Energy Manager July/August 2018

JULY/AUGUST 2018

District Energy: A proven, lowcarbon, flexible heating solution

www.energymanagermagazine.co.uk

See page 28

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

8

10

34

Tomorrow’s office, today

Why collaborating on energy will benefit us all

Rinnai continuous flow & solar panels at Peckforton Castle

FRONT COVER STORY: District Energy: A proven, low-carbon, flexible heating solution See Page 28 www.met-i.co.uk

JULY/AUGUST 2018

PUBLISHER: Ralph Scrivens ralph@energymanagermagazine.co.uk PRODUCTION: Sarah Daviner sarah@energymanagermagazine.co.uk ACCOUNTS: accounts@energymanagermagazine.co.uk PRINT: Mixam Print

ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE is published 10 times a year

by Energy Manager. www.energymanagermagazine.co.uk

42 Wymington Park, Rushden, Northants, NN10 9JP Tel: 01933 316931 Email: mail@energymanagermagazine.co.uk

REGISTRATION: Qualifying readers receive Energy Manager free of charge. The annual subscription rate is £80 in the UK, £95 for mainland Europe and £115 for the rest of the world.

Single copies £10.

Some manufacturers and suppliers have made a contribution toward the cost of reproducing some photographs in Energy Manager.

PAPER USED TO PRODUCE THIS MAGAZINE IS SOURCED FROM SUSTAINABLE FORESTS. Please Note: No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means without prior permission from the publishers. The publishers do not accept any responsibility for, or necessarily agree with, any views expressed in articles, letters or supplied advertisements.

All contents © Energy Manager Magazine 2018

INSIDE:

4

Work begins on Europe’s largest smart energy network demonstrator at Keele University

6

Two brand new frameworks designed to simplify public sector energy management

13

Energy Management LLP, have recently launched a bespoke energy management portal

16

A breath of fresh air

18

Harnessing the UK weather for better cooling system performance

24

Stokvis R600 EVOLUTION range boilers selected for Walsall schools summer upgrade

30

LED is lighting the way for improved efficiencies in warehouses and factories

ISSN 2057-5912 (Print) ISSN 2057-5920 (Online)

ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JULY/AUGUST 2018

3

NEWS

WORK BEGINS ON EUROPE’S LARGEST SMART ENERGY NETWORK DEMONSTRATOR AT KEELE UNIVERSITY • Groundbreaking ceremony took place at Keele University to mark the official start of works • Siemens will upgrade existing energy infrastructure and install smart devices • Keele has the largest university campus in the UK with 12,000 students and staff, 350 mixed used buildings – a size similar to a small town

K

eele University has marked the official start of work on its landmark Smart Energy Network Demonstrator (SEND), which will be the first project of its kind in Europe.

It will be the first facility in Europe for at-scale living laboratory research, development and demonstration of new smart energy technologies and services in partnership with business and industry.

The project will create a decentralised energy system, providing Keele University with the infrastructure to monitor and manage its energy across the campus – the largest in the UK. The project will enable smart analysis of energy consumption using smart technologies, and how the interplay between contributory factors affects that use. The ‘living lab’ will give evidence to the energy research and business community and local energy and related sector SMEs

who will have access to the University’s unique infrastructure to develop and test renewable and smart technologies.

Siemens will digitalise 24 substations, install 1,500 smart meters, and integrate 5MW of renewable energy as part of phase 1 of the project.

The project will focus research in areas of energy efficiency and cost savings, security of supply, and lowering CO2 emissions.

Professor Mark Ormerod, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost of Keele University, commented: “We are committed to investing in our energy and utility network. Being the home to Europe’s largest smart energy network demonstrator is a thrilling prospect, both academically and environmentally. Our living lab will help provide the research into decentralised energy systems needed now and into the future to create a more agile power system.”

Carl Ennis, Managing Director at

Siemens Energy Management said: “This project is an important milestone as we officially begin work. With more than 70% of the world’s population expected to live in urban areas by 2050, projects such as this will have a massive impact in how this urbanisation is managed. As the largest demonstrator in Europe it will give us real data on how to be more energy efficient and how innovative technologies can reduce emissions and improve security of supply.

