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VOLUME 3 ISSUE 2

VOLUME 3 ISSUE 2

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ISSN 2046-5920 (Print)ISSN 2046-5939 (Online)

SustainabilityPublic Sector

Highlights5Portakabin investsin its largest andmost sustainablehire centre to date

8University’s electricvans helping theenvironment

14The removal ofschools from theCRC EnergyEfficiency Scheme isa step backwards

18Solar power isbloomingmarvellous forresidents

20Wasting the waste

22Maximising energyefficiency with hotwater storage andrenewable energysystems

24EnvironmentAgency turn toVivreau forsustainablealternative

26The ultimate eventfor the UK’s energy,water and energyfrom wasteindustries

29Tarkett saves tonnes

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6

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www.twitter.com/PSSustain

Cover Story: The man – and the company –

that’s finally lifting the lid onvoltage optimisation

See Page 12

www.ivoltsystems.co.uk

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3PUBLIC SECTOR SUSTAINABILITY • VOLUME 3 ISSUE 2

NEWS

5

Portakabin has invested £3m in its largest and mostsustainable hire and visitor’s centre to date. Thedevelopment at Isleport Business Park near

Bridgwater in Somerset has doubled the size of itsprevious centre in the area and is part of the company’scontinued expansion despite the challenging economicconditions.

Portakabin has had a strong local presence in theBridgwater area for more than 20 years. The new sitespans around five acres and accommodates a state-of-the-art operational and production centre to servebusinesses and public sector customers in the South Westand South Wales.

Commenting on the new development, Robert Snook,Director and General Manager of Portakabin Hire, said,“This expansion will enable us to service the needs oflocal businesses more effectively and the requirements ofmajor projects such as the proposed nuclear powerstation development at Hinkley Point.

“The new hire centre will allow us to increase theavailability of buildings from stock to customers in theSouth West, to offer the highest levels of service, and forvisitors to see and experience the quality of our full rangeof buildings at first hand.

“We have ambitious plans to grow the business and toinvest locally, and the team we have in place, togetherwith the new facilities, are central to that.”

The centre has increased in size to more than 19,000sqm to allow more buildings for hire to be kept in stockand reconfigured, refurbished and refitted on site ifrequired. There is a new visitor’s centre displaying the fullrange of Portakabin buildings, from the Portakabin Solusself-contained office building up to Titan – Europe’slargest single modular building, and Portaloo toilets,showers and changing rooms. There are also displayareas for the integrated options available, includingcanopies and walkways, branding and building wraps,climate control and security systems, access ramps andsteps, and data communications. Tel: 0845 401 0010Email: [email protected]

Portakabin invests in its largest and mostsustainable hire centre to date

NEWS

Kidderminster businessman and renewable energypioneer Paul Hutchens has been named ‘MidlandsEntrepreneur of the Year’ at the 2013 Midlands

Business Awards.Paul accepted his accolade from Shalini Khemka, chief

executive of award sponsors E2Exchange and guestspeaker Lord Karan Bilimoria at the prestigious awardceremony on 1st February at the Hilton Metropole Hotel,Birmingham.

The award recognises Paul’s achievements to date sincesetting up his own successful renewable energy firm,Eco2Solar, in 2007.

At the helm of Eco2Solar, Paul has led continueddevelopments, rapid growth and best practice inproviding solar photovoltaic, solar thermal and heatpump system installations for a broad range ofcommercial, social and domestic clients throughout theWest Midlands and UK wide.

His latest venture has seen him move into energyefficiency technologies for the non-domestic market withthe launch of Eco2Energy which aims to help businessesmake significant savings on their energy bills.

Eco2Solar also announced significant growth last yearwith record end of year figures, with turnover well inexcess of £5m.

Paul said: “I am delighted to have been recognised inthis way and it is a reflection on the hard work of every

AWARD-WINNINGANDOVER SCHOOLSCOOPS FURTHERDESIGN ACCLAIMHampshire County Council’sin-house design team hasreceived further nationalrecognition for work to designand develop EndeavourPrimary School in Andover.

The school has received aCivic Trust CommendationAward which recognises thebest in the built environment,from architecture to planning,townscape to infrastructure.The Awards also recognisethe public realm in its wider

context, and the positiveimpact that buildings have onthe people who use them andthe local community.

The award is the seconddesign accolade received byEndeavour Primary School,which has previously won theRIBA Downland Award 2012,following its completion lastyear. Design and projectmanagement was carried outby Hampshire CountyCouncil’s Property Services,and construction by MansellConstruction Services Ltd.

This new primary school for420 pupils had a brief to

provide flexibleaccommodation that canadapt to the changinglearning styles of the futureand be as accessible aspossible for the widercommunity. A holisticapproach to the design linksarchitecture, interior andlandscape, creating apleasant and inspiringenvironment conducive tolearning and wellbeing. Theschool has simple pitchedroofed buildings arrangedaround a central courtyard,with the main hall on thestreet front, all linked byglazed cloisters. Each classhas access directly to excellentsheltered external play areas,as well as generous facilitiesfor outdoor learning.

In addition to receiving thislatest design accolade,Endeavour Primary Schoolwas also recently the subjectof a Royal visit, when inOctober 2012, Her Royal

Highness The Princess Royalwas welcomed to plant thefirst tree in Hampshire’snearby Diamond JubileeWoodlands, developed in celebration of Her Majesty The Queen’sDiamond Jubilee.

Leader of HampshireCounty Council, CouncillorKen Thornber, said: “Toreceive further nationalacclaim for deliveringinspirational, practical andresilient design is a verypositive reflection on the skill,expertise and innovation ofour in-house design team andI congratulate them for theiroutstanding efforts.

“The County Council pridesitself on providing childrenwith the best possible start inlife, and this award-winningschool offers pupils, teachersand staff an outstandinglearning environment in whichthey can be proud.”www.hants.gov.uk

member of the Eco2Solar team, which is making asignificant contribution in promoting clean energy andreducing the carbon footprint of the region.”

Harj Sandher, MD of UK Special Events, the businessbehind the awards, said: “The quality of the entrants hasgrown year on year since we began them and this yearhas continued the trend. Paul is a highly deservingwinner.”

For more information visit www.eco2solar.co.uk

ECO2SOLAR MD NAMED ‘MIDLANDSENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR’

• news • news • news • news • news • news • news •

(Left) Lord KaranBilimoria, Paul Hutchens,managing directorof Eco2Solar andShalini Khemka,chief executive ofE2Exchange (awardsponsors).

PUBLIC SECTOR SUSTAINABILITY • VOLUME 3 ISSUE 2 PUBLIC SECTOR SUSTAINABILITY • VOLUME 3 ISSUE 24

NEWS

7

Viridian Housing has been awarded with aSustainable Homes Index For Tomorrow (SHIFT)Silver award. SHIFT presents housing associations

with either a bronze, silver or gold award depending on how environmentally friendly they are. This yearViridian was successful in moving from a bronze to asilver award, which is a fantastic achievement. Thehousing association, which manages 16,000 homesacross the UK, is one of twenty four organisations to wina 2012 Silver SHIFT award.

The SHIFT award is based on an external assessment ofenvironmental management and performance andprovides a useful benchmark among the 38 participatinghousing associations. SHIFT worked along-side housingproviders to develop the assessment criteria, which covers sustainability performance in existing homes, new build homes, offices, and strategic and operationalplans. This assessment can take up to four months and isvery in-depth.

As a SHIFT member, Viridian is committed to being green, learning best practice from peers andcontinually improving in this area. Nick Apetroaie,Property Director at Viridian Housing, said “We aredelighted to be recognised with the Silver SHIFT awardand we are constantly striving to improve ourenvironmental performance.”

Karl Linder, Planning and Investment Manager atViridian, said: “As part of our sustainability strategy we are focused on ensuring that Viridian employeesdeliver our services in the most environmentally friendlyway as possible.”

The Housing association also invests in a dedicatedEnvironmental Officer and an Energy Advisor to addressany concerns that residents may have, and provide themwith cost saving energy advice, to help reduce theiroverall energy bills.

The sustainability strategy that Viridian has developedhighlights the cost saving measures that housingassociations can provide to residents.

Viridian plans to maintain its SHIFT status by workingwith residents and employees to deliver its sustainabilitystrategy. www.viridianhousing.org.uk

PUBLIC SECTOR SUSTAINABILITY • VOLUME 3 ISSUE 2

NEWS

Northern Ireland is installing 14 rapid chargepoints across its province. ABB has sold ninerapid charge points for electric vehicles to the

ecar network in Northern Ireland. By cutting the timeneeded to charge an electric vehicle to as little as 30minutes, the ABB Terra 52 fast chargers are extending thepractical daily range of electric vehicles, allowing driversto charge quickly and continue a long journey.

The fast chargers form a part of the ecar Project, led bythe Department for Regional Development and theDepartment of Environment. The charge points are ownedand operated by Northern Ireland Electricity. The ecar

BUILDING A VISIONFOR THE CITY CENTRECouncillors are to be asked toapprove the start of a publicconsultation exploring aproposed scheme aimed atmaking Edinburgh's CityCentre more accessible andattractive, particularly forpedestrians. The need toenhance pedestrian space inthe City Centre was aparticular finding of a report commissioned by the the Council in 2010 byGehl Architects, entitled“Edinburgh Revisited: PublicSpace, Public Life”.

Now, with the tram projectprogressing well in line withits revised schedule andrevised budget, the Council isseeking to maximise theopportunities this creates toimprove the pedestrianenvironment and space in theCity Centre so that it can bemade more attractive as a

place in which to live, work,shop and socialise.

Trams are due to beginpassenger services by summer2014 at the latest. TheCouncil has identified anumber of benefits to themovement of traffic which thischange could realise,including:

• improved quality ofpedestrian experience inthe core City Centre area

• improved access to theCity Centre

• increased space forpedestrian and other uses

• opportunity for dedicated cycle provisionin the area

• reduced detrimentalimpact of vehicles on theCity Centre environment.

A proposed scheme hasbeen developed for publicconsultation, aimed atachieving the Gehl Architects

report's call for the CityCentre to become “a placemore accessible for all”.

The proposed scheme:- • splitting bus services so

they run eastbound onGeorge Street andwestbound on Princes Street

• buses, cycles and taxison Princes Street in awestbound direction only,on the south carriageway

• general traffic, includingtaxis, on George Street in an eastbound direction only

• creating dedicated two-way cycle lanes onGeorge Street, theNational Cycle Route

If approved, a publicconsultation will be conductedover a six week period andthe outcome will be reportedback to the above Committeewith recommendations on thefurther development and

implementation of a preferredscheme.

The preferred schemewould then be implementedon a trial basis.Key Points

• Tram project completionrepresents a uniqueopportunity to improvetraffic movement andenhance accessibility inEdinburgh's City Centre

• Focus on making the CityCentre "a placeaccessible for all"

• Proposals forconsultation includereconfiguring trafficmovements, eg havebuses running eastboundonly on George Streetand westbound only onPrinces Street; and thedevelopment of GeorgeSteet as preferredlocation for the primarycycle routewww.edinburgh.gov.uk

Project has established a network of charging points inmajor towns and cities across the province.

Irene Breen, ecar Project Manager, comments: “Rapidchargers allow motorists to make long journeys withouthaving to stop for several hours to charge. As such, theyare important in allowing ecar to offer a realisticalternative beyond the urban commuter type user.”

Unlike domestic charge points, which take up six toeight hours to charge an electric vehicle overnight, the ABB Terra 52 is a multi-standard rapid chargingstation designed to simultaneously charge a vehicle in 30 minutes or less. Designed for use at petrol stations,highway locations and in busy urban areas, the ABB Terra 52 provides drivers with the ultimate full power,fast charging experience.

The ABB Terra 52 combines a stylish, rugged designwith leading technology. Its multi-standard/multi-protocoldesign means the ABB Terra 52 is compatible with allelectric vehicles currently on the road. Providing directcurrent (DC) charging at 50 kW, it supports the globalCHAdeMO standard, which promotes a standardisedconnection for fast charging. The ABB Terra 52 alsoconforms to EN61851-1, the standard for alternatingcurrent (AC) charging up to 22 kW which is compatiblewith electric vehicles, new and old.

