Shea Concrete – one of New England’s largest suppliers of precast concrete products – has provided CEI Boston Construction Services with the precast concrete vault that is now part of the radiant heating system installed underneath the field at Gillette Stadium.

The heating system thaws the field for use during the colder months of the year by circulating a heated solution of water and glycol – akin to anti-freeze – through an elaborate system of cross-linked polyethylene (PEX) piping installed under the field. The radiant heat from the piping diffuses into the surrounding area in order to prevent the field from freezing and to provide “unparalleled player safety” in any weather conditions, according to a press release distributed by the New England Patriots.

Shea delivered the Glycol Valve Vault, with the inside dimensions of 7’-0" x 16’-6" x 4’-0”, to the field and helped CEI to set the base in June of 2015. The vault houses the valve manifold that feeds the glycol solution to the tubing under the field. The tubing measures 153,000 lineal feet in total – or 29 miles – that circulates radiant heat underneath the entire field, according to Mark Fries, sales manager at Watts Radiant that installed the tubing.

“The Shea vault was a smart alternative to our original plan to use cast-in-place concrete,” says Tim Walsh, project manager at CEI Boston. “I’ve used Shea manholes, steps, jersey barriers, and more on dozens of projects over the years. Our time constraints meant we needed to get a vault faster than originally expected. Shea had the exact vault we needed already in stock, delivered it directly to the job site, and assisted us with setting the base before installation.”

The Gillette Stadium field is used by a variety of sport teams, including the New England Patriots, New England Revolution, UMass Football, and more. The original control system had to be moved from its original location in order to make room for the newly opened Optum Field Lounge.

“We’re thrilled that CEI contracted us to provide the vault for the field warming system,” says Greg Stratis, manager of Shea Concrete. “Not only did we have the exact vault needed for the project in our inventory, but there are a lot of Patriots fans here at Shea. It’s not every day we get to drive our trucks into the stadium to deliver product where our favorite team plays each home game.”