The Smart Energy Network Demonstrator (SEND) – which is funded by Keele University, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the England 2014 to 2020 European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) Growth Programme – builds on Keele University’s commitment to sustainability.

Shift in electric car tax rules does not go far enough

W

hile the Association of Taxation Technicians (ATT) welcomes the new tax exemption for employees charging their personally owned electric car at work, it would like to see HMRC address the complicated tax rules of reimbursing employees for business travel in company owned electric vehicles.

The Government published recent draft legislation for a new exemption which means that, from April 2018, there will be no benefit in kind charge on electricity that employers provide to charge electric vehicles (all-electric or plug-in hybrid), personally owned by employees.

Jon Stride, Co-chair of ATT’s Technical Steering Group, said: “We welcome this new exemption, and are pleased that the draft legislation has a wider scope than HMRC‘s draft guidance had previously indicated. In particular, the requirement for employers to provide a ‘dedicated charging

4

point’ appears to have been dropped. Not all employers would have been prepared to incur costs installing a specialised charging point for a limited number of employees and many electric cars can, among other ways, be charged directly from a traditional mains socket. Allowing this simple recharging approach to benefit from the exemption is a welcome relaxation.”

The draft legislation confirms that the exemption will only apply to charging vehicles at or near an employee’s workplace, and will not extend to the reimbursement by employers of costs incurred by employees in charging their vehicle elsewhere, for example at a motorway service station.

The exemption set out in the draft legislation also only applies to cars which are personally owned by employees.

Electric company cars have their own tax rules, which can be difficult to apply in practice, says the ATT.

ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JULY/AUGUST 2018

Jon Stride said: “We would like to see HMRC address the complicated tax consequences of reimbursing employees for business travel in company owned, as distinct from personally owned, electric vehicles.

“Where an employee charges a fully electric company car themselves, their employer cannot use the standard Advisory Fuel Rates (AFR) to reimburse them.

Instead, they are required to adopt a more complicated treatment, which requires them to identify the cost of the electricity used during the business miles travelled. This can be very difficult where a company car is charged at home, as it will be difficult to isolate the exact cost of charging the car from the overall electricity bill for the household.

“To avoid this, we would like to see AFRs, or a similar standard benchmark rate, extended to company electric cars.” www.att.org.uk

NEWS

WIND AND SOLAR POWER RENEWABLES RECORD

A

sunny start to the summer and high winds earlier this year have helped Britain’s power generation market to hit a new renewables record.

In the second quarter of 2018, 28.1% of the country’s electricity came from renewable energy sources, according to a new report by energy market analyst EnAppSys – a new record and a sharp contrast to the 5.9% posted in Q2 2010.

Although wind speeds are generally lower over the summer months, wind farms continued to provide the largest share of renewables generation in Q2 2018, with 9.5 terawatt hours (TWh) produced. The next highest share of renewable generation came from solar farms (5.2 TWh), which were boosted by the June heatwave and the longer daylight hours in late spring/ early summer.

Gas was once again the main power source, with more than four tenths of overall generation coming from gasfired plants in Q2 2018. High carbon prices ensured that gas remained more dominant in the market than coal, which produced less than 1 TWh in the quarter – or just 1% of overall power generation.

The second quarter saw 40.7% of electricity generation come from gasfired power stations, with renewable projects contributing 28.1% and nuclear plants 22.5%. Coal-fired power stations produced 1.3%, while 7.4% came from electricity imports. Of the 28.1% share of renewables generation, almost one half (49.2%) came from wind farms, 27.1% from solar farms, 20.8% from biomass plants and 2.9% from hydro plants.

Paul Verrill, director of EnAppSys, said: “The second quarter of 2018 saw continued progress towards a market increasingly powered by renewables and less influenced by coal. The rise of renewables has been an ongoing trend for some time now and levels of wind generation were very high in the three months to the end of June.

