The Challenge
Brownedge St Mary’s Catholic School approached OKEL to replace the existing Combat gas-fired warm air heaters in its sports hall.
The ageing heaters were becoming dated and increasingly inefficient, so the school wanted a modern, high-efficiency heating system that would provide reliable performance while making better use of energy.
The sports hall also has a high ceiling, meaning warm air can naturally rise and accumulate at high levels, potentially resulting in wasted energy.
The school required the installation to be completed during the summer holidays, ready for the new academic year.
The Solution
We installed fully modulating, hydrogen-ready Winterwarm XR+ gas-fired warm air heaters. The fully modulating technology allows the heaters to adjust their output to match the building’s heating demand, helping to improve efficiency and reduce unnecessary energy consumption.
As there were no destratification fans previously installed, we also recommended two high-level Winterwarm WCU fans. These fans help return warm air from high level back into the occupied space, improving heat distribution and reducing heat loss through the roof area.
Year-Round Benefits
The new Winterwarm XR+ heaters also offer a useful ventilation-only mode, providing benefits even when heating isn’t required.
During warmer months, the heaters can provide continuous airflow to create a gentle breeze effect and improve comfort within the sports hall.
This could be particularly beneficial during sports activities, school events and examinations held in the hall during warmer weather.
The school therefore has a system that can provide both efficient heating in colder months and improved air movement and comfort during the summer.
The Result
With the sports hall in regular use throughout the school year, it was important that the installation was completed during the summer holiday period.
Our team planned the works carefully to ensure the new heating system was installed and commissioned on schedule, minimising disruption to the school.
The project was successfully completed in August 2026, ready for the start of the new school term in September.
Brownedge St Mary’s Catholic School now has a modern heating system designed to provide improved efficiency, better heat distribution and additional ventilation functionality when heating isn’t required.
The project provided Brownedge St Mary’s Catholic School with a modern alternative to its ageing heating system, designed around the specific requirements of a large school sports hall.
By combining high-efficiency Winterwarm XR+ heaters with destratification fans and ventilation-only operation, the school now has a flexible system designed to provide comfortable conditions throughout the year while making better use of energy.
