The heat network industry is changing
With Ofgem regulation now underway and the Heat Network Technical Assurance Scheme (HNTAS) on the horizon, there’s an increasing focus on proving that heat networks are not just delivering heat but delivering it efficiently and reliably.
Alongside these changes, one technical metric is becoming increasingly important: VWART (Volume Weighted Average Return Temperature).
If you’ve heard the term but aren’t quite sure what it means, you’re not alone.
That’s where Maintain It comes in.
Meet Maintain It
Prevention is always better than reactive repair.
Maintain It is our heat network hero for proactive maintenance. His mission is simple: spot the warning signs early, tackle inefficiencies before they escalate and keep heat networks performing as they should.
Because when it comes to heat network maintenance, the biggest problems don’t always begin with a breakdown.
A network can continue providing heating and hot water while inefficiencies quietly develop behind the scenes. Return temperatures may begin to rise, equipment can gradually underperform and seemingly small issues can start increasing energy consumption and operating costs.
VWART can help bring those problems into view.
From reactive to proactive
Maintain It has one rule: don’t wait until something breaks.
By paying attention to performance indicators such as VWART, heat network operators can take a more proactive approach to maintenance – investigating potential issues before they develop into more disruptive and expensive problems.
That can help reduce energy waster, improve equipment lifespan and minimise reactive maintenance costs.
And as expectations around heat network performance continue to evolve, understanding what your network is telling you will become increasingly important.
Follow Maintain It
In our next blog, we’ll take a closer look at what rising return temperatures can reveal about a heat network.
Maintain It will explore some of the issues that can sit behind high VWART, why seeming small inefficiencies can quickly add up and how preventative maintenance can help keep your network performing at its best.
Because the earlier you spot the warning signs, the sooner you can do something about them.
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