“Over the past 18 months, several new large offshore wind farms – including Burbo Bank Extension, Dudgeon, Galloper, Race Bank, Rampion and Walney Extension – added significant levels of new wind capacity; this has provided momentum for a continued rise in wind generation levels following a slow-down in the construction of onshore wind farms.

“Commodity prices remained high in the quarter, with gas prices generally holding close to the typical values seen during Q1 2018 when they peaked around supply shortages.

“High UK carbon prices have made it more economically viable to generate power from gas plants than coal-fired stations. As a result, interconnectors then encourage more importation of power from higher-polluting power stations on the continent which are not so heavily burdened by carbon taxes.”

Whilst the growth of power generation from renewable sources looks set to continue in the UK, EnAppSys said the market would still need to find ways of filling the power gap when the wind doesn’t blow or the sun doesn’t shine.

Mr Verrill said: “This is a normal part of adapting to a market increasingly dominated by renewables and as levels of renewables inevitably continue to rise, in order to meet carbon targets, it’s a case of continuing to manage this on-going transition in a responsible manner.” https://www.enappsys.com/ summary-reports

Independent Energy Metering and Data heavyweights join forces to create a new industry body

T

he newly formed ‘Association of Independent Meter and Data Agents’ (AIMDA) launched on Wednesday 20 June 2018.

AIMDA is made up of seven of the UK’s largest, and competing, independent non-domestic customer metering and data collection businesses.

The member companies include: IMServ Europe Limited; Energy Assets Limited; Siemens Managed Services; SMS Plc; Stark Software International Ltd; WPD Smart Metering Ltd; and TMA Data Management Ltd. AIMDA is actively lobbying OFGEM and BEIS to influence government policy making, and so preserve effective competition for the benefit of the customer in the markets for energy metering and data for business users.

Government consultations continue to question the optimal operating model for delivering energy metering and data services to end user customers. AIMDA believes that competitive markets provide the most efficient and effective delivery

of energy metering and data services.

As an example of this, AIMDA is calling for open access to the Data Communications Company to ensure that individual businesses can continue to offer settlement services and preserve the ability to keep competition and choice for customers; not a single provider but multiple service providers to choose from.

Steve Brown, AIMDA Chair and Managing Director of IMServ said: “AIMDA is in effect the meeting of the minds of competitor businesses that want to maintain competition, innovation, and customer choice for the commercial market sector.

“Together, we represent a major market share of non-domestic customer metering and data collection services. Our concern is of the erosion of competition through government policy making.

“We have formed this association to preserve effective competition for the benefit of the customer and believe that centralising energy metering and data services will stifle innovation and

cost effectiveness for the business community.

“We want to work together to keep competition open, ensure innovation continues, consumer choice expands and cost-savings are the forefront for the business customer.”

The primary objectives of AIMDA are: • To preserve and promote competition within the electricity and gas markets and in particular for (i) the provision of halfhourly settlement and (ii) advanced metering products and services within Great Britain and • To collectively address regulatory and legal changes to the electricity and gas markets for in particular (i) the provision of halfhourly settlement and (ii) advanced metering products and services within Great Britain.

Members have been lobbying government individually for some time, and during this time BEIS has made the welcome announcement that energy suppliers will be allowed to continue to offer “group customers” a choice between an advanced meter and a smart meter. AIMDA believes that as a collective voice it will be more able to fully describe the benefits of competitive markets and so lead to more positive announcements of this nature.

ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JULY/AUGUST 2018

5

NEWS

INKJET PRINTERS COULD SAVE EUROPE UP TO €176 MILLION AND OVER 333,000 METRIC TONNES OF CO2 OVER FOUR YEARS, NEW DATA CONFIRMS

I

n the UK, these savings add up to 32,802,059 Euros worth of energy bills and up to 75,663,436kgs of CO2 over four years.

Companies could save up to €176 million on their energy bill and 333,041 metric tons of CO2 emissions in Europe as a result of choosing Epson inkjet printing technology over laser printers. This new data is presented in Epson’s first European Sustainability Report, The Green Choice, now available in English, which reinforces Epson’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) commitment and highlights its achievements with its focus on people, planet and process.