ABB won the contract to supply ecar with fast chargersbased on its experience of building the world’s firstnationwide electric vehicle charger network in Estonia, aproject which saw 165 chargers deployed in 12 months.

Seven of the ABB fast chargers for ecar are already inoperation, with nine Terra 52s due to be installed andoperational before the end of March 2013.www.abb.com


ABB HELPSDRIVERS GO THE DISTANCE


6

Viridian receivesSHIFT silver award

Neal Ackcral,Head of PropertyReinvestment atViridian Housing,Birte Berlemann,EnvironmentalOfficer at ViridianHousing, RobinLawler, Presidentof the CharteredInstitute ofHousing and KarlLinder, Planningand InvestmentManager atViridian Housing.

Clegg Construction has completed a £1 millionconversion and refurbishment project for a free school.

Nottingham-based Clegg Construction was appointedby educational charity Stone Soup Learns to carry out thework at their free school site in High Pavement inNottingham’s Lace Market area.

The project took six months to complete and hasboosted the teaching and learning environment at theschool with the conversion of their four-story listed-building.

Simon Blackburn, managing director at CleggConstruction, said: “This was a challenging project due tothe building being listed and its previous poor condition.

“The project was divided into two phases. The firstphase required us to resolve several serious structuralproblems with the existing floors and external walls. Forthe second phase we focused on the refurbishment of theexisting rooms, including the basement, and theintroduction of new staircases and lifts.

“We are delighted that work on the project, which willbenefit both students and staff at the school, has nowbeen completed,” Simon added.

The four story building at the Stone Soup Academy

NEWS


comprises a total of 20rooms with IT equipment,upgraded lighting andheating, toilets andwashing facilities.

This is the first projectClegg Construction has worked on for Stone Soup,however there may be potential to work together in the future on a kitchen and bar/restaurant developmentat the premises.

Stone Soup is an education charity based at St.Ann’s inNottingham, which has been providing vocational coursessince 2002.

Free schools can be set up by parents, teachers,education charities and other organisations. Likeacademies, they are not under the control of localeducation authorities.

The Stone Soup Academy has 100 places for pupilsaged 11-19 who are unable to attend mainstream orspecial schools. Students can study subjects includingconstruction, creative industries, fashion and textiles.

The completed newly converted building will open itsdoors to students and staff in April, 2013.www.clegggroup.co.uk

NEWS

Buckinghamshire New University has taken deliveryof a pair of electric vans as part of its commitmentto helping the environment.

The two electrically-powered Renault Kangoo vans havereplaced two of the University’s existing fleet of threediesel-powered vans.

The vans will generate just 1g/km of CO2, compared to189g/km with the existing diesel vehicles, representing acarbon footprint saving of 1.1 tonnes per year, per van.

The University, in Queen Alexandra Road, HighWycombe, is working to reduce its carbon footprint and iscommitted to reducing carbon emissions by 50 per centby 2020. It has so far reduced its emissions by 43 percent since 2005.

Ian Hunter, Director of Estates, said: “The use of electriccars is testament to the lead we are looking to take in theway we use alternative energy and the investment we aremaking in the renewable energy market.

“Bucks New University works hard to encourage our students and staff to save energy wherever they can and we also continue to review our existingoperations and suppliers, to see where further energysavings can be made.”

Earlier this year, Bucks New University also installedeco-friendly solar panels on top of one of its buildings to

WELSH GOVERNMENTCARBON EMISSIONSFALL BY 18 PER CENTNew figures published showthat the Welsh Governmentcut its carbon emissions lastyear by 18 per cent.

The figures, in the UKGovernment’s CarbonReduction CommitmentEnergy Efficiency SchemePerformance League Table,place the Welsh Governmentin the top three of all UKGovernment departments anddevolved administrations.

The Carbon ReductionCommitment Energy Efficiency(CRC) Scheme requires over2,000 private companies and public sectororganisations across the UK,including governmentdepartments, to report theircarbon emissions annually.

Welsh Government carbonemissions fell from 18,056tonnes in 2010-11 to 14,837 tonnes in 2011-12 –a reduction of 18 per cent. As

a result, the WelshGovernment has moved upfrom 320th in 2010-11 to71st in the 2011-12 table.

The findings take intoaccount emissions from WelshGovernment and Cadwbuildings as well as the trunkroad network in Wales.

Welcoming the figuresduring Climate ChangeWeek, Environment andSustainability Minister, JohnGriffiths, said: “These latestfigures show that our action toreduce carbon emissions ispaying off. We are alsoimproving carbonmanagement of our trunkroad network, our castles andheritage sites, and theproperty we own whichhouses a range of Welshbusinesses. While we arepleased with our efforts so far,we are not complacent andwill continue to build on theseachievements.”

The UK Government’sCarbon Reduction

Commitment Energy EfficiencyScheme Performance LeagueTable can be found athttp://crc.environment-agency.gov.uk/pplt/web/plt/public/2011-12/CRCPerformanceLeagueTable20112012

RICARDO-AEA PLAYSKEY ROLE INCONSORTIUMAWARDED SCOTTISHGOVERNMENT-FUNDED CONTRACTThe consortium – led by theEnergy Saving Trust (EST) inpartnership with Ricardo-AEA– will provide a new one-stopadvice service to help Scottishorganizations reduce energy,water and raw materialscosts, under this £3 millionper year contract awarded byZero Waste Scotland.

The new ‘Resource EfficientScotland’ advice and supportservice will go live on 1st April2013 and will replace ScottishGovernment business and

public sector advice servicescurrently delivered by ZeroWaste Scotland, Carbon Trust,EST and Ricardo-AEA. It willbe the first time advice onenergy, water, materials andwaste can be accessed from asingle service.

The service which EST andRicardo-AEA will provideincludes free support, trainingand access to funding to helporganizations implementresource efficiency measures.The firms will operate atelephone and web-basedadvice service, staffed byresource efficiency expertsand provide managedsupport such as on-siteconsultancy visits.

Jamie Pitcairn, director ofRicardo-AEA Scotland, said:“As businesses become morecompetitive, they will help toboost Scotland’s economy sothe potential is therefore veryexciting.” http://ricardo.com

generate electricity. The panels will generate at least46,000 kilowatts of electricity per year. Mr Hunter saidthat move would also save around 11 tonnes of CO2

emissions per year.In 2011, Bucks New University achieved the Carbon

Trust Standard, in recognition of measuring, managingand reducing its carbon emissions by five per cent over athree-year assessment period. www.bucks.ac.uk


UNIVERSITY’S ELECTRIC VANSHELPING THE ENVIRONMENT


8

CLEGG CONSTRUCTIONCOMPLETES £1 MILLIONSCHOOL PROJECT

SimonBlackburn

NEWS

11

Stafford and Rural Homes (SARH) is plugging into abrighter future by installing solar panels at itsBeaconside head offices.

The 230 high-specification photovoltaic (PV) panels arebeing fitted to the roof of The Rurals, in Parker Court, andwill generate over 47,000 kwh of electricity a year –reducing the housing association’s £36,000 per yearenergy bill by 12 per cent a year.

The project is part of the firm’s commitment toenvironmental improvements which was launched as partof its Going for Green initiative last year.

the World Green BuildingCouncil in 62 countries, otherglobal industry associations,and the ENR Top Lists. Of therespondents, 92 percent aremembers of Green BuildingCouncils around the world.The results include a featureof nine countries withsufficient sample for statisticalanalysis. The study expandsand contrasts againstMcGraw-Hill Construction's2008 Global GreenSmartMarket Report study.Given the survey samplesource, McGraw-HillConstruction compared thesample against a non-GBCmember audience, which wascomparable in terms ofinvolvement in green andplanned activity. Further, theU.S. sample was consistentwith McGraw-HillConstruction's extensiveanalysis of the U.S.construction market through

its Dodge project data.For more key findings from

the World Green BuildingTrends SmartMarket Report,visit: http://analyticsstore.construction.com/index.php/world-green-building-trends-smartmarket-report-2013.html

GOVERNMENTRECOGNISES IETSTANDARD FORELECTRIC VEHICLECHARGINGDemand for electric vehicles(EV) is expected to increaserapidly following theannouncement of aGovernment £37 millionsubsidy for charging points.

Now, engineers installingthe EV charging equipmentcan have their skills andknowledge formallyrecognised as part of a newpackage of measures toenable safe installation across

equipment, installationrequirements, certification andfault finding.

Carolyn White, Director ofIET Standards, said: “The timeis now right to introduce thisnew course and qualification,which will set the standardsfor electric vehicleinstallation.”

For more information onthe new course, visithttp://www.theiet.org/resources/standards/courses/ev-charging.cfm

For more information onthe IET Code of Practice forElectric Vehicle ChargingEquipment Installation, visithttp://www.theiet.org/resources/standards/index.cfm

For more information forLocal Authorities on installingEV infrastructure visithttp://www.theiet.org/resources/standards/ev-report.cfm

domestic, public, commercialand industrial locations.

The Government has made it a requirement that EV charge points are installedin accordance with theInstitution of Engineering and Technology (IET)’s Codeof Practice for Electric VehicleCharging EquipmentInstallation.

To assist engineers inunderstanding the Code ofPractice the IET has launcheda new training course backedby a new City & Guildsqualification 2919 – ElectricVehicle Charging EquipmentInstallation, the first of its kindin the UK.

The Electric Vehiclecharging point installercourse, based on the IET’sCode of Practice anddeveloped with expert trainingprovider Group Horizon,includes modules onunderstanding charging

Chris Poulton, SARH’s Director of Asset Management,said that the installation of the panels was ‘an investmentin the future’.

“It was important for us to underline our ecologicalcommitment to customers by getting our own house inorder. The long-term energy-saving capability of thepanels will see them pay for themselves completely within13 years and we will start to see cash saving on our billswithin the first year,” he said.

Most of the electricity generated by the energy sourcewill be drawn into a converter and used in the day-to-dayrunning of SARH’s offices.

The remainder, including weekends when only selectedparts of the building are in use, will be exported to theNational Grid and offset against bills.

Each panel measures 1.6 metres by 1 metre and theyare expected to be put in place within a month.

As part of SARH’s Going for Green programme, 268 ofits bungalows were fitted with PV panels last year at a costof £900,000. The selected properties had to be suitablysited to catch the sun.

Customers living in those homes have saved anaverage of around £120 per year as a result – a total ofmore than £32,000 worth of energy savings!

Lynne Lewis of Cherry Lane, Gayton, said: “I‘m verypleased that SARH has fitted solar panels to my home.They compliment the new air source heating system andloft insulation I’ve just received. Having a combination ofenergy-saving devices within the home is becoming soimportant to save on fuel as prices are on the increase.

“In March I will receive my annual account and I amlooking forward to seeing what savings I have made”.www.sarh.co.uk


NEW PANELSREFLECT ECOPLEDGE


Since 2010, the government has made a number ofchanges to the governance structures aroundprocurement, and developed a procurement reform

strategy, led by the Cabinet Office to be implemented incollaboration with government departments. Thefundamental aim was to improve the management oftotal procurement spending across central government bydelivering a centralised procurement service through anewly-created body, the Government Procurement Service.

The NAO reports that these changes have successfullyincreased centralised expenditure on common goods andservices, whilst raising participation from small andmedium sized enterprises. It has succeeded in increasingspending through central contracts from £2.6 billion in2009-10 to £3 billion in 2011-12 but this is still less thanhalf of its spending on common goods and services. TheCabinet Office’s most recent forecast is that this will growto £5.3 billion in 2012-13.

Procurement expenditure is now under greater control,the report says, with the creation of a chief procurementofficer role creating clearer lines of central responsibility.Central government spending on procurement last year

reached £45bn, £3bn of which is estimated to have beenthrough central contracts. Reductions in price due tocentralised procurement are expected to have generated£426m savings in 2011/12.

