Bertie McClure worked for the Belfast Tech for 39 years.
"Bertie says that as far as he is aware it is the only building in Ireland that has a steam engine running everyday to heat the building. The building is reaching its 100th year. Bertie's curiosity as to when the heating system first ran, got the better of him and with a little investigation discovered a wages book that showed the employment records for the first fireman who worked there - he first was paid in August 1906.
"The building is heated with hot air. At the turn of the century the heating of large buildings was still in the development stage. This was still in the days of coal fires. The system used to heat the building was called a "Plenum Air Heating system". This system was used mostly in the United States, while the UK adopted the hot water system.
"The building is large with 5 floors with at least 30 rooms on each floor. Bertie's job each morning was to order the 3ton of coal which was used to power the coal fired Lancashire Boiler. Everyday it had to be ordered before 8.30 am from Kelly's Coal. At midday he would go down again and check supplies, and if needed, order another 3 ton. Two men worked 8 hour shifts shovelling the coal into the boiler."
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