The report highlights that in the UK, companies could save up to €32,802,059 on their energy bill and 75,663,436kg of CO2 by using business inkjet technology over four years – that is a CO2 saving equivalent to the amount produced by an average UK car driving around the world 15,720 times!

These environmental and financial benefits for the UK, independently verified

by TÜV Rheinland, were derived from the total business inkjet units sold in 2016 and 2017 and the anticipated savings of the printers over four years. The CO2 emission factor of the energy mix in the UK was also considered. These savings support the EU’s

commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent and Epson’s goal of cutting CO2 emissions by 90 per cent across all its products and services by 2050.

These gains are due to the advances made in inkjet technology, which uses up to 96 per cent less energy, produces up to 92 per cent less CO2, and achieves up to 99 per cent less waste than laser technology[5].

“We are dedicated to offering businesses across Europe a clear ‘green choice’ in the products they use,” said Kazuyoshi Yamamoto, President of Epson Europe. “I hear from customers everyday about their need for technology that is better for the environment, cost effective and efficient. This is what Epson has delivered, and the achievement, alongside the cumulative gains, lies with our business customers who have made the choice to switch from laser to inkjet technology.”

Epson’s European Sustainability Report, entitled The Green Choice, lays out its commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR) across all areas of its operations in Europe. It highlights the advances made in energy, water and CO2 savings across Epson’s European organisation; its commitment throughout its supply chain and manufacturing; and,

its dedication to creating environmentally conscious products that allow businesses to reduce their environmental footprints.

“It fills me with pride to introduce The Green Choice report, which demonstrates Epson’s commitment to sustainability in everything we do,” said Henning Ohlsson, CSR Director of Epson Europe. “There is a lot more to be done but in recognising the achievements made so far, I hope it motivates us to be more mindful of the contributions we make and how even small changes can inform a better future.”

The Green Choice report will be published annually to account for the ongoing achievements and progress made.

“We are very mindful of our role as a leading technology provider in the future. By aligning our targets with wider goals that have been established, such as the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), we believe we can continue to be an indispensable company for society,” states Mr. Ohlsson.

More information can be found in The Green Choice report, which can be downloaded from Epson’s website: www.epson.co.uk/visionand-strategy#green-choice

Two brand new frameworks designed to simplify public sector energy management and boost efficiencies

T

wo new frameworks have been launched by ning consultancy, designed to enable and encourage NHS Trusts and other public sector bodies to make savings on their energy bills as well as drive efficiencies.

The two new frameworks are: 1. A Battery Storage Framework Agreement which provides a model for public sector bodies wishing to implement battery storage solutions within the perimeter of their electrical network. The innovative and single lot Framework Agreement will have several suppliers on it who will implement computer-controlled battery storage solutions enabling organisations to reduce Triad charges, DUoS charges, Capacity Market Charges and utilise grid incentives such as Firm Frequency Response.

2. A LED Lighting Framework Agreement which will provide a

6

model for public sector bodies wishing to implement LED lighting measures. The Framework Agreement will be open to public sector bodies (including those involved in consortium arrangements). The single lot Framework Agreement will have several suppliers on it who will implement LED Lighting solutions enabling organisations to reduce energy consumption, carbon emissions, ongoing maintenance costs and improve lighting services.

Daphne De Leener, Sustainability Consultant at Essentia, explained; “At Essentia one of our aims is to remove barriers to energy saving. We do this by getting rid of complex procurement and by creating a fast route to market. We also work closely with all our clients providing advice and guidance through-out the procurement process.

“These new stand-alone frameworks were

ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JULY/AUGUST 2018

created to respond to the increase in public sector demand for efficiency. Lord Carter’s 2015 review of Productivity in NHS Hospitals estimated that Trusts, for ex-ample, could save as much as £125 million collectively by investing in schemes such as LED lighting, combined heat and power units, and smart energy management systems. It’s therefore no surprise that we are experiencing an increase in demand for these types of frameworks as the public sector shifts gears in the drive towards greater efficiencies.”