Mark Robinson, Chief Executive Officer at Scape – alocal authority controlled company which delivers costand time savings for public sector construction schemesacross the UK comments: “It is good to see an evidencebased report which looks at the challenges ofprocurement from a strategic perspective. The findingsvery much support our own activity in that collaborationat every level and adopting a structured approach suchas a Project Delivery Map is highly effective. Also weagree that data management systems are essential todemonstrate value for money.

“The government’s commitment to change andadopting this new approach is still only 3 years old.Going forward we would like to see who is going tochampion this at a national level to ensure the findingsare acted upon and progressed even further to ensuregovernment procurement remains a high priority.”www.scapebuild.co.uk

NEWS

WORLD GREENBUILDING TRENDSSMARTMARKETREPORT: BUSINESSIMPERATIVE ANDMARKET DEMANDDRIVING GREENBUILDING GROWTHAs sustainability and energyefficiency initiatives take holdaround the world, firms arefinding business value andopportunities from greenbuilding, including theopportunity for newenvironmentally responsibleproducts, according toMcGraw-Hill Construction'slatest SmartMarket Report,‘World Green Building Trends– Business Benefits DrivingNew and Retrofit MarketOpportunities in Over 60Countries’. The report,developed in partnership with United TechnologiesCorp. (UTC), is based on astudy of global green building

trends and aims to discern drivers of the greenbuilding marketplace.

According to the study,firms are shifting theirbusiness toward greenbuilding, with 51 percent of respondents planning more than 60 percent of theirwork to be green by 2015.This is a significant increasefrom the 28 percent that saidthe same for their work in2013 and double the 13percent in 2008.

The key driver to goinggreen, according to thesurvey, is that now greenbuilding is a businessimperative around the world. In the 2008 report,McGraw-Hill Constructionfound that the top driver forgreen building was ‘doing theright thing.’ However in 2012, business drivers suchas client and market demand are the key factors influencing

the market.Global industry

professionals have highexpectations of the operatingcost benefits of green building– 19 percent believe theiroperating costs will decreaseby 15 percent or more overthe next year (51 percentbelieve there will be increasesof 6 percent or more), and 39percent believe they will seesavings of 15 percent or moreover the next five years (67 percent expect savings of6 percent or more).

In 2012, 89 percent ofglobal industry professionalsreport using or specifying agreen building product, andeven more – 91 percent –expect to do so by 2017. Themost significant greenbuilding product opportunitiesare in the categories ofelectrical, mechanical, andthermal and moistureprotection with at least 60

percent of survey respondentsstating that they had installedor specified products in thesecategories in 2012, with aslightly higher percentageexpecting to do so by 2017.

Given its importance,measuring lower operatingcosts is also the most usedmetric to evaluate greenbuilding performance –reported by 52 percent. Thesebenefits are particularlyimportant given that they canoffset the higher initial coststhat 76 percent of the industryreport as the biggestchallenge to building green.

The findings published inthe report are drawn from aMcGraw-Hill Constructionsurvey of firms across 62countries around the world.Firms include architects,engineers, contractors,consultants and buildingowners. The sample wasdrawn from firm members of


SCAPE WELCOMES LATEST REPORT INTO IMPROVEMENTGOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT


10

The latest report and analysis from the National Audit Office (NAO) claims thecurrent government procurement strategy has achieved savings and remains arational approach to reform. But, that is has some way to go.

From left, CarlBarber, TechnicalManager SARH,Leigh Naylor,Engineering Directorfor LoryanRenewableEngineering Limited,Kevin Lawton , SARHQuantity Surveyorand GordonMacDonald, SalesDirector for LoryanRenewableEngineering Limited.


ON THE COVERON THE COVER

12 PUBLIC SECTOR SUSTAINABILITY • VOLUME 3 ISSUE 2

As the deadline gets closer, thepublic sector will be underincreasing pressure to do itsbit, and rightly so: The efficientuse of energy not only

contributes to a low-carbon economy andcombating climate change, but investingin energy-saving technology can yieldsubstantial savings, while supportingeconomic growth, sustainabledevelopment and creating jobs on a local,as well as national, level.

An energy-saving solution gainingincreasing recognition is voltageoptimisation, which lowers the incomingpower supply from a UK average of 242Vto 220V – the level at which electricalequipment works best. On paper, itappears to be a simple, cost effectivesolution but how do we really know howmuch it is saving?

To date, only one manufacturer hastruly cracked it. Based near Heathrow,British firm iVolt is run by electrical

optimisation, over a defined period,comparing consumption levels to identifythe energy savings actually beingdelivered: so a client can see exactly howthe iVolt is performing.”

Across clients including schools,charities, supermarket chains, airports,railway stations, factories, hotels andrestaurants, the IRT Energy Monitor hasshown savings of up to 20% are possible.These industry-leading percentages, andthe fact that the iVolt can prove its savingsso accurately, have led to the companybeing shortlisted by HSBC for its high-profile Global Connections award. TheShadow Minister for Energy and ClimateChange, Baroness Worthington, has alsocalled for the technology to be installed inschools across the UK, after she saw first-hand the work iVolt has done to cut

carbon emissions and lower energy bills ata school in Kent.

Chaucer Technology School is set tosave £1.5million over the next 20 yearsafter a group of A Level students took ona project to lower the site’s energy use by10% and went on to shave a staggering70% off their bills by applying for fundingto pay for and install an iVolt system andtwo biomass boilers. The dramaticreduction in energy consumption not onlyled to the pupils being nominated for anational science and engineering award,but won iVolt a Green Apple Award forEnvironmental Best Practice and contractsat a series of schools across the UK.

“Chaucer School has slashed itsemissions and energy bills thanks to theiVolt and the biomass boilers andeveryone is quite rightly delighted with theresults,” said Baroness Worthington(pictured above with student Dan Keenand Manhal).

“I found what the students have donefascinating and inspiring and Kent CountyCouncil has gone from not believing thatit was possible to now seeing the projectas an exemplar that they would like tofollow in 21 other sites.

“Whilst I look forward to helping

engineer and businessman Manhal Allos –a man who has devised a thoroughlyinnovative device which can accuratelytrack savings that are directly attributableto VO.

This game-changing and patentednew technology has not only led to iVoltbeing named one of 30 British businesseswith ‘world class potential’ by The DailyTelegraph, but it means that any of iVolt’sfast-growing number of clients can log onto a cloud-based database and see, inpercentage and monetary terms, howmuch a particular site is saving at anygiven time. They can even use the systemto tap into a supply and tweak it, withoutdisrupting business.

The introduction of this Intelligent RealTime (IRT) Energy Monitor, which isintegrated into every iVolt unit installed,has prompted Manhal to begin acampaign to ‘lift the lid on voltageoptimisation’.

As he explained: “There are various

claims about the sorts of savings voltageoptimisation can achieve but at iVolt we’revery clear about the fact that while inmany situations it’s very effective, thereare cases where it isn’t.

“In this economic climate every pennyspent has to be scrutinised. No one canafford to invest in a technology based ontheoretical savings; businesses need to beable to see what they are actually savingto justify the initial capital expenditure andto calculate their RoI – and that is whereiVolt comes in.

“A lot of VO manufacturers requiremonths to demonstrate savings and eventhen these amounts are calculated throughassumptions of usage, footfall, weatherand other regression modelling methods.The problem is there are too manyvariables; it’s technically impossible toprove that voltage optimisation has savedX% when energy consumption is affectedby so many factors. With us, the proof isin the pudding.

“Just a few simple tests will clarifywhether a site could benefit from reducedand regulated voltage. We then carry outdetailed surveys to assess the powerquality, the consumption and to identifywhere we could make savings – and alsoif voltage optimisation could have anyadverse effects. Our transparent approachcontinues when the unit is installed. Thebuilt-in energy monitor works by adjustingthe voltage output to compare energyconsumption with and without

shape Labour policies, I want also toinfluence the all important Energy Bill –legislation that will have failed if it doesnot secure more investment in a wholehost of projects like the one at Chaucer.This school should and must be used asan example to others,” she added.

In total, it is thought 400,000 UK sitescould benefit from voltage optimisationand of these around 90% would savemore energy with iVolt than with any ofthe leading fixed reduction systems on the market. Manhal will explain how and why during a debate at Nemex, part of Sustainabilitylive!, at BirminghamNEC, from April 16-18. Livedemonstrations of its high-tech system willalso take place throughout the event, oniVolt’s stand (J10). Tel: 0845 075 8580 Email: [email protected]

Public sector bodies across the UKcan procure iVolt’s advanced voltageoptimisation technology with greaterease after the company was added tothe Eastern Shires PurchasingOrganisation (ESPO) framework.

The pre-audited route to purchaseenables public sector organisationsand registered charities to access thehighest quality services at the bestprices.

iVolt’s variable reductionequipment is widely regarded as oneof the most sophisticated VO systemson the market and the company countsMorrisons, East Midlands Trains,Booker and Gatwick Airport among itshigh profile customers.

Client Ges Cocker, director oftechnology at Chaucer TechnologySchool, said: “Working with the iVoltteam has provided the studentsinvolved with an outstandingeducational experience and the schoolis experiencing more in terms ofsavings than was originally expected.

“As a company, iVolt providesexcellent service, support and quality ofproduct and we’ve found the wholeprocess very easy and effective.”

The ESPO contract runs for up tofour years and public sector bodiescan access details of the ESPOframework by visitingwww.espo.org/services/energy-solutions.aspx

Manhal Allos

THE MAN – AND THE COMPANY – THAT’S FINALLYLIFTING THE LID ON VOLTAGE OPTIMISATION

Energy efficiency is a cornerstone of the EU’senergy policy but the latest research showsEurope will only meet half its target to reduceenergy consumption by 20 per cent by 2020,unless more is done.

ENERGY


Applicable to all organisationsusing more than 6,000MWhper year of electricity, the CRCEnergy Efficiency Scheme(formerly known as the

Carbon Reduction Commitment) is amandatory carbon emissions scheme.Introduced in April 2010, the Schemetargets emissions from large public andprivate sector organisations, with the aimof driving emissions reductions andincentivising the uptake of energyefficiencies.

Along with the withdrawal of state-funded schools in England, other changesto the Scheme include:

• Reducing the number of fuels thatparticipants have to report againstfrom 29 to 2, these are electricityand gas for heating.

• Reducing the Scheme complexityby removing the 90% rule andClimate Change Agreements(CCA) exemption rule.

• Abolishing the PerformanceLeague Table but continuing topublish participants aggregatedenergy use and emission data.

Jurjen believes the removal of state-funded schools from the Schemerisks sending the wrong message,reversing the progress that has beenmade so far following the CarbonReduction Commitment. According toIMServ, whilst individual schools’ energyconsumption may be relatively low, it canconstitute up to a third of a localauthority’s total consumption.

Energy prices have risen by

approximately 58% since 2010 and thistrend is set to continue. Energy usage is asignificant cost for all educationalfacilities. Any effort made to reduce thesebills through effective energy managementcould free up a significant proportion ofeducational spending, while helping tocombat climate change.

Jurjen argues that many schools canmake substantial energy savings but lackthe funding to develop skills andknowledge to fully understand how, when,and where energy is being used.

Jurjen explains, “Schools rarely, ifever, have staff with the experience orexpertise to fully understand energymanagement. As a result, decisions (nomatter how well-intentioned) can fail toaddress the real sources of energywastage, and can in some cases evencause consumption to increase. TheGovernment has made a kneejerkdecision that it would be easier to removeschools from the Scheme rather thaninvesting in materials and training toensure they have a fighting chance ofmeeting the objectives.”

Many local authorities already have designated energy managers whosupport schools and who should beencouraged to share skills andinformation more – not less. There is avast array of energy management andsaving information available to anyschool, along with an array of energyfocussed initiatives which the Governmentshould be readily promoting.

Savings can be made via a variety ofmeans including simple measures to

ensure that all electrical devices are usedefficiently and investments are made toupgrade buildings, which could includenew heating systems or renewables. Webbased software and training from a meterand data specialist is also a great way toget effective energy management startedin schools.

