Newcastle United Football Club St. James’ Park, aiming to optimise energy consumption and improve overall efficiency, implemented Dynamic Burner Management Units (DBMUs) in its plant rooms to enhance boiler operations. This case study highlights the significant energy savings achieved through this innovative approach, with data directly measured and independently certified, demonstrating the effectiveness of DBMUs in practical applications.
Newcastle United Football Club relies on a range of 19 gas boilers from Hamworthy to Hoval, collectively providing approximately 6,000 kW for heating and hot water across its facilities. Traditional methods for determining energy savings through metered consumption face challenges due to the need for constant conditions and lengthy observation periods. To overcome these issues, Dynamic Energy Products (DEP) introduced a more efficient “Short-Term Test” approach. This method involved a dynamic testing cycle where the DBMUs were alternately switched “in” and “out” of the circuit every 50 boiler cycles, allowing for quick observation of gas savings without needing extensive adjustments.
The DBMUs were installed on the largest 11 boilers to regulate their operation, optimising firing patterns to reduce gas consumption while maintaining necessary heating levels. Over a short testing period, the DBMUs were intermittently activated and deactivated, with the systems measuring and comparing the gas burner’s cooling and firing times. The downloaded data, provided to Newcastle FC one month post-installation, clearly showed reduced energy consumption when the DBMUs were operational.
Data from the test periods revealed that the DBMUs produced savings ranging from 12% to 30%, with higher savings recorded on water heater boilers, which generally have shorter cycles. On average, the first phase of the project showed a 16% reduction in gas consumption, equivalent to 940,000 kWh saved, and a reduction of 180,000 kg in CO2 emissions. The effectiveness of the DBMUs was further corroborated by independent certification from the Building Research Establishment (BRE), aligning with their certified savings performance.
Further analysis demonstrated that the optimisation of boiler cycles and integration with existing Building Management Systems (BMS) led to substantial energy savings without impacting the performance of the heating systems. The approach reduced the number of unnecessary firing cycles, proving the DBMUs’ effectiveness in real-world conditions.
Implementing the DBMUs at Newcastle United Football Club St. James’ Park resulted in substantial gas and CO2 savings, translating to significant financial and environmental benefits. The 16% reduction in gas usage achieved a payback period of just five months, while the installation of ValveWrap flexible insulation on 340 unwrapped fittings contributed an additional 189,000 kWh and 82,000 kg of CO2 savings, with a payback period of 13 months.
The installation of Dynamic Burner Management Units at Newcastle United Football Club St. James’ Park proved to be a highly effective energy-saving measure. The clear and measurable reduction in gas consumption and emissions, achieved without compromising heating system performance, underlines the DBMUs’ value as a practical and efficient energy optimisation tool. This case study illustrates how targeted energy-saving technologies can deliver significant financial and environmental benefits in large-scale facilities.
Contact us for a no-obligation consultation. Our energy efficiency specialist will explain how the Optiburner DBMU works and create a customised burner management plan for your business. This plan ensures your ROI, maximises energy savings, and minimises carbon emissions. We also offer complete maintenance of the Boiler Optimisers as part of the package for complete peace of mind.
During the site visit, our BRE-certified engineers will comprehensively assess the compatibility of your boiler and heating systems. This thorough process is crucial to designing the optimal boiler optimisation setup, maximising energy savings, reducing fuel consumption, and guaranteeing payback within two years. We will then schedule an installation date that works best for your business.
Our BRE-certified engineers will install the Optiburner units in your boiler room and ensure everything complies with current health and safety regulations. The DBMU software will be updated and fine-tuned for your boiler type to ensure maximum performance and energy savings. The installation process is quick, minimally disruptive, and guarantees the safety and efficiency of your operations.
After installation and testing, our engineers will recommend supply and fit options, including retrofit installation and valve insulation. You will receive quick training on operating the Optiburner units and using the remote download feature to monitor and report energy savings easily. Expect to save 15% or more on energy bills over a year, with results in the downloadable Savings Report directly from the DBMU unit.