For further information on each of the Frameworks please email Daphne De Leener at Essentia:Daphne.Deleener@essentia.uk.com

NEWS

NEW RESEARCH RANKS UK COUNTIES SOLAR ENERGY PERFORMANCE FOR THE FIRST TIME

Experts at Green Business Watch has launched the UK’s first solar panel rankings aimed at highlighting the solar energy opportunities to property owners on a county-by-county basis for the first time.

T

he findings, which look at a variety of factors show some clear differences in installations of solar PV in different counties as well as variations in potential domestic savings and earnings from £413 to as much as £655 per year.

With high targets to meet in solar installations and many misconceptions around the size of the opportunity, the UK Solar Power County Rankings provide an unprecedented amount of information about UK Solar energy in one place, allowing property owners see the real benefits of solar in their area.

Alastair Kay, at Green Business Watch said: “Solar energy presents an opportunity for property owners across the UK but there is a lot of uncertainty over what the benefits are in real terms and what the figures really mean for householders.

“If we as an industry are to keep solar growing, it’s essential that we help property owners to see what can be achieved using solar. We’ve put together the UK Solar Power County Rankings to give a complete picture comparing solar deployment and potential on a county by county basis.”

“If we as an industry are to meet the Government’s stretching targets on solar it’s essential that we help property

owners to see what can be achieved using solar. We’ve put together the UK Solar Panel Rankings to bring together the findings in an accessible and easy to understand format for the first time.”

The rankings show that the South West of England currently accounts for over 25% of all installed solar capacity with Scottish counties only representing 2.9%. However, conversely, many Scottish counties perform strongly in terms of domestic solar penetration based on installations per 10,000 households.

Key findings of the research include: • Wiltshire takes the top spot with more solar installed than any other county (614MW).

This is mainly due to large volumes of commercial solar.

• Counties in the South West of England are amongst the top 10 performers across both domestic and commercial solar as well as on domestic solar penetration.

• Despite making up much of the bottom 10 in terms of total installed solar capacity, Scottish counties perform well in terms of domestic penetration with the Scottish Borders at 5th place in these rankings, Moray in 19th and the Highlands in 22nd.

•

Currently no UK county has seen solar installations on more than 7% of its housing stock leaving a significant opportunity to grow solar PV capacity in the UK. • Greater London ranks 77th of 78 counties across England, Scotland and Wales for domestic solar penetration based on installations per 10,000 households.

The UK’s solar PV capacity in 2018, sits at an impressive 12.79GW. The country sits in seventh place in the world solar panel rankings, with Italy and Germany the only European countries ahead in the list. This is despite the UK sitting at 21st in the rankings for population size.

Green Business Watch, which specialises bringing together qualified and trusted renewable energy installers across the UK and Ireland, collated the research to highlight the potential opportunities to increase solar capacity across the UK. With potential savings and income from solar PV installations varying across the country, residents and businesses can for the first time use the map to identify the potential savings and income they could achieve by investing in solar PV. To find out more about Solar PV installation in a domestic or commercial setting, visit greenbusinesswatch.co.uk or see where your county sits in the rankings, view the full interactive map at www.greenbusinesswatch. co.uk/uk-solar-power-county-rankings.

The trend away from infrastructure for renewable energy

T

he $1.6 bn Swansea Bay tidal lagoon has been rejected by the UK government. Tidal barriers for the Severn Estuary in the UK have been studied for 100 years. This subset of the opportunity created by the exceptionally high tides has now been ditched because the electricity produced would be too expensive even when costs are spread over decades. Following 18 months of analysis, ministers have decided that the renewable energy project will not receive any subsidy support.

IDTechEx analyst on zero emission energy, Dr Peter Harrop, has led teams responsible for new reports on most aspects. He commented, “The media coverage is highly emotional and rejoinders by those proposing and supporting the scheme miss the point.