Jurjen continued, “Schools should notjust be looking at introducing appropriatestrategies to engage with the whole schoolcommunity, but also the implementation ofsuitable energy controlling technologies.”Ultimately if a school looks at its ownenergy profiles in data form, the peaksand troughs by day and night time willanswer the questions “when and what”and will highlight the two key questions of“where and why?”

The benefits of including schoolswithin the Scheme far outway thenegatives according to Jurjen. “It’s aboutmaking a commitment for the future andhaving a long term strategic view. To mymind there is no sense in schools nottaking responsibility for their energy andemissions impacts. The ability to use theprocess to engage with future generationson energy emissions and global impactsshould not be lost in schools.”www.imserv.com

THE REMOVAL OF SCHOOLSFROM THE CRC ENERGYEFFICIENCY SCHEME IS ASTEP BACKWARDS The new

dawn of energy efficiency/ [email protected] / 01472 398838

A final attempt to simplify the much-criticised Carbon ReductionCommitment (CRC), was announced in the Chancellor's AutumnStatement towards the end of 2012. Amongst a variety ofreforms is the withdrawal of all state-funded schools in Englandfrom the Scheme. Jurjen de Greeve, Direct Sales Manager atIMServ Europe, the UK’s largest independent energymanagement provider, believes this is a step backward and risksundoing the progress that has been made so far as a result ofthe Carbon Reduction Commitment.

this framework will have the ability tocurtail/shift consumption of electricity orutilise on-site electricity generationcapabilities.

“As energy costs climb for everyone,not only will demand responseprogrammes help curtail electricity usage,these programmes do it in a way thatdoes not interfere with the criticalinfrastructure of our nation's governmentsites and help maintain budgets for doingthe real work of supporting the UK,” saidScott Buckleton, head of businessdevelopment at GPS, Energy.

He continued, “The framework is opento all public sector entities due to thediverse public estate. In particular we haveinterest from hospitals and MoD, but alsoother departments such as DWP andScottish Procurement. Demand response isimportant because it allows organisationsto efficiently utilise their existing assets togenerate savings, without compromisingon site safety or security. It also helps themto work towards their sustainability targetsby freeing up much needed funds to investin new technologies.”

With prices continually rising, publicsector organisations are facing thechallenge of managing energy costs. Dueto the size and diversity of this sector, ithas an opportunity to make significantsavings, while helping the UK meet itscarbon reduction targets. Tel: 0207 183 1030 Email: [email protected]

services to around 370,000 people fromColchester and the surrounding area ofnorth-east Essex. Its demand responseprogramme allows a fully remoteautomated start. It has improved theTrust’s standby power resilience testingregime, lowered energy bills andgenerated a new revenue stream for the hospital.

ENTER THE AGGREGATORIn February this year, following an

EU-compliant tender process, GovernmentProcurement Service (GPS), part of theCabinet Office’s Efficiency and ReformGroup, appointed a handful of demandresponse suppliers to provide services forthe next four years to central governmentand public sector facilities. Under theterms of the framework agreement,demand response aggregators will offerservices to the whole of the public sectorthroughout the UK, including NHS trustsand hospitals, Ministry of Defence,Department for Transport, universities,local councils and not-for-profitorganisations..

GPS has entered into this frameworkagreement with aggregators such as KiWiPower to enable government sites toparticipate in demand responseprogrammes and to help accelerate theentire process. This includes an initial siteanalysis and energy turndown assessment,smart meter installation, programmemanagement, ongoing performancetesting and energy optimisation.

Government organisations that use

public sector organisations, throughaggregators such as KiWi Power, to useless electricity at times when it is strugglingto balance the demand and supply ofelectricity on the network. It is able to dothis because it is cheaper than paying forpolluting coal-fired power stations to bekept ‘warm’ or on standby in order tomeet this occasional extra demand forenergy. Hospitals are earning up to£100,000 per year simply by beingavailable and participating in demandresponse programmes.

Lister Hospital is an acute NHS-runhospital in Hertfordshire that is currentlyparticipating in such a programme. Tohelp ensure the hospital had a reliablestandby power solution in the event of apower failure, it installed new on-sitegenerators and duplicate electricity feeds.Together with lower carbon CHPtechnology, Lister Hospital is provided with4.5MW, which can be dispatched toprovide short-term operating reserve(STOR) and is able to avoid peak energytariffs through TRIAD management.

Four newly installed diesel generatorsprovide full backup power for a newduplicate 11kV electricity feed from UKPower Networks. Control and monitoringof these generators is a fully automatedprocess, carried out remotely from KiWiPower’s smart grid operations centre inLondon. This allows facility managers tobe contacted immediately should anyproblems arise.

Colchester Hospital University NHSFoundation Trust provides healthcare

ENERGY

17

becoming the ‘greenest government ever’in May 2010.

Governmental figures reported asignificant reduction in carbon emissionsfrom its office estate amounting to almost240 million kWh in energy consumptionover the 12 months to 13 May 2011. Thisequated to an estimated £13 millionreduction to the government’s energy billfor that year.

SMART ENERGYIntegrated building management and

smart metering systems help controlenergy consumption and provide facilitiesand energy managers with visibility intoreal-time energy usage.

As well as central government, otherpublic sector organisations such as NHSTrusts are using existing assets, such asstandby power generators, to participatein energy management programmes.

When you consider the NHS has oneof the largest estates in Europe, coveringaround 28 million square metres of floorspace, then the rising costs of energy is amajor cause for concern. Reports showthat in 2011, the NHS’ annual energy billamounted to £583 million. On-goingresearch by the NHS’ sustainabledevelopment unit shows that the

pharmaceuticals supply chain is by far thebiggest user of carbon within theorganisation, followed by hospital heatingand power.

Demand response is one of the waysthat organisations can reduce the amountof energy they consume. It is anincreasingly popular green alternative tothe expensive carbon-heavy ‘peakingpower stations’ that the National Gridrelies on during times of grid stress. Theprocess involves electricity demandmanagement whereby participantstemporarily switch off or turn down non-essential power. Alternatively, publicsector organisations, such as NHS-runhospitals, can switch over to their existingindependent standby power generators fora short period of time – usually for aroundan hour.

This reduces electricity use and helps National Grid to meet the needs ofthe country at times of grid stress.Demand response has the additionalbenefit of reducing the need for expensiveand carbon-intensive back-up powerstations, or having to import electricityfrom abroad.

HEALTHY REVENUE FOR HOSPITALSThe National Grid is willing to pay


Yoav Zinger, director and co-founder of KiWi Power,discusses the challenges faced by public sector organisationsto reduce rising energy costs. He highlights how facilitiesand energy managers working for public sectororganisations are implementing energy managementprogrammes, such as demand response, to help lowerenergy bills, generate new revenue and reduce carbon emissions.

ENERGY

PUBLIC SECTOR ENERGYCHALLENGES

KiWi Powersmart gridoperations centre

Colchester General Hospital

RISING COSTSReports indicate that energy bills have

risen 50-60% since 2010, resulting in cut-backs, falling profits and inhibitingbusiness growth. One in twelve businessesbelieve that these rises will have acatastrophic impact and could force manycompanies out of business.

The private sector is well aware ofhow rising energy costs are impacting itsbottom line results. Recent researchsuggests that the 25% year-on-year trendin rising energy prices is encouragingbusinesses to transform the way theyoperate in order to manage theseincreases and improve profit margins.

Combining both the public sector andUK commerce, energy inflation will haveadded £8.4 billion per annum to the UK’sfuel bill, according to research by PowerEfficiency. This is expected to lead to an81% rise in energy bills by 2021 for bothsectors. Unsurprisingly, seniormanagement and board directors workingfor public sector organisations throughoutthe UK are now prioritising the issue ofenergy management.

GOVERNMENT GAINSThe public sector and central

government estate is vast and diverse,using an estimated 10% percent of totalUK electricity demand. This presents aunique opportunity for public sectororganisations to participate in energymanagement schemes, assisting the UKelectricity network with its energy demandand sustainability targets.

There are a number of ways publicsector organisations can manage energyconsumption and reduce their carbonfootprint. Some UK governmentorganisations are already ahead of thegame. For example, central governmentexceeded its 10% target to reduce carbonemissions within 12 months following thePrime Minister’s announcement about


ENERGY


ENERGY

Npower recently commissioned TheLondon School of Economics toproduce a report looking at the

future of energy and the economy for theUK, and what the potential operatinglandscape may look like by 2030. Itrevealed some interesting scenarios,highlighting the importance fororganisations to take action now protectthemselves from the potential risksassociated with energy.

A FRAGILE FUTUREThe npower Future Report ‘Energy and

the economy: The 2030 outlook for UKbusinesses’, investigates both economicand energy related factors from a global, European and UK perspective. Itreveals three potential scenarios UKorganisations could be facing by 2030,and the fragile future of the UK energyindustry if the investment needs are notmet. With the crucial role energy plays inoperations across the UK, any changes inthe market can have a significant impact,so it is important to assess what thosechanges may be and how operations maybe affected.

The report examines these threepotential scenarios and their implications.From continued austerity to a sidelining ofcarbon emissions reduction targets infavour of cheaper energy sources topower the UK, the report shows how anumber of factors will shape what 2030will mean for UK operations.

SCENARIO 1: HITTING THE TARGETThe first of the report’s scenarios is the

projected plan for the UK’s energy market.However, it requires a high degree ofpolitical cohesion and direction,supporting record levels of investment inthe industry (up to £330bn by 2030) anddriving down carbon emissions. Thisscenario is made possible by a recoveringEurozone and UK economy; more tradeintegration; specialisation; a focus ongreen growth and productivity gains; andrecovered financial institutions. This

scenario also sees the EU remain amarket leader in low-carbon technology.

SCENARIO 2: GAS IS KEYShort-term price gains by relying too

heavily on gas power are followed byenvironmental problems from missedcarbon targets in the second scenariopresented in the report. The presence ofgas-fired capacity slows down neededstructural change, and necessitates costlyaction when carbon constraints bite. Thisscenario depends less on what happenseconomically in the Eurozone andinternationally. However, there will be lesscommitted political action in Europe oncarbon emissions reduction, fewerproductivity gains and more fracturedtrade patterns. The Eurozone will stilleventually recover, but the momentum iswith Asia, which is catching up withEurope in productivity and growth.

SCENARIO 3: AUSTERITY REIGNSThe third scenario is less optimistic

about the economic and technologyoutlook. Confidence and thereforeinvestment are low, but less is needed dueto ongoing Eurosclerosis and continuedstagnation in the UK. The grid ages andupgrades are not driven by a need toaccommodate renewable energy. Sometechnologies like carbon capture andstorage (CCS) and shale gas failtechnologically or otherwise are notdelivered. In the meantime, the BRIC(Brazil, Russia, India and China) countriesmotor ahead.

A BALANCING ACTThe report reflects upon the need for a

balanced focus on economic growth andinvestment in the energy infrastructure todeliver a low carbon and strong UKeconomy. For this to happen, it reportsthat up to £330bn investment in the UKenergy market infrastructure is required tosecure supply, hit carbon emissionsreduction targets and protect the UKeconomy by 2030.

Even a slight change of emphasis inpolicy, a weakening economic picture or apreference for cheaper energy sourcesover low carbon energy generation couldresult in very different operatingenvironments for UK public sectororganisations. In addition, the reportreveals how the long-held figure of£200bn of investment by 2020 recognisedas being key to a secure energy future,may be significantly short of the amountrequired by 2030.

In light of this, it is crucial that the UKenergy industry, Government andorganisations work collaboratively toensure this level of investment is securedand foundations are set for economic andenvironmental prosperity by 2030.

SO WHAT CAN PUBLIC SECTORORGANISATIONS DO NOW?

There are several steps they can taketo mitigate their risk1. Managing energy well and making it

a strategic issue is vital. By ensuringboard level support for energymanagement and procurement andincluding energy in future planning,organisations can be sure it willreceive the levels of investment andfocus required.

2. Organisations should have a focus onenergy efficiency and make good useof self-generation energytechnologies. This will enable them tonot only reduce energy use andassociated costs through an effectiveenergy management programme, butit will also mean they can takeadvantage of potential savings andrevenue generation through self-generation. For example –organisations can benefit from sellingback surplus energy they produce tothe grid.

