ComGas delivered a comprehensive refurbishment of the commercial heating plant serving New Wimbledon Theatre, replacing the ageing boiler installation with three Hamworthy Purewell commercial boilers and modernising the associated flues, pipework, pumps, gas-safety systems and controls.
Modernising Essential Heating Infrastructure at an Iconic London Venue
New Wimbledon Theatre has been a prominent Wimbledon landmark since 1910 and continues to host a varied programme of live entertainment.
Behind its historic public spaces, reliable mechanical services are essential to supporting the day-to-day operation of the venue.
ComGas was appointed to undertake a major refurbishment of the existing boiler plant and associated mechanical services. The project required the removal of the ageing equipment, provision of temporary heating and installation of a modern commercial boiler and control system within the constraints of the existing building.
The Original Boiler Plant
The existing plant room contained three ageing floor-standing gas boilers, extensive stainless-steel flue headers, older pumps and valves and an outdated control arrangement.
The large equipment occupied a restricted area, with flues, pipework and existing building services positioned above and around the boilers. Careful planning was required to isolate, dismantle and remove the redundant plant while protecting the services that needed to be retained and reconnected.
Challenges included:
- Three large ageing floor-standing boilers.
- Congested flue and pipework arrangements.
- Restricted plant-room access.
- Older pumps, valves and ancillary equipment.
- An outdated boiler control system.
- Retained building services requiring protection.
- Removal of heavy equipment within an established venue.
- Maintaining heating provision during the refurbishment.
Before — original flues and controls
Maintaining Heating During the Refurbishment
A 500 kW temporary boiler installation was provided within the adjacent car park to support continuity of heating services while the permanent boiler plant was isolated, removed and replaced.
The temporary arrangement required coordinated gas, water, electrical and heating connections, together with secure fencing and protection around the external plant.
This allowed the main plant-room refurbishment to progress while reducing disruption to the venue’s heating services.
Complete Strip-Out and Plant Room Preparation
The original boilers were isolated, dismantled and removed together with their associated pumps, valves, sensors and flue connections.
Redundant LTHW pipework, controls wiring, containment and ancillary equipment were removed, while the building services required for reconnection were identified and protected. The plant-room area was then prepared for the new installation, including the builders’ work and formation of a new equipment base.
Scope included:
- Surveying and identifying the existing services.
- Isolating and removing the original boilers.
- Removing redundant pumps, valves, sensors and equipment.
- Removing the original flue headers and boiler connections.
- Removing redundant LTHW pipework.
- Isolating, purging and altering the gas service.
- Removing the old controls and redundant wiring.
- Clearing redundant conduit and containment.
- Preparing the plant-room floor.
- Forming the new boiler equipment base.
A Complete Commercial Heating Upgrade
The new installation was developed around three Hamworthy Purewell commercial boilers, supported by new LTHW distribution equipment, pumps, valves, gauges, sensors, flues and modern controls.
The result is a coordinated commercial plant-room installation designed around safe operation, accessibility and future maintenance.
Boiler Plant
- Three Hamworthy Purewell commercial boilers.
- New primary boiler connections.
- Associated safety and isolation equipment.
- Integration with the new LTHW heating arrangement.
- Connection to the new flue and control systems.
LTHW Distribution
- New primary and distribution pipework.
- New header arrangement.
- New circulating pumps.
- New isolating and regulating valves.
- New gauges and sensors.
- New motorised valves and actuators.
- New pipework supports and brackets.
- Thermal insulation to completed pipework.
Gas and Safety Systems
- Modification of the existing gas supply.
- New gas-isolation and solenoid arrangement.
- Gas-pressure proving and detection.
- Emergency gas shut-off facilities.
- Fire-alarm interface.
- Safety interlocks.
- Associated wiring and containment.
Commercial Flue Installation
- New commercial flue system serving all three boilers.
- New individual boiler connections.
- New common flue arrangement.
- Provision for drainage, cleaning and expansion.
- Condensate drainage.
- Adaptation of the existing chimney or roof route.
- Making good and weatherproofing.
Controls and Electrical Integration
- New plant-room control panel.
- New BMS-based heating controls.
- Automatic boiler and plant sequencing.
- Time control.
- Weather compensation.
- Frost protection.
- Temperature sensing.
- Manual and automatic operating modes.
- Plant-fault monitoring.
- Integration of boilers, pumps and motorised valves.
- Fire-alarm shutdown integration.
- New power and control wiring.
- New containment and local equipment isolation.
Carefully Sequenced Within a Constrained Plant Room
The refurbishment required careful coordination within the existing plant-room structure.
Following removal of the original equipment, the area was prepared for the new boiler base and mechanical services. The boilers, headers, pumps, valves, flues and controls were then installed in a planned sequence around the retained building services.
This staged approach allowed the installation to be completed safely while ensuring that the finished equipment remained accessible for commissioning and future maintenance.
During — plant room refurbishment and installation
From Ageing Boiler Plant to a Modern Commercial Installation
The Completed Plant Room
The completed plant room incorporates three Hamworthy Purewell commercial boilers, new primary and distribution equipment, a purpose-designed flue installation and modern heating controls.
The boilers are integrated with the associated pumps, valves, gauges, sensors and LTHW services to create a coordinated and maintainable commercial heating installation.
The new control arrangement provides automated operation, plant sequencing and fault monitoring. The gas-safety and fire-alarm interfaces provide coordinated shutdown of the heating plant where an alarm condition is detected.
The completed works transformed the theatre’s ageing boiler room into a modern commercial plant environment with improved access to essential equipment for operation, inspection and future servicing.
After — completed boiler and mechanical installation
Testing, Commissioning and Handover
Following completion of the mechanical installation, the heating systems and associated controls were prepared, tested and commissioned.
The commissioning process covered the boilers, pumps, motorised valves, automatic controls and associated safety systems. Manual, automatic and fault conditions were checked as part of the final handover process.
The completed installation was set up to provide coordinated operation of the new boiler plant and associated heating services.
Commercial Heating Expertise in a Complex Existing Building
Commercial heating projects within established public buildings require more than the replacement of individual items of equipment.
Access, retained services, temporary heating, building constraints, safe sequencing, controls integration and future maintenance all have to be considered throughout delivery.
The New Wimbledon Theatre refurbishment demonstrates ComGas’s ability to coordinate substantial commercial boiler and mechanical works from initial strip-out and temporary heating through to completed installation, controls and commissioning.
- Commercial boiler replacement
- Temporary heating
- Plant-room refurbishment
- LTHW distribution
- Commercial flue systems
- Gas-safety systems
- BMS and heating controls
- Testing and commissioning
Working at an ATG Entertainment Venue
New Wimbledon Theatre forms part of ATG Entertainment’s portfolio of live entertainment venues. ComGas is proud to have delivered this extensive mechanical-services upgrade at one of Wimbledon’s best-known buildings.
Planning a Commercial Boiler or Plant Room Upgrade?
ComGas provides commercial boiler replacement, plant-room refurbishment, heating controls and planned mechanical services for theatres, venues, public buildings and commercial properties across London, Surrey and the South East.