Yes, its long term costs are comparable to nuclear power supported by the government with a recent commitment to a large nuclear power station. However, the parliamentary watchdog committee subsequently assessed that as being a mistake, unnecessarily wasting money when wind and solar with energy storage would be more economical for base power. Comparisons with offshore wind are also misleading. The cost of solar power is dropping much faster than wind power and it will go below even onshore wind within a few years, with energy storage dropping in cost as well. The massive concrete and steel structures of tidal barriers, river dams and offshore wind are increasingly questioned with many zero infrastructure options coming in such as the invisible 1.5MW turbines

in open sea feeding into the grid in Scotland and orders reaching 100MW at a time for invisible wave power farms with no infrastructure. Both tidal and wave power are virtually baseload, some wave power working well with only one meter waves and some tides turning in only 5-10 minutes. A bridge in France is being built with tidal turbines in it: no separate infrastructure.

The way of the future is invisible zero emission harvesting that is almost continuous. There is even a bigger picture here with making electricity where you need it. Invisible building integrated photovoltaics and solar roads lets us abandon ugly, expensive power lines from the grid. Indeed, in the next two years, four companies promise solar cars needing no charging infrastructure.”

See www.IDTechEx.com/research/offgrid for more IDTechEx research off grid zero emission energy.

ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JULY/AUGUST 2018

7

NEWS

TOMORROW’S OFFICE, TODAY

UK’S FIRST ENERGY-POSITIVE OFFICE OPENS IN SWANSEA The UK’s first energy-positive office, which generates more solar energy than it consumes, was opened at Swansea University on 21st June.

B

uildings currently account for around 40% of UK energy consumption. This new building, known as the Active Office, points the way to a new generation of low-carbon offices which produce their own supply of clean energy.

The office will be opened by Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns. It was designed by SPECIFIC, a UK Innovation and Knowledge Centre led by Swansea University.

The Active Office combines a range of innovative technologies that will enable it to generate, store and release solar energy in one integrated system, including: • A curved roof with integrated solar cells – showing the

8

flexible nature of the laminated photovoltaic panel; • A Photovoltaic Thermal system on the south facing wall – which is capable of generating both heat and electricity from the sun in one system • Lithium ion batteries to store the electricity generated and a 2,000 litre water tank to store solar heat The ‘buildings as power stations’ concept has already been shown to work. Right next to the Active Office is the Active Classroom, the UK’s first energy-positive classroom. Also built

by SPECIFIC, this was recently named Project of the Year by the RICS Wales.

In its first year of operation, the Active Classroom generated more than one

ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JULY/AUGUST 2018

and half times the energy it consumed.

The Active Office and Classroom will be linked together and able to share energy with each other and electric vehicles, demonstrating how the concept could be applied in an energy-resilient solar-powered community. They will provide functional teaching and office spaces, as well as building-scale development facilities for SPECIFIC and its industry partners.

Energy positive buildings could benefit the UK significantly. A 2017 analysis showed that it would mean: • Lower energy costs for the consumer • Less need for peak central power generating capacity and associated reduction in stress

NEWS

Photovoltaic thermal tubes to generate heat and electricity

on the National Grid, leading to improved energy security • Reduced carbon emissions The Active Office has been designed to be easy to reproduce.

It is quick to build, taking only one week to assemble, with much of the construction taking place off site. It also uses only technologies that are commercially available now, which means there is no reason why they could not be used on any new building.

Kevin Bygate, chief operating officer of SPECIFIC, said: “Offices are enormous consumers of energy, so turning them energy-positive has the potential to slash fuel bills and dramatically reduce their carbon emissions.

Turning our buildings into power stations is a concept that works, as the Active Classroom shows. This new building will enable us to get data and evidence on how it can be applied to an office, helping us refine the design further.

The Active Office is a first, but it isn’t a one-off. It is quick to build using existing supply chains, and uses only materials that are already available. This is tomorrow’s office, but it can be built today.”

Ian Campbell, Executive Chair of Innovate UK, said: “It’s difficult to overstate the potential of developing a building that powers itself. The concept could genuinely revolutionise not only the construction sector but completely change how we create and use energy, so the opening of the Active Office in Swansea is an exciting step forward.