3. UK organisations should also followpolicy developments and understandthe implications for them. Linked tothis is the need to take action andhelp protect against future energy riskby joining the call for a level playingfield across the energy industry tohelp attract investment, and beingready to commit decarbonising theenergy supply. The npower Future Report clearly

shows there is still uncertainty as to whatthe future will bring for UK organisationsbut to ensure future operational successand to protect themselves from risk, thereis a need to act now. www.npower.com

The energy landscape is constantlyevolving, so for public sector organisations dealing with today’schallenges, 2030 can seem a long way off.However, as Wayne Mitchell, Industrial &Commercial Markets Sales & Marketing

Director at npower discusses, to prepare for futureenergy scenarios, the time to act is now.

Residents at The Rose GardenExtracare village in Hereford are setto make significant energy savings,

thanks to an 80-kilowatt solar energysystem installed by renewable energyspecialist Eco2Solar.

The major investment by FestivalHousing, owners of The Rose Garden, isexpected to save each resident around£80 per year on their energy bills, as wellas providing 33.5 tonnes of carbonsavings per year.

Kidderminster based Eco2Solar wasselected as project installer to manageFestival’s biggest solar panel installation todate at The Rose Garden, following acompetitive tendering process.

The Rose Garden system comprises245 Sunpower E20/333 panels and is expected to produce more than 67,042 units of ‘green’ energy every year– equivalent to the annual electricity use of20 average households. All electricitygenerated will be used on site, helping toreduce service charges for residents livingat The Rose Garden.

Festival Housing will also benefit fromthe government-backed Feed in Tariff (FIT)and is expecting to generate a significantsum in tax-free income.

“Eco2Solar worked hard andefficiently to ensure The Rose Gardensolar PV installation was a complete

success, with littledisruption for ourresidents,” commentedSimon Williams,maintenance managerat Festival Housing.

He said:“Festival’s residentswill benefit hugelyfrom these new solarpanels as they will seea significant reductionin their energy billsthrough their servicecharge.

“We alreadyregularly install solar panels on ourdomestic properties but this has beenFestival’s biggest solar panel project sofar. Over the lifetime of the panels, thesystem will pay for itself accounting forboth the Feed-in-Tariff income and thesavings created from the electricitygeneration.”

As part of its on-going partnershipwith Festival Housing, Eco2Solar hasrecently completed solar PV installationson 180 domestic homes located inWorcestershire and Herefordshire.

“We are delighted to strengthen ourpartnership and help Festival generate itsown electricity at The Rose Garden,”commented Paul Hutchens, managing

director of Eco2Solar.He added: “It’s fantastic to see

residents at The Rose Garden benefit fromFestival’s investment in solar PV especiallyat a time when energy prices are gettingsignificantly higher.”

The Rose Garden offers an innovativeapproach to retirement living aimed at theover 55s. Built in 2008, the £15 milliondevelopment is made up of one and twobedroom apartments and boasts a widerange of facilities including fitness gymand spa pool, restaurant and bar, hairsalon and well-being centre.

For more information visitwww.eco2solar.co.ukOr visit www.festivalhousing.org

SOLAR POWER IS BLOOMINGMARVELLOUS FOR RESIDENTS

Selectaglaze, the UK’s leadingdesigner of secondary glazingsystems has reissued guidance

literature on Energy Saving that isparticularly relevant to the very largenumber of period buildings with singleglazed windows.

Our buildings account for 40% of thecountry’s carbon emissions and designersmust seek to reduce this if the UK is toachieve its carbon reduction commitment.

Selectaglaze has designed a range oftightly engineered secondary glazingsystems that will effectively eliminatedraughts and, when used with low

emissivity glass, will reduce heat loss byup to 60%.

The guidance literature will be of interest to architects, building surveyors, energy consultants andcontractors dealing with a range ofprojects including inner city housingconversion schemes, educationalestablishments, hotels and offices.

All literature is free upon request from the Marketing Department on 01727 837271 or via the company’scomprehensive website:www.selectaglaze.co.uk

GUIDANCE LITERATUREFOR ENERGY SAVING INPERIOD BUILDINGS


LOOKING INTO THE ENERGY FUTURE

ENERGY


economy, also encompassing themaximum possible phase-out of toxicmaterials, renewable energy and waterusage, social fairness and the protectionof ecosystems.

The core philosophy behind theCradle to Cradle approach is really verysimple. Do good, be fair, and realize thatyou’re part of something bigger.Essentially businesses are prompted to asktough, basic questions about theirproducts and production processes, andfind out which toxic or non-recyclablematerials can be phased out, what willhappen with their products at the end ofuse, and how to take back their materialsagain via either biological or technicalcycles, striving for effectiveness (what isthe right thing to do?) and then efficiency(how is the best way to do it?). Theultimate result will be a world wherepeople can feel good about consuming,because, just as in nature, no materialsare ever wasted.

Can it be done? Of course it can, andthe UK has all the potential to make it

happen sooner than you might think. Withits culture of innovation, and alreadyperforming well in recycling, a further shiftto a circular economy would definitely beachievable. Again, the incentive isphenomenal. According to analysis fromMcKinsey for the Ellen MacArthurFoundation, a transition to the circulareconomy would save the UK economy upto 1.1 billion USD annually – as well asreduce annual greenhouse gas emissionsby up to 7.4 million tonnes – in food

waste alone. The same report shows thatthe EU manufacturing sector overall wouldrealise net materials cost savings worth upto 630 billion USD per annum.

Shifting to a circular economy modelon a global scale would effectively renderthe waste to energy model a thing of thepast, as our industrial system would notonly be efficient, but also effective.

Let’s face it. We love our materialworld – so let’s make it last, and let’smake it better.

ENERGY


The concept of ‘energy fromwaste’ has become anincreasingly used term for agrowing segment in today’senergy market. Also referred to

as ‘energy recovery’, or ‘conversiontechnology’ – which includes plasma,gasification and pyrolysis – energy fromwaste (or waste to energy) is a processwhere energy is created in the form ofelectricity or heat, essentially generated bythe elimination of waste.

Modern ‘energy from waste’ plantsare able to reduce the volume of theoriginal waste by up to 95-96%,depending upon its composition and theextent to which recyclable materials, suchas metals, can be recovered from the ash.In fact, some of these technologies areable to produce energy from wastewithout direct combustion, and many havethe potential to produce even moreelectric power from the same amount offuel than would be possible by directcombustion. It is a big shift away frommany incinerators of the past, whichrecovered no energy at all.

The key argument in favour of the concept is obviously that itsimultaneously gets rid of something wedon’t want while saving tonnes of wastefrom going to landfill, and also reducingthe world’s reliance on fossil fuels.Instead, it turns waste into something ofgreat value: power.

At the outset, it certainly sounds likean appealing idea. It has in fact caughton so well that countries such as the UK,Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden andDenmark now have more capacity toincinerate than waste to burn, resulting inwaste being shipped all over Europe. Andeven today, new plants are being plannedor under construction.

A reality remains, however, that manywaste to energy operations emit highlevels of CO2 – the main climate-warminggas – and other pollutants such asnitrogen oxides (NO), sulphur dioxide(SO2), heavy metals and dioxins whichsubsequently end up in the air we breatheand find their way into land and water.

There’s no doubt that the industry willcontinue to invest millions into researchand development to improve theseprocesses to become ever more energy-efficient, yielding more electricity or by-products, with lower levels of pollution. Butdo we really want to be involved incausing health problems to communities,adding to global warming and creating

emissions that contain toxic acids,pollutants and slag that containdangerous levels of heavy materials in the first place?

Moreover, even if the elements ofpollution could eventually be phased outentirely, let’s consider the lost opportunity.Many of the products being destroyedhave been made from valuable materialsthat required effort and expense to extractand make. The cost of producing thesegoods included billions of pounds’ worthof material assets. When these things aredestroyed, their material value is goneforever. Are we really doing the right thing in systematically destroying resourcesthat might be desperately needed byfuture generations?

Let’s take a look at what’s reallyhappening in the waste to energy model.What companies are essentially doing isspending millions of funding on amachine that will annually destroyenormous quantities of valuable resourcesin return for a certain amount of energy,while there are so many cheaper, cleanerand more efficient ways to generate thesame levels of energy. Not only that, butwe have accepted the fact that we have topay to dispose of these raw materials.

Take the example of copper.Incineration slag in Germany containsabout 13,000 tonnes of copper per year,representing a value of around 40 millionpounds sterling. The USA could save 1.2 billion dollars just by properlyrecycling aluminium cans. It’s a clearreality that business has a tremendousincentive to turn this waste to energyconcept around and reap significantfinancial as well as social benefits from itswaste material, rather than just acomparatively small amount of energy.

With material scarcity becoming anincreasing problem – and especially thescarcity of rare earth minerals – there hasto be a better way than this traditionallinear economy of make, use, dispose.The good news is: there is.

Consider the processes of the naturalworld. Nature doesn’t create any waste.Trees cycle water and make oxygen, thenshed their leaves and fruit, which in turnbecome nutrients for the surrounding soil.Ants and worms then redistribute thenutrients through the soil, providing foodfor future seasons. Not a thing is wasted.Isn’t there something we can learn fromthat? The conclusion has to be that innature, things are not just efficient, butalso effective.

An industrial concept that takesinspiration from the natural ecosystem isthe circular economy model. According tothe principles of the circular economymodel, waste is fully designed out andmaterials flow in endless cycles – eitherbiological or technical. When a productreaches the end of its useful life, it is taken back, disassembled back to itsoriginal quality materials and remade into a new, more efficient upgradedversion of that same product, or anotherhigh quality product.

The key condition is that the quality ofthe new generation product is of the sameor higher quality than the previousgeneration, dubbed as ‘upcycling’. This isas opposed to the more common processof ‘downcycling’ where the quality of amaterial reduces over time.

In a circular economy, fabrics give uspleasure as garments and then becomesources of nourishment for the soil in ourgardens when their purpose is exhausted.Factories produce goods and services thatendlessly re-circulate the same technicalmaterials in order to make upgradedproducts instead of dumping, burning orburying them.

Such a system makes perfect businesssense. We know for a fact that the price ofraw materials will continue to go up everyyear, in time even outweighing labour costand significantly influencing the bottomline. If materials could be properlyreturned to their original quality rawmaterial over and over again, this wouldresult in a much higher commercial valuethan could ever be generated in terms ofenergy from waste, turning materialscarcity into an economic windfall.

What it ultimately comes down to isinnovation and design. Companies needto design products for re-use in the firstplace, knowing exactly what’s in theirproducts, as well as keeping track ofwhere they are, so they can take back theproduct at the end of its useful life and putthe logistics and recycling facilities inplace to do so.

One circular economy model that hasseen considerable success worldwide isCradle to Cradle, endorsed by profitablecompanies such as Aveda, Herman Millerand Desso, with whom EMG has workedright from the beginning of their Cradle toCradle journey in 2008. Developed byAmerican architect William McDonoughand German scientist Michael Braungart,the Cradle to Cradle model goes farbeyond the recycling element of a circular

WASTING THE WASTE Example: Flooring manufacturer

DaanElffers

Drs. Daan Elffers is a certified Cradleto Cradle® consultant with EMG CSRConsultancy trained by Michael Braungartand EPEA in Hamburg. EMG is a leadinginternational CSR and sustainabilitymanagement consultancy for profit andgrowth from CSR. Founded in theNetherlands in 2004, EMG now hasoffices in London and Cambridge and is amember of the UK Sustainable InvestmentForum (UKSIF). For specific case studiesabout businesses that have successfullytransformed their sustainability values and

ambitions into tangible,profitable results please visittheir website www.emg-csr.comDaan Elffers can be emailedat [email protected]

In April, EMG will bespeaking and exhibiting atSustainabilityLive inBirmingham (16-18 April 2013), the UK’spremier event for sustainable business. Formore information on this event, visitwww.sustainabilitylive.com

ENERGY


The Government strategydesigned to significantly reduceUK carbon emissions by the mid-century recognises that hot waterand heating systems are major

energy users. Accordingly, individualenergy users are being activelyencouraged to make greater use ofrenewable energy sources to help meetthis energy need.

