Lidl kits out massive Exeter DC with underfloor heating

The £55m Exeter distribution centre, which services 51 Lidl stores across the South West, required an energy efficient heating system that maximised the potential from the waste heat rejected during the cold store refrigeration process. The system also needed to be fitted quickly and efficiently, as well as maximise available space in the warehouse in order to store large volumes of produce. Another key challenge was that the system needed to be flexible so that it could be fitted in line with concreting across the significant size of the warehouse.

The solution

To meet these requirements, Warmafloor worked with Leicester Based M&E contractor, WM Building Services, to design, supply and install a complete UFH system from concept to commission, comprising pipework, fixing clips and manifolds. In total over 30,000 sq m of pipe was installed at rate of 1000 sq m per day.

Commenting on the project, Lee Sutton, director at WM Building Services said: “The project required a large concrete floor laying and therefore came with the challenge of making sure that the pipes were fitted in front of the pouring concrete, there could be no margin for error or late completion. Warmafloor worked amazingly well to deliver the project on time considering the challenging floor pour sequence and having experts on hand to help us deal with any issues that arose was a huge bonus. The team’s knowledge and skills meant the project was completed efficiently and in timely manner.”

The benefits

Warmafloor’s UFH system is said to provide Lidl’s distribution centre with a life-long, virtually maintenance-free solution to heating. At the distribution centre, waste heat is recovered from refrigeration, and this is being used to heat the water in the Warmafloor UFH system. Essentially, this heat recovery process means that the energy is used twice, making the UFH system highly energy efficient. Therefore, the UFH delivers a cost-effective solution to the Lidl distribution centre, while also lowering the company’s environmental footprint.

Jon Moran, business development manager at Warmafloor, added: “We were delighted be involved in the development of Lidl’s Exeter distribution centre, and support the supermarket’s current rapid expansion. The flexibility of our Warmafloor system and the efficient work ethic of our installers complemented the challenges associated with the concrete pours.”