Developing technologies like those demonstrated in the SPECIFIC Active Office can play a strong role in the Government’s modern industrial strategy to create ‘clean growth’ and fulfil our mission to halve the emissions of new buildings by 2030.”

Rt Hon Alun Cairns MP, Secretary of State for Wales, said: “I am delighted to open the Active Office, a living example of how a building can make a difference to us and our environment using innovative technologies –and equally importantly creating jobs in Wales.

“Research and innovation has a

Charge up cars with surplus energy from Active Office

proven track record to stimulate our economy. The UK Government has been a proud supporter of the project, and last year awarded £800,000 of funding towards it via Innovate UK. “The UK Government is ambitious for Swansea, and the Swansea Bay City Region deal is expected to deliver more than 9,000 jobs and £1.3 billion of investment across the region.

“I have no doubt that I’ll be back to Swansea University in the near future because of the great strides they are taking in the science and

Curved roof with integrated solar cells C

research field which are being recognised around the world.”

The Active Office was funded by Innovate UK, with support from Swansea University and the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government, and is sponsored by Tata Steel and Cisco. swansea.ac.uk

ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JULY/AUGUST 2018

9

NEWS FEATURE

MORE POWERFUL TOGETHER – WHY COLLABORATING ON ENERGY WILL BENEFIT US ALL

A

record level of change in our UK energy marketplace is forcing energy users of all types and sizes to sit up and take notice. Managing rising costs is always a key area for focus. But today’s energy managers already have a deeper understanding of the changes afoot and will be taking a more nuanced approach.

One that takes commercial resilience into account, along with the more immediate impact on their bottom-line.

Ashley Phillips, Sales and Marketing Director at Ørsted Sales UK

THE CHANGING ROLE OF AN ENERGY MANAGER The scope and breadth of an energy manager’s role has changed dramatically.

It’s all thanks to our evolving energy infrastructure, shifting regulatory obligations and changing technological landscape. The changes we’re seeing across our energy infrastructure are incredibly positive ones, that support our nation’s move towards a cleaner, greener energy future that is stable, sustainable and cost-efficient for us all. Nevertheless, across the board, the already multifaceted role of energy manager seems to be expanding in the face of decreased team sizes and tightening budgets. Add to this the fact that a strategy for managing energy spend, which accounts for a significant proportion of annual running costs, is often now integrated into a wider business strategy and it’s easy to see why the UK’s energy managers are increasingly important and increasingly busy. Never has the need to be proactive and well informed been more crucial; never has the balancing act between budget, carbon targets, stakeholder expectation and resources been more acute; never has the need to interact with the marketplace – rather than remain a passive consumer – been more critical. In short, the pressure is on.

HELP IS AT HAND So, as an energy manager in 2018 you are likely to be time-poor and have a wide and growing remit – but what can you do to ease the pressure? Many of those with responsibility for managing energy in their organisation are beginning to seek out ways to reduce their day to day burden as their responsibilities rise, as well as

10

plan for a commercial and financial future which might currently seem quite difficult to predict. Thankfully, help may be easier to come by than you think.

As energy management increases in its complexity, some forward-facing energy suppliers are taking a more collaborative approach with their business customers.

The provision of a range of different products and services that complement procurement strategies is helping businesses take their energy strategy to the next level; with increased involvement that goes far beyond a typical added value contract. Done well, this new approach to energy as a service can help organisations make light work of energy and sustainability goals. In the simplest terms, it’s about outsourcing some of the growing demands of energy management to industry experts. With a little help from their supplier, energy managers can plan better, optimise their assets and innovate more – without the need for more people or investment.

ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JULY/AUGUST 2018

WHAT IS ‘ENERGY AS A SERVICE’?

When a customer chooses to use Energy as a Service, our first step is to work closely with on-site energy managers to gain a full understanding of their energy ambitions and unique challenges. From that we create a tailored, integrated solution that’s designed around their specific business needs. This could be a combination of energy efficiency measures and sustainable energy sourcing, or it might also incorporate flexibility, optimisation and embedded generation. The overarching aim will be to help businesses get maximum value from their energy assets, identifying revenue creation opportunities where possible.