There are a number of renewableenergy systems which can be used inconjunction with hot water and heating.Most renewable energy is either variablein output, for example solar, or low grade,such as heat pumps. The objective is toharvest these outputs when appropriate,store the energy and use when required.Hot water storage is the enablingtechnology and is essential whenmaximising the gains from renewableenergy sources.

Heat pumps utilise low grade heatfrom the ground, includingrivers and lakes, or from theair, and transfer it to anoutput of highertemperature. This outputtemperature can be as highas 80°C but typically is lowerat about 50 to 60°C.However, it is sufficient to beused in central heatingsystems and can, therefore,make a useful contribution tothe generation of domestichot water.

Because heat pumps havelower outputs than gas or oilboilers, heat exchanger coilperformance is usuallyenhanced to provide betterheat transfer and thereforelower return temperature. Thisenhancement usually involvesincreasing the coil volume andsurface area to achieve acloser match to therequirements of the heat pump.It should be noted that thecharacteristics of different heatpumps should be taken into

consideration when specifying hot waterstorage systems, especially with regard toheat exchanger performance.

Plate heat exchangers can be alsospecified to close tolerances to match therequirements of specific heat pumps.

Solar thermal systems also require hotwater storage to turn solar gain into usefulenergy. Solar panels will heat a fluidwhich, in turn, helps to contribute towardshot water generation utilising a secondheat exchanger – usually a coil – situatedin the lower part of a cylinder or tank.Specific guidance regarding sizing of thesesystems and risk assessment is easilyaccessed through the HWA web site.

In addition to the above, wood pelletburners, log burning appliances and other schemes such as hydro electricityand micro generation benefit from

Government assistanceand utilise some form of storage.

Governmentassistance for thesetechnologies is availablefor commercialinstallations through theRenewable Heat Incentivewhich pays a tariffdepending on thetechnology used and theamount of measured heatit provides. The RHI willbe extended to thedomestic sector fromSummer 2013.

In the interim,Renewable Heat PremiumPayments can be appliedfor to offset the cost ofthese technologies.Payments are for a fixedsum dependant on thetechnology chosen.

A number of thesetechnologies will be “eligiblemeasures” under the Green

Deal, to be introduced in

October 2012.The GreenDeal provideslow cost, longterm financefor these measures, repayments beingattached to the property’s electricity bill.Either open vented or unvented cylinderscan be used with the above systems, andHWA members will be happy to advise onspecific requirements.

Thermal store systems, where hotwater is generated indirectly by using thestore of water to transfer heat via a coil orplate heat exchanger to incoming coldmains water, offer an alternative methodof integrating renewable energy into hotwater and heating systems. Where thermalstores demand a higher store temperaturethan heat pumps alone can achieve theycan be supplemented with inputs fromother appliances such as biomass or solar.The advantage of a thermal store systemis that it can also act as a buffer store forthe heating system, enabling fast heat upof radiators and excellent loading on theheat pump.

Whatever system is chosen, dueattention must be paid to low temperaturesystems to ensure that the Legionalla risk is eliminated. In practice this meansthat an electric immersion heater can beutilised to thermally sterilise the water atgiven periods. Of course, other heatinputs as already described may ensurethat the stored water is kept appropriatelyhot, and any energy input from animmersion heater is thus minimised. Some systems may also require bufferstorage to assist with space heating as aload leveller.

Certification requirements applyregarding both system efficiency andinstallation and HWA, through itsconstituent members, is a valued source ofinformation and advice. Tel/Fax: 01274 583355 Email: [email protected]

MAXIMISING ENERGYEFFICIENCY WITH HOT WATERSTORAGE AND RENEWABLEENERGY SYSTEMS

Geoff Egginton, a Director ofThe Hot Water Association

The Public Sector Sustainability Association (PSSA) brings together a wide group of people working across all parts of the public sector – who have a common interest in the field of sustainability.

We provide up to date information to help members developand deliver sustainable solutions in their organisations.

Free to join public sector onlynetwork

www.pssa.info

Turn to the secure networkinghub for environmental issuesin the public sector

SUSTAINABILITYISSUES?

win, win situation for theEnvironment agency.

For further informationon the Vivreau V20 andnew Vi Tap please visitwww.vivreau.com or call0845 674 9655.

The Vivreau LinkLine system filtersand purifies water before distributing it tovarious beverage points throughout thebuilding. In the case of the EnvironmentAgency, it included both V20 points aswell as a bottling system. As Stuartexplains, it has significantly improved theoffering: “The Vivreau LinkLine system inassociation with the V20 taps has vastlyenhanced our offering. As the V20 tapsoffer both boiling and chilled water, staffcan use the same equipment for hot andcold drinks and withboiling water alwaysavailable, there isless waiting around forthe kettle to boil or theboiler to reachtemperature.”

The V20 taps havenot just provided anenvironmental benefit,but also a health andsafety one as well:“With our old systemwe had a number ofincidents of scalding,which alwayshad to berecorded in theaccident book. Since the V20 has been installed, there have been noincidents to date”

And, in a company where thenegative effects of water is at the top ofeveryone’s agenda, either through issueson flooding or drought, it is good to seethe positive aspects coming to the fore:

“Because of the V20 taps, which lookand work fantastically well, it is noticeablethat more staff are drinking waterthroughout the day, with many filling theirown reusable bottles through the V20 tapsand taking them back to their desk.”

With a well-hydrated workforce, beinga more productive one, Vivreau provides a

When it came to procurement forthe environment agency’s newfacility, it should come as no

surprise that sustainability was at the topof the agenda. As Stuart Kotchie, ProgramManager at the Environment Agency, andthe person responsible for the smoothdelivery of the new venue comments: “Ouraim was to produce a commerciallyviable, sustainable building, where wetried to use local contractors whereverpossible, and were also conscious ofcarbon footprints and the geographicallocation of our suppliers.”

A café bar in the main atrium area,run by Baxter Storey, caters for thesubsistence requirements of staff, whilst an additional nine beverage pointsaround the building provide facilities forhot and cold drinks throughout the day. Itis within this area that one of the biggestchanges was made in the new building,when the decision was taken to moveaway from bottled water and boilers, tosomething more environmentally friendly,as Stuart explains: “When we looked atthe catering provision within the newbuilding we worked closely with aspecialist consultant who recommendedthat we take a look at the Vivreau systemas a way to reduce both physical wasteand to reduce energy consumption.Following a review of the system and asite survey we took the decision to install aLinkLine system, nine V20 taps and oneTable Water Bottling System, which islargely used for hospitality.”

currently recycling 54% of their waste. Thisis the highest recycling rate in the UK andan achievement of which I am very proud.

In education we are investing in ourchildren’s future through our support forearly years. This investment is aimed atlevelling the playing field for children fromall backgrounds because we want to helpall our young people to prosper.

And we have also invested in thenation’s long term health with our policyof free prescriptions.

We are now going a step further withproposals for ground breaking legislationon sustainable development, and I waspleased to launch our White paper “ASustainable Wales – Better Choices for aBetter Future” in December.

At the end of last year, I also attended the climate change summit inDoha where I announced our intention tointroduce our SD Bill on a world stage. Acountry may be small but it can be smartand far sighted.

The Welsh public service is alignedbehind the common goal of making theright choices for Wales now and for yearsto come, and organisations are alreadytaking positive steps towards embeddingsustainable development. Building on this,we want a stronger governanceframework across the public service inWales, with sustainable development at itsheart. Wales will become one of theleading countries in the world followingRio+20 to take action on sustainabledevelopment by putting in place a legalrequirement for all public servicesorganisations in Wales, including healthboards, Local Authorities, the fire service,police, and education institutions, to makesustainable development their centralorganising principle. This will mean agreater focus on considering economic,social and environmental and long termeffects when making strategic decisions.The Bill will also see the creation of a newindependent Sustainable DevelopmentBody to support organisations acrossWales on this innovative and excitingjourney and improvements will be madeto the accountability arrangements for

Sustainable Development in Wales. Ouraim is not tick-box compliance, and wewon’t be adding unnecessarily to theburden of bureaucracy.

Over the last two years we haveengaged with our stakeholders acrossWales, and have consulted twice on theproposals for the Bill. I have also had theopportunity to visit the recent Rio+20summit to share our proposals withinternational leaders. The consultationended earlier this month, and itsencouraging to know that so many peopletook the time to get involved by attendingevents and / or responding to theconsultation. Their input is now helping toshape this significant legislation as wemove to introduce the Bill to the NationalAssembly for Wales later this year.

In these tough times public servicesare facing various challenges, which meanthat we need to improve the way in whichwe deliver those services so that theybecome more effective in improvingoutcomes and providing a better future forpeople in Wales.

The Bill will put Wales on a strongerfooting to deal with the challenges that weface. We cannot tackle these challengesalone, collaborating and working togetherto find the best solutions is a key part ofour approach to sustainable developmentin Wales. Within Government we haveidentified the outcomes that Wales shouldwork towards and the priority areas foraction. These outcomes will only beachieved by developing a shared purposeand shared delivery, which is why weextended the legislation to cover publicservice organisations in Wales. The WelshGovernment itself will need to be anexemplar in adhering to the duty and wewill be among the first to have the dutyimposed upon us.

This is a long term change which will need everyone to embark on a shared journey, where we share theresponsibility for defining and deliveringthis future for Wales.

For more Welsh Government newsvisit: www.wales.gov.uk/news

In a global economy I see those placeswhich will prosper in the future to bethose which are most successful in

achieving true sustainability.The Welsh Government is committed

to ensuring the best possible future forWales and I believe that sustainabledevelopment is the right path to achievethis. A sustainable development approachpromotes economic, social andenvironmental wellbeing and enhancespeople’s quality of life, both now and inthe long term.

We want a Wales where communitiesare safe, sustainable, and attractive places for people to live and work. We want healthy, productive people;vibrant, inclusive communities; a diverseand resilient environment and anadvanced and innovative economy. To achieve this we need to design andbuild organisations, infrastructure andpublic services that will serve us for thelong term, and are affordable to run and maintain.

Here in Wales we have big ambitions,and although we are a small country wecan take the lead and set examples onhow to create sustainable places.

We were the first UK country tointroduce a mandatory charge for carrierbags. Not only has this reduced bag useby up to 96% in some retail sectors inWales, it has also seen thousands ofpounds from bag sales being passeddirectly to good causes. The bag chargehas delivered some real benefits for ourlocal communities and for Wales’ beautifullandscape. It is a small change but itsymbolises our commitment not to be a‘throw-away’ society. Our recycling ratesare also increasing with people in Wales


PUBLIC SECTOR SUSTAINABILITY


JOHN GRIFFITHS, MINISTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABLEDEVELOPMENT AT THE WELSHGOVERNMENT DETAILS PLANS FOR A SUSTAINABLE WALES

John Griffiths AM,Minister for ESD

The Environment Agency’s new purposebuilt head office in Bristol is home to someof the organisation’s key departments.From Flood and Coastal Risk Managementthrough to the National Incident Team, it isthe hub for national support functions such as HR, Finance and IT.

Environment Agencyturn to Vivreau forsustainable alternative

SUSTAINABILITY LIVE 2013

Micronics Ltd will be exhibiting theircomprehensive range of “clamp-on” ultrasonic Liquid flow, Heat

and Energy flow meters for industry andcommerce including the NEW PF440Portable “clamp-on” flow meter, whichextends the scope of Micronics simple tooperate PF330/220 portable range with arugged enclosure, flow sensor guiderailssuitable for external applications andincreased logging capacity. Micronics fullrange of simple to install and accurate flowmeasurement solutions will be on showincluding:

A comprehensive range of PortableTransit time and Doppler instruments forclean or dirty, contaminated liquid flowmeasurement as you would expect from theleading UK manufacturer of portable“clamp-on” instruments. Micronicsportables have always been regarded asthe simplest to set-up and operate and thisessential feature for portable instrumentshas been maintained throughout the rangewith great success.

