrooms and circulation spaces. 

Built in the 15th century by Sir Thomas Slingsby, The Knaresborough Inn is a Grade II listed building based in the picturesque countryside of North Yorkshire. Standing proudly on cliffs above the River Nidd, Knaresborough, the building recently underwent a new refurbishment, which included adding 18 new bedrooms to its make-up to create a stunning 56-bedroom property, with a new look ground floor and beverage spaces. 

Out with the old, in with the new

To find a solution that was energy efficient whilst meeting the demands of the new Inn, the existing system, which consisted of indirect cylinders with system boilers providing thermal input, was stripped out and replaced with a new low-temperature hot water (LTHW) heating arrangement.

LTHW systems work by heating water to a lower temperature than traditional hot water systems and distributing it throughout a building via a network of pipes. This type of system is particularly useful for large buildings with multiple rooms or floors, such as hotels, as it allows for precise temperature control and energy savings.

The solution

To meet the demands of the building and provide sufficient coverage for an inn of this standard, Sine Consulting Ltd specified a system that comprised two Stratton mk3 wall-hung condensing boilers and two Dorchester DR-SG stainless steel condensing water heaters. 

James Coleman, Sine Consulting Ltd, comments: 

“We choose this new LTHW system as it is more than capable of meeting the demands of our clients who are an ever-expanding hotelier group who put guest satisfaction and experience alike at the forefront of what they do as a business.”

Initially opting for the Dorchester DR-FC EVO condensing water heater from Hamworthy Heating, it soon became clear to Sine Consulting Ltd that this would not be a feasible option. In addition to space constraints within the plant room, which can limit options for servicing a building with such a high domestic hot water demand, the position of the flue discharge was key. As the flue discharge is found at the top of the DR-FC EVO, this restricted fluing options, so an alternative solution was needed.

Keen to stick with Hamworthy products and aware of the impending launch of the Dorchester DR-SG with added anode protection, Sine Consulting Ltd opted for the latter. Solving the problem of the position of the flue discharge (the flue discharge is located at the bottom of the DR-SG), this also addressed the issue of space restraints within the plant room.

Size matters

Designed to fit through a standard 800mm doorway without needing to remove any product elements (such as insulation jackets), the Dorchester DR-SG features a narrow diameter of 80cm (excluding 538 models) and is light for its class. This simplified the installation process and offered contractors a practical and cost-effective solution for routing the flues on site.

When it came to specifying a boiler for the new system, the Stratton mk3 also addressed the issue of space. Designed for simple installation and maintenance, the wall-hung boiler features a small and lightweight design, making it a fitting solution for plant rooms, where location and space present a challenge, such as the one located in The Knaresborough Inn.

Due to the age of the building and to mitigate any issues caused by potentially dirty water in the existing system, Hamworthy also supplied a low loss header to work in conjunction with the boiler. The header is sized with a very low velocity and when positioned correctly will effectively separate the primary and secondary systems and help to keep any system pollutants away from the boiler circuit.

The stainless-steel aspect of both the Stratton mk3 and the Dorchester DR-SG was also a huge selling point. Offering considerable resistance to corrosion which can help to maximise service life, the customer can also expect to achieve valuable cost savings from reduced service and maintenance intervals.

Suitable for both renovation and new build projects, both the Stratton mk3 and the Dorchester DR-SG are fully compliant with Building Regulations Part L and are supplied with a market-leading 5-year warranty as standard from Hamworthy Heating (terms and conditions apply).

Sine Consulting Limited is an award-winning engineering and design consultancy focused on sustainability and innovation in engineering design. Founded over 20 years ago, the company provides a dedicated and quality consultancy service in the fields of mechanical, electrical and public health services engineering design, with services ranging from the provision of technical advice, project planning and detail design, to construction supervision and project management.

No stranger to Hamworthy Heating, Sine Consulting Limited has specified Hamworthy products on numerous occasions for a range of installations, including other projects for The Inn Collection Group. James explained: 

"Hamworthy products offer a robust and quality solution with excellent product support to back them up. We have a good relationship with our local Hamworthy Sales Manager and have always found them to be very supportive and knowledgeable when it comes to helping us to find the right solution for our clients"

The new LTHW heating system from Hamworthy Heating provides sufficient coverage for the newly refurbished inn with continuous throughput to cover peak demands. Following the project, the customer is happy to have refurbished premises with a sufficient hot water supply to meet the ever-growing demands of its business and patrons.

Can we help improve the efficiency of your hotel facility? Get in touch.