18/10/2022
3D Technical Design Ltd – Exhibitor Spotlight

3DTD are a specialist, practitioner-led, consultancy who serve a variety of public and private sector organisations, across the UK’s district energy industry. We draw our expertise from over 20 years of experience in designing, building, installing, operating and maintaining many of the UK’s largest city-centre district energy schemes. We have built an exceptional track record in offering design and consultancy at feasibility, detailed design and construction governance levels. Our track record demonstrates a highly effective assessment of key success and risk factors, which has enabled projects, in complex city-centre environments to rapidly progress, under control, into detailed design and procurement stages, including the following examples:
- Stoke-on-Trent Heat Network
- Bristol Heat Network
- Exeter – Monkerton District Heating System
- Exeter – Western Transmission Main
- London – South Kilburn
- London – Tottenham Hale
- London – Royal Arsenal
- London – SELCHP Lewisham
- Sheffield – Interconnection of Schemes
- Birmingham – New Street Station Interconnection
- Bradford Heat Network
- Wakefield Heat Network
- Manchester – Piccadilly Station
- South Dublin District Heating Scheme
- Aberdeen – Harbour
Thanks to this experience and expertise, we are well positioned to deliver high-quality services which include but not limited to the following:
Advance Feasibility Study:
Identifying adequate routes in an urban environment and de-risking a district heating scheme is a complex task, therefore 3DTD only use experienced construction practitioners, to assess and minimise the considerable risks which buried utilities present to all Heat Network projects. We are focused on being effective and considering all aspects of the project which involves the following:
- Technical site visits
- Liaison and meetings with key stakeholders
- Review of available utility data
- Review of key infrastructure challenges/crossings
- Undertaking a detailed and referenced optimum route options appraisal
- Develop Project Phasing and Expansion Strategies, and Consideration of Traffic Management Constraints
- HAZID’s and Risk Management
Detailed Buried Heat Network Design:
Detailed heat network design requires highly specialist expertise, as gaining the necessary; Mechanical, Civil, Structural, Coordination and Construction/Delivery experience, takes many years/projects to develop. 3D Technical Design follows CDM best practice by ensuring that all our designers have at least five years of practical delivery and operation experience, before leading on a heat network design, which must:
- Be practitioner-led and fully coordinated with stakeholders.
- Contain sufficient detail regarding the risks associated with the buried environment.
- Be informed by an appropriate level of both; Underground Utility Detection (GPR) and Traffic Management detail.
- Inform Contractors and Clients of risks which are unique to the project environment.
- Facilitate and highlight the need for in-construction change control/governance.

Coordination with Highways and Key Stakeholders:
In 3DTD Technical Design’s approach both underground utility information, and topographical survey details are utilised (including highways lanes, chambers, curbs, structures, and trees) to develop a mechanical design which is appropriately coordinated with the above/below ground environment.
Traffic Management Strategy:
Provide experienced insight into how the construction programme will incorporate highways restrictions/phasing. Also supports highways in developing a deeper understanding of heat networks (and in particular expansion loops), before construction, to explain and minimise disruption.
HAZID and Trial Hole Drawings:
HAZIDs are continually recorded which identify de-risked route options for the heat network, taking account of the detailed GPR information (PAS 128 Quality Levels), previous historical information, stakeholder requirements (highways/TM) and recommends verification measures for key design risks. This process is then complemented by both pre-construction and in-construction trial holes to verify the route. 3DTD design and 3D model the advanced utility detection information to de-risk the design and civil environment.
Trench and Chamber Detailed Design:
3DTD tailor the level of detail produced for each detailed design, and depending on the risk profile of each project, can either 3D model key chamber positions or issue specific Highways specification information to the Contractor.

Developing and tailoring trench details for each project is also a significant benefit in highlighting how weld pits and widened trenches (to accommodate curved pipe) should be excavated.
Communication Ducts Route: Offer the production of communication duct route and chamber design and spatial proving
Expansion and Stress Calculations using sisKMR: Ensures that expansion forces and stress levels are assessed based on their unique environment (design parameters/ trench depth/utility density), and significant changes are continually monitored and approved in construction.
Leak Detection System Design: It is essential to the construction process to provide wiring diagrams to the installation contractor to ensure that the system is correctly wired throughout the network to enable accurate monitoring of the scheme in operation and support the precise positioning of faults in operation.
3D CAD Modelling services:
3D Solid, Surfaces & Polygonal meshes
3D Conceptual Modelling
TIN (Triangular Irregular Network) Terrain
3D Pipe and communication duct route modelling
3D Navisworks and clash detection
3D modelling of chambers and building entry details
3D Concept illustrations

3D Technical Design Ltd is exhibiting at The Distributed Energy Show on stand 2009.