A wide range of Fixed Transit time andDoppler “clamp-on” flow meters for HeatMeter and Liquid flow measurementincluding the unique U1000, factory preset,“clamp-on” alternative to traditional in-line

lamps with LED equivalents in the existingfittings, it’s possible to cut energy usedramatically and extend lamp lifespan toas much as 50,000 hours.

Energys’s Boiler Optimisers will also beon show at NEMEX. Designed to improvethe efficiency of your boiler, withoutaffecting the temperature of the building,these intelligent boiler controls cut fuelconsumption by 15–30% and will generatesavings even in very cold weather and withboilers under heavy load.

Energys’s retrofit solutions have beenproven to drive down energy bills to suchan extent that the company is also able tooffer customers attractive financing optionswhere the financing payments areguaranteed to be less than the savingsgenerated.

Visitors to NEMEX can find out more about Energys lease arrangements.Via a lease arrangement, the customer can unlock instant savings on energy costs, but no capital investment is requiredto install the equipment, and the debt

remains ‘off balance sheet’.Kevin Cox, Technical Director of

Energys Group, comments: “Energys pridesitself on providing a complete carbon-reduction package. Not only do we supplyproven technologies, we also offerfinancing options and long-term customercare. Energys experts will be on hand atNEMEX to explain the extended warranties,turn-key packages and long-termmaintenance solutions that set us apartfrom our competitors.”www.energysgroup.comwww.saveiteasy.co.uk

Hot and Cold watermeters. And the U4000now established asMicronics’s “clamp-on”fixed meter solution forlarger Building Servicesand Industrialapplicationsincorporating the latestdigital ultrasonicmeasurement technologyto provide easier set-upand commissioning withenhanced accuracy andreliability in operation.Savings of up to 90%have been established forfixed meter installationsin comparison to traditional in-linemeter installations!

So if you need to know what'shappening through investigationwith a temporary, portable solutionor need a permanent flow or heatmeasurement/metering solution a“clamp-on” alternative is a mustconsider option! And the first stepis to visit Micronics atwww.micronicsflowmeters.comor Nemex Stand F55.

Specialist in low carbon retrofittechnologies, Energys Group, will beexhibiting its full range of energy-

saving devices, including award-winning T5and LED lighting upgrades and intelligentboiler controls, at NEMEX stand L20.

Repeat exhibitor Energys hasestablished itself as a leading provider of‘best in breed’ energy-efficienttechnologies, offering supply, fit and long-term maintenance for all of its well-provenlow-carbon solutions. Boiler optimisationdevices and low-energy lighting upgradesheadline its selection of retrofit measures tocut carbon and reduce energy expenditure.

Energys’s T5 lighting converter, Save ItEasy®, which allows low-energy fluorescentlamps to be slotted into the existing lightingfittings, is already an award-winningmarket leader. Energys is now opening upnew possibilities for retrofit LED lighting.

LED replacements are available forvirtually all existing light fittings includingfluorescent lamps, 2D lamps, metal halide,SON lamps etc. By replacing outdated

Energy-efficient lighting and boiler upgrades

Micronics exhibit leading edge “clamp-on”Liquid flow and Heat Meter measurement

PUBLIC SECTOR SUSTAINABILITY • VOLUME 3 ISSUE 2 27

SUSTAINABILITY LIVE 2013

Sustainability Live returns to the NEC,Birmingham on 16-18 April 2013.Comprising three shows – NEMEX

energy Live, IWEX water Live and the brandnew EfW EXPO energy from waste Live –this unique event will showcase the latestproducts and services from leadingcompanies to thousands of industry visitors.

In addition to a broad mix ofexhibitors, each show will be running CPD-accredited seminar programmes.There are hundreds of seminars to choosefrom, featuring expert speakers offeringinsight and advice into the latest industrydevelopments, as well as showcasing newinnovations across the energy, water andenergy from waste sectors.

Donna Bushell, Event Director atSustainability Live, said: “There is so much on offer at Sustainability Live, makingit a must-attend event for professionalsacross the energy, water and energy fromwaste industries looking to network withlike-minded individuals and source thelatest product and services information tokeep their organisation at the leading edgeof innovation.”

All shows and seminars are free toattend and located together so visitors canfind everything they need under one roof.

NEMEX ENERGY LIVE The theme of this year’s NEMEX energy

Live is New Energy ManagementExcellence. Responding to the ever-changing marketplace, the show will focuson building energy management systems(BEMS), energy efficiency and innovativeenergy management – from lighting tobuilding fabrics and software to solar.

Reflecting the issues and opportunitiesfacing our sector today, the openingsession of the NEMEX energy Live seminars,is on Energy Policy, featuring a presentationfrom the Association for the Conservationof Energy on the Government’s EnergyEfficiency Strategy, whilst the DECC sessionis on the Energy Bill and its current statusfollowing its introduction into Parliamentlast November. Other organisations in theseminar programme include KiWi Power,British Gas, OfGem, the Energy NetworksAssociation, Energy Team, Siemens andNEF. Amongst the many topics beingdiscussed are: Behavioural Change,PV/Solar, the Green Deal and EnergyManagement Standards.

NEMEX energy Live is sponsored by

Schneider Electric which willshowcase its EcoStruxure andStruxureWare solutions on standM10. Schneider will present inthe Building EnergyManagement Systems sessionand take part in a Supply Chain and Procurement seminar, both onThursday 18th April.

NEMEX this year has attracted industryleading exhibitors including BusinessStream, which has just reported that itexpects to save Glasgow City Council £1.3 million through its Gainshare schemethrough the life of its contract; BSI, CODELInternational and Worldview Learning willbe showing new initiatives; Micronics,whose meters were recently installed at alarge NHS hospital in Bedfordshire toimprove energy monitoring and efficiency,will display new products and EnergysGroup will show its full range of energysaving devices and talk about how its ‘SaveIt Easy’ low-energy lighting has helpedWest Sussex County Council to save 389tonnes of CO2. Other exhibitors include:NQA, Lucy Switchgear, powerPerfector, EIC,Utility Partnership, Stokvis Energy Systems,IMSERV and Marshall Tufflex.

IWEX WATER LIVEAt IWEX water Live the focus is on

sustainable water solutions, savings andbest practice. With high-level networkingand opportunities to engage with the bestpractitioners, the show represents a vitaldate in the water and wastewaterprofessional’s calendar.

A busy seminar programme will deliver high quality insight with sessionsfocused on some of the industry’s mostcrucial topics, including a presentation from AMEC in the Catchment AreaManagement session, Schneider Electricspeaking in the Energy Savings in Water &Wastewater seminar and a representativefrom Elster Metering discussing SmartWater Networks; both AECOM and UnitedUtilities Water Plc are presenting onSustainable Water Management.

IWEX will feature leading organisationsincluding T-T Pumps, ABB, Hydra ValveAdvanced Valve & Pipeline Solutions, British Water, KSB, Glasdon, Verder UK and Draeger Safety which is launching thenew Polytron 8000 flammable/toxic gasdetector series.

EFW ENERGY FROM WASTE LIVEFeaturing for the first time at

Sustainability Live, EfW EXPO also offers acomprehensive seminar programmereviewing the latest energy from wastemarket developments and combining thebest in thought leadership with practical,sustainable solutions. Topics coveredinclude – Landfill Gas Generation, Bio-fuels, Feedstock, Anaerobic Digestion &Biogas and RDF & SRF (Refuse Derived /Solid Recovered Fuels).

Highlights of the EfW seminarprogramme include Walker Morris,speaking in the Policy Drivers andLegislation session; Aqua Enviro, PROjENand Clearfleau presenting on AnaerobicDigestion & BioGas; Scottish WaterHorizons at the Feedstock session; andWRAP and Advanced Plasma Power onRefuse Derived & Solid Recovered Fuels.Other speakers include Veolia, NQA, REA,SITA, EDF and SERCO.

Amongst the exhibitors, Netzsch Pumps& Systems will show its TORNADO rotarylobe pumps range; and CAD-Schroer issupporting green energy providers byoffering qualifying visitors a 70% discounton its MPDS4 3D plant engineeringsoftware.

ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY AWARDSThe well-established Environment and

Energy Awards, celebrating excellence andinnovation from private and public sectorbusinesses and technology providers takesplace on the first evening of the event(Tuesday 16th April) at the NationalMotorcycle Museum.

For up-to-date show news, latestspeaker information and details on how toregister for free visitor entry, visitwww.sustainabilitylive.com


Sustainability Live 2013 The ultimate event for the UK’s energy, water and energy from waste industries

PRODUCT SHOWCASE

Flooring specialist Tarkett sent lessthan one per cent of its waste tolandfill in 2012 according to figures

recently released by the company.In total the company recycled more

than 500 tonnes of the waste produced at its UK manufacturing facility in Lenham, Kent.

Tarkett has long been a pioneer ofsustainable flooring, having introduced itsfirst recycling initiatives back in 1957.

David Jenner, production director atTarkett, said: “We take recycling andsustainability very seriously at Tarkett soI’m proud to be able to announce suchimpressive figures.

“We’ve worked hard to introducerecycling procedures that were easy tofollow and maintain and it’s paiddividends.

“It shows our commitment to recyclingand sustainability beyond just the costsaving initiatives.”

As well as recycling, Tarkett hasinstalled energy meters to map usage andreduce consumption. This has resulted inold, high consumption equipment beingreplaced and new energy efficient lighting

than clear glazing.The XLS rapid link modular glazing

systems, which are speciallymanufactured by Xtralite for each project,removed the need for cutting orfabrication on site, significantly reducinginstallation times.

Steve Harris from HCC's BuildingManagement Department said, “Withmore pressure on the County Councilresources, it was essential within theroofing project that as well as creating awell insulated building that we alsoprovided a welcoming and comfortableatmosphere for users as we continue toimprove the quality of our Libraries toHertfordshire residents. The use of theLumira™ aerogel was essential to ensurewe provided glare free, full spectrumdiffused lighting which has provided amuch improved environment for learning”.

Neil Philips, Senior Building Surveyorfrom infrastructure and business servicesGroup Mouchel, said: “In keeping withour specification, The Xtralite team createda series of bespoke rooflights withfenestration that replicated the originals,so as to preserve the historicalappearance of the building. Theyremained on hand to offer their support

and expertise throughout the project.”Jim Lowther, Sales Director at Xtralite

Rooflights, added: “We were delighted towork with Hertfordshire County Councilvia Mouchel on the refurbishment ofLetchworth Library. This is a great exampleof how seeking manufacturer advice earlyin a project enables us to deliver cost-effective, high quality, bespoke rooflightsolutions which meet customerrequirements while significantly reducinginstallation time.”

For more details about XtraliteRooflights or any of its products, call +44 (0) 1670 354157, visitwww.xtralite.co.uk or [email protected]

being installed.Kent County

Council hasalready given thechanges itsstamp ofapproval.

David said:“We’ve madesome excellentphysical changesto the site’sinfrastructure toimprove itsenvironmentalcompliance.

“The localcouncil whichoversees our IPPC permit has given usvery positive auditing feedback.”

This year the company, whichmanufactures two million square metres offlooring per year, aims to maintain its zerowaste to landfill approach and recyclemore of its oil by-products.

David said: “Every year we look atwhat we can do to ensure we continue toproduce one of the most sustainable

flooring products on the market so havesome ambitious plans for 2013.”

Reusable waste includeshomogeneous and heterogeneous vinyl,luxury vinyl tiles, PVC sports floors,welding rods and roll. Tarkett can evensupply a certificate confirming the amountof waste that was recycled.

For more information call TarkettCustomer Services Department on 01622854040 or email [email protected]

Xtralite Rooflights Ltd, the UK’s largestproducer of rooflights, has helpedreinvigorate a Hertfordshire library.

Xtralite’s market leading S-LinePyramid rooflights and interlocking XLSrapid link polycarbonate modular glazingsystem have been installed within the flatroof of Letchworth Library during arefurbishment of the facility.