Continued on page 12

One rotation of this giant can power your laptop for 333 hours.

And he has 1000 friends.

Whoever said size isn’t everything clearly never worked in renewable energy. With a wingspan of 164m – twice that of an Airbus A380 – our latest turbines generate 13.33 kWh of electricity in a single six second rotation – enough to keep your laptop running for over 333 hours.

All told, we’ve erected over 1000 turbines of various sizes worldwide and that’s helped us deliver the most important number – the price.

Because our green energy is the same price as traditional fuels. That’s right, the same. Equal to. Not higher. So give us a click and find out why our energy doesn’t cost the earth and how we can save you money.

orstedbusiness.co.uk

NEWS FEATURE

Continued from page 10

We can place a commercial value on the opportunity, providing the data energy managers need to get full buy-in from the board.

TAILORING THE OPTIONS As part of Energy as a Service, we offer Energy Risk Management, using the unrivalled market knowledge from our trading team. We’ll also implement all energy management systems (EMS) to monitor energy efficiency. In addition, we offer bespoke tools such as Site Optimisation, to make sure operating plants run to the most cost-efficient schedules, and help customers unlock value from flexibility with Renewable Balancing Reserve (RBR). RBR helps businesses create new revenue, by participating in the imbalance market.

For some, it may be the first step towards fuller participation in Demand Side Flexibility (DSF) programmes - the newer term for Demand Side Response (DSR) programmes.

For those businesses who want to develop on-site generation or have other energy projects in the pipeline, Energy as a Service can provide upfront investment, meaning that spend can come from OPEX budgets over time, rather than already stretched CAPEX. We can also project manage these initiatives, from planning through to installation and ongoing maintenance. The amount of control you

12

hand over is up to you, but handing over more control also means handing over more of the accompanying headache.

BENEFITS FOR YOUR BUSINESS, THE UK AND THE PLANET The collaborative and supportive approach we take with Energy as a Service is one that we developed after talking to customers about their obstacles to smarter energy management; most often cited as lack of expertise, headcount and CAPEX. It’s the kind of solution we hope more suppliers will prioritise in the months and years ahead, because working together will be the best way to keeping growing economically and achieve a sustainable energy future for us all.

Collaborating with your energy supplier to create a fully-integrated energy strategy brings a host of wide ranging benefits for you and your organisation. Reduced costs are everimportant and can be delivered by combining energy efficiency with trading expertise and flexibility. You’ll also save on time and resources, by handing over responsibility for installing, operating and maintaining energy solutions and getting to be as hands-on or hands-off as you like. Risk can also be reduced when you don’t need to invest capital upfront.

ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JULY/AUGUST 2018

As well as handing over the funding responsibility to your supplier, it may be possible to hand over operational, regulatory, market and asset risk. Those are the kinds of risks we shoulder for our customers, to give them complete peace of mind and let them get on with the important task of running their business.

Last but certainly not least, collaborating with your supplier to create an integrated energy strategy can provide an important boost to your CSR credentials. By installing and optimising the right generation and consumption assets, and buying renewable energy, you can reduce CO2 emissions and more easily meet your sustainability targets.

Sustainability is becoming increasingly important to customers, stakeholders and supply chain partners alike. Our recent survey provided an interesting insight into changing attitudes towards green energy, telling us that 86% of consumers believe it’s worth buying products made using renewable energy from retailers consuming renewable energy. Alongside our smart, green energy solutions, we’ve been providing businesses with 100% renewable electricity without any cost premium since 2016. When green is a commercially sound decision as well as an environmentally sound one, that seems like one less decision for busy and overstretched energy managers to make. orstedbusiness.co.uk

ENERGY MANAGEMENT

EM-POWERED

Established Wiltshire firm, Energy Management LLP, have recently launched a bespoke energy management portal that serves as an invaluable tool in identifying energy demand and consumption through the operational behaviour of a business.

W

ith EM-Powered, businesses have a real opportunity to understand just how much their energy costs, how much is consumed and when it is consumed. Understanding these key facