In this success story, we’re spotlighting how WSP, a global leader in engineering and professional services, is leveraging Fluidit Heat to tackle some of the world’s most challenging district heating and cooling projects. We spoke with Richard Bolton, Associate at WSP, to hear how Fluidit Heat has become an essential tool in their work, helping them design and manage energy networks.
About WSP and their focus on district energy solutions
WSP is a world-leading multi-disciplinary professional services consulting firm which supports significant projects in both the built and natural environments. WSP’s Energy Solutions team specialize in district heating and cooling systems, which are crucial for reducing carbon emissions and improving energy efficiency in cities. As Richard Bolton explains, “We get to work on a wide variety of heat network projects from heat mapping and masterplanning, through engineering design and specification, to construction and delivery. We also benefit from around 10,000 technical specialists and strategic advisers in the UK who help us deliver and innovate for a smarter, greener future.”
Discovering Fluidit and first impression
WSP first encountered Fluidit in early 2022 when they were introduced to the software. WSP were interested in the potential of Fluidit Heat to handle district energy system pipe sizing in more complex networks than was possible with traditional approaches.
“Following our initial interest, we worked with Fluidit’s development engineers to incorporate the ability to size pipes in line with the UK’s Heat Networks Code of Practice (CP1) which results in a more even split between space heating and domestic hot water loads.” Richard recalls.
Fluidit Heat in WSP’s workflow
Fluidit Heat has become a key tool for WSP’s district energy projects. The team has used it on city-scale district cooling projects in the Middle East, and for designing the heating and cooling networks at Canada’s largest university as part of the process of decarbonising the campus. They’re also using it on the UK’s Advanced (Heat Network) Zoning Programme, which aims to accelerate the development of large-scale heat networks across the country.
“The software’s ease of setup and flexibility helps us evaluate concepts and provide insights early in the project development process,” Richard explained. “Once we build a model, it’s easy to adapt as the project evolves.”
One recent project involved a new development with 6,000 homes. In this case WSP used Fluidit Heat’s pipe sizing tool to set initial pipe sizes for the whole network and tested various scenarios for possible issues in operation. “The project aimed to understand how summer’s low demand affects supply temperature in a low heat density area and the software allowed us to evaluate the impact on heat quality for domestic hot water production and assess if design changes were needed.”
Richard emphasized that Fluidit Heat is easier to use than many other modeling tools thanks to its intuitive user interface.
“Fluidit has a well-designed user interface that makes it simpler to use than some other modeling packages. Project specific design assumptions can be easily imported on a case-by-case basis, making each model reflect project requirements and the level of design required. We have also found coordination with other disciplines is easier through the import from and export to GIS formats, and the visualization of simulation results is useful when delivering live workshops with clients or reviewing the work of others.” he said.
The support from the Fluidit team was also highlighted in our conversation. WSP has found Fluidit’s support team to be both responsive and knowledgeable. “They’re quick to help, and they do a great job teaching us how to make the most of the platform,” Richard shared. The remote support setup, including screen sharing via Teams, makes troubleshooting easy and efficient.
Impact and results
Richard explained that while simple network configurations could also be handled by previous tools, utilizing Fluidit Heat allows for a variety of intricate cases to be modeled and analyzed: “The type of scenarios we can now model has expanded our capabilities by allowing for more complex networks to be modeled, for example multiple energy centers, network thermal storage and connecting separate networks. In addition, for complex projects, the software allows for sophisticated analysis that was previously either too time consuming or not feasible with our previous tools.”
When it comes to ROI, WSP can’t yet quantify the cost savings, but the increased efficiency, customization and flexibility have made a noticeable difference. “The ‘friction’ to setting up and modeling networks has been reduced” Richard noted.
A final word from Richard
When asked if he’d recommend Fluidit Heat, Richard was quick to say yes. WSP has already encouraged their district energy system design colleagues in other regions to adopt the platform.
“Yes. We have recommended Fluidit Heat to our WSP Canada colleagues who have obtained their own license.”
Thinking about the future, Richard sees district heating and cooling as a growing solution worldwide. In the UK, district heating could expand (from the current 2%) to serve up to 18% of buildings by 2050 according to the UK’s Committee on Climate Change. WSP’s Energy Solutions team is at the forefront of this transformation, contributing to the Advanced Zoning Programme and participating in the development of a Heat Networks Technical Assurance Scheme and its associated technical standards, which aims to codify high standards for design, installation, and performance in district heating.
“We’re dedicated to accelerating the deployment of large-scale heat networks, supporting the UK’s path to decarbonization,” Richard concluded.
Conclusion
Through this partnership, Fluidit Heat has become a valuable tool in WSP’s workflow. This story highlights the power of collaboration and the value of having a trusted partner in hydraulic modeling. If you’re interested in learning how Fluidit Heat can elevate your district heating or cooling projects, reach us at sales@fluidit.com or fill out the contact form.