The project benefited from the use ofXtralite’s products and the expertknowledge of its team after HertfordshireCounty Council's consultant Moucheldemanded a high quality rooflight solutionfor the library.

The Pyramid style lights,complemented by rows of Xtralite’s made-to-measure light weight aluminium-framed XLS rapid link modular glazingsystems, ensured that the available roofspace was utilised in the most efficient waypossible to deliver optimum levels ofnatural light to the rooms below.

Xtralite manufactured the Pyramidstyle rooflights with Lumira™ aerogel(formerly known as nanogel). Lumira is aprime diffusing glazing material known forits excellent insulation qualities and low Uvalue, in line with Part L of the BuildingRegulations, and is far easier to maintain

Tarkett saves tonnes


PRODUCT SHOWCASE

At the recent Glasstec show Tremco illbruck ushered in a newera of environmentally friendly

sealant technology with the launch ofTremco JS900, a high performance

secondary sealant for use in dual-sealedinsulating glass units.

Based on the latest hybrid polymertechnology, JS900 is a two-componentproduct that contains no solvents,

isocyanates or heavymetals, making it safe touse and harmless in theenvironment.

Besides itsenvironmental benefits,the new hybridtechnology produces asealant that exceeds theperformance of existingproducts, with excellentmechanical propertiesand superior durability.

JS900 delivers rapidadhesion to a widerange of substrates,allowing its use with allcommercially availablespacers and glass types.

The new mixing ratioof 6:1 ensures very easymixing of the two

components and the formulation’s highmixing tolerance ensures optimum resultsevery time.

“JS900 is a completely new sealantand it shows the way forward for futureproduct developments” comments StuartPeet, Tremco illbruck Technical Sales forthe UK and Ireland.

“It contains none of the hazardoussubstances usually contained inPolysulphide and polyurethane productsand is therefore much safer to use for theoperators and much safer for theenvironment.

“Users will find that it’s easy to useand pleasant to work with, beingcompletely odourless, but the key thingsare that along with all these health andsafety and environmental benefits, there isless waste produced, it is smooth mixingand it goes off quickly”.

Launched in October at the Glasstec2012 exhibition in Dusseldorf, TremcoJS900 is now available throughoutEurope. Tel: 01942 251400 Email: [email protected]


The future’s green with Tremco JS900

Xtralite lights up Letchworth Library

The product information in the RIBANBS Plus library is written asNational Building Specification (NBS)

clauses and can be consulted or copiedfreely. This makes specification a quickand easy process for various Recticelproducts, including Eurothane GP,Eurodeck, Powerdeck B, Powerdeck F,Eurothane Silver, Eurowall Cavity,Eurothane PL and PlyLok. Details for theseproducts can now be downloaded anddropped directly into a specification.

Part of the International Recticel Group – one of the world’s largest

producers of PIR insulation products –Recticel Insulation offers a comprehensiverange of PIR insulation products forroofing, flooring and wall applications.Backed by the company’s extensivetechnical support services these productsare designed to provide customers with abetter way to create the optimuminsulation solution for their project.

Full details of all Recticel products canalso be found athttp://www.recticelinsulation.co.ukVisitors can find links to product datasheets, case studies, product images.certifications, application information plusguidance on subjects such as the Code forSustainable Homes.

Recticel product details now available for download via NBS PlusSpecifying Recticelinsulation products iseasier than ever beforenow they have beenlisted in the RIBA NBSPlus library, makingtheir details areavailable to architectsand specifiers at theclick of a button:

PRODUCT SHOWCASEPRODUCT SHOWCASE

At the request of major customers,Leafield Environmental haslaunched a new triple lid option for

its successful Meridian Envirobin.The initial concept for the unique

recycling bin came from a collaborationbetween Leafield Environmental and theUniversity of Greenwich, the greenestUniversity in the UK according to thegreen league published exclusively by theGuardian. The Meridian 110 litreEnvirobin was first designed to have a70/30 split lid with the larger aperturebeing for mixed recyclable waste in thethat would encourage students to thinktwice before choosing the landfill option.

The brief also required a slim bin witha flat back that could be placed against awall in corridors without causing

The second phase of OxfordUniversity’s Saïd Business School wascompleted in July 2012 and officially

opened in February 2013. The building’sstriking appearance features a range ofaluminium doors and windows fromcommercial systems specialist SmartArchitectural Aluminium, designedmanufactured and installed by AvdonBristol Limited, a Smart specialist partner.

Adjacent to Oxford’s railway stationand at the heart of a regeneration area ofthe city, phase two of the Business Schoolcontinues the design themes and valuesthat were established when the first phaseopened in 2001. Developed around acentral staircase, the new buildingprovides high quality facilities for executiveeducation and MBA students, including arange of lecture theatres, classrooms andmeeting facilities as well as a large clubroom and several dining areas.

With over 685m² of Smart’s systemsused across the building, the projectfeatures the company’s Superglide patiodoors and Visoline tilt & turn, casementwindows, doors and frames, all suppliedin a polyester powder coated grey finish toreflect the overall design scheme of thedevelopment.

A striking feature of the new building’sexternal façade is an 8.2 metre run ofSmart Visoglide sliding doors, installed in an unusual ‘zigzag’ formation, asMichael Trigg explains: “Not only does thiscreate a really interesting aesthetic, actingto shift the view from the inside of thebuilding towards the city of Oxford, butthe sliding doors also make the spaceextremely flexible, allowing easymovement between the club room and thelarge paved terrace.”

Elsewhere, Visoglide doors have alsobeen used to provide a similar feeling oflight and space to the meeting and diningrooms, some with access to external andothers to internal balcony areas.Continuing the design theme, the Visolinecasement and tilt & turn windows andsingle and Smart Wall double doors wereinstalled where possible without mullionsor transoms to accentuate the systems’slim lines. Finally an imposing Smart Walldouble door leads students, staff andvisitors from the building’s reception areato the central staircase and the impressivefacilities beyond.

The design, manufacture andinstallation of the door and windowsystems were all managed by Avdon

Bristol Limited, one of Smart’s specialistpartners, who worked in close partnershipwith Dixon Jones and main contractorChalegrove Properties Ltd to successfullydeliver the project. “We had an excellentrelationship with Avdon throughout theprocess - they took our design principlesand made sure they were translated to thewindow and door systems. The wholeprocess worked extremely well, and weare delighted with the end result”, saidMichael Trigg.

Eddie Robinson, Managing Director atSmart Architectural Aluminium said: “Wewere thrilled to have been involved in sucha prestigious development, for one of theworld’s leading academic institutions. Thiswas a truly collaborative project whichdelivered an outstanding building, onewhich we believe fits perfectly in thehistoric city of Oxford”.www.smartsystems.co.ukTel: 01934 876100.

obstruction but for situations where spaceis even more restricted, the need for threeseparate receptacles within the same binbecame evident.

The part lids lock together and are WRAP colour compliant. Each waste stream is further identified bylabelling and clear graphics on anintegral poster. Three waste bags fit neatlyinto the bin, each secured separately witha wire sack holder.

As John Bailey, Sustainability ProjectsOfficer at the University of Greenwichsaid, “With the Meridian Envirobin, clearlythree into one does go!”Tel: +44 (0) 1225 816500 Email: [email protected]

Three into One Does Go!Triple Lid Recycling Bin


Altro’s latest safety flooring systems offer the choice of adheredor adhesive-free flooring in a new

and varied palette of 42 colours, givingeven greater flexibility and a trulysustainable option.

Altro Walkway™ 20 and AltroXpressLay™ now share an enhancedpalette of 23 colours including plain andchipped options. New Altro WalkwayPlus™ and Altro XpressLay Plus™ bring anew dimension to the collections, and areideal for public locations. They share afresh, non-sparkle, non-industrial paletteof 19 new colours for a warmcontemporary look, even in large areas.

Specifiers can choose from the sharedcolour palettes, then decide whether toadhere the safety flooring in thetraditional manner or to loose lay it. Theycan also combine the ranges. The newcolour palettes have been designed tocomplement other Altro safety flooringranges including Altro Aquarius, AltroSuprema II and Altro Unity, plus AltroWhiterock wall cladding for a fullyintegrated system.

Altro Walkway is a hugely popular,hard-wearing 2mm safety flooringproviding lifelong slip and abrasionresistance. Additional benefits include PURcleanability plus superior chemical andindentation resistance, which contribute toexcellent product durability. Altro Walkwayboasts superior slip resistance, with resultsof 36 and above on the pendulum test

throughoutthe lifetimeof theproduct. It isalsoavailable ina staticdissipativeoption. AltroWalkwayPlus sharesall theseattributes,plus the newdimensionof sparkle-free, non-industrial colours taking it into new areas.

The Altro XpressLay system is theworld’s first adhesive-free safety floor and offers unrivalled sustainabilitycredentials. It contains recycled material,is 100% recyclable post-installation and can be lifted and reused after theinitial installation.

Altro XpressLay is a highly durable, slip-resistant 2mm safety floorwith PUR cleanability, ideal for highly-trafficked areas. It is installed using AltroLooseLay™ double-sided tape, which isspecially formulated to work with theunderside of the flooring, ensuringconformity with Altro’s 10 year warrantyfor peace of mind.

As well as its excellent environmentalcredentials, Altro XpressLay can save time

and money as it can be applied to ewconcrete floors with up to 97% relativehumidity and on problem surfaces such asexisting tiles or flaky paint. With surfacedamp-proof membrane needed and noadhesive to cure, the floor can be welded the same day and walked onstraight away.

Additionally, Altro XpressLay can be installed in applications where adhered safety flooring is inappropriate,such as historical and listed buildings. It is also ideal for temporary installationssuch as exhibitions or portacabins as itcan be easily removed, and reused, post-installation.

Altro XpressLay Plus shares all theseattributes, plus the new dimension ofsparkle-free, non-industrial colours takingit into new areas.

The Altro XpressLay system achievesthe highest possible BRE Global genericenvironment ratings of A+/A in the majorbuilding applications of Health, Education,Retail and Commercial (full details atwww.thegreenguide.org).www.altro.com

To glue or not to glue – colourfulgreen choices from Altro

Smart Solution for OxfordUniversity’s Saïd Business School

Polypipe, the UK’s largest plasticpiping systems manufacturer, hasbeen granted permission to highlight

its contribution to the construction of theLondon 2012 stadia and buildings,including the Olympic Stadium,Velodrome and Athletes Village.

Working with the various stakeholdersfrom an early stage, Polypipe suppliedalmost one million metres of plastic pipeand over two million fittings to theOlympic Park.

Polypipe supplied a number ofproduct systems for a variety ofapplications across the Olympic build,including six different systems for theAthletes Village alone. In particular itsrenowned Terrain above ground soil andwaste drainage systems were used by allof the major projects on the Park, andseveral innovative products weredeveloped specifically for the project.

One such innovation is TerrainFiretrap firesleeves, which achieved anever-seen-before 4-hour fire protectionfor above ground plastic drainage

systems; developed to meet the demandsof the Athletes Village.

Adam Turk, Polypipe Terrain’sCommercial Director added: “Polypipe isextremely proud of the role it has playedin the delivery of London 2012 projects.The opening ceremony highlighted theUK’s fantastic manufacturing heritage tothe world, and in turn the Britishconstruction industry showed its ability todeliver these landmark projects on timeand within budget, while continuouslypushing the boundaries insustainable construction.”

Polypipe’s contribution to London 2012 has previously beenrecognised by the ODA’s ‘LearningLegacy: Lessons Learned from theLondon 2012 Games Construction’report, and as part of the Plastics for Gold Exhibition at the Museum of Design in Plastics (MoDiP), which formed part of the Cultural Olympiad, celebratingplastic’s contribution.

Adam Turk continues: “We are

delighted that we have been approvedunder the Supplier Recognition Scheme,and can now talk more openly about our involvement in the construction of theOlympic Park. Moreover, we are reallypleased that we can now use our London 2012 experience, together withour world-class technical competence, towork on other key high profile projectssuch as this around the world.” Email:[email protected]/terrain

Polypipe one of the first to highlight its contribution toLondon 2012 under the Supplier Recognition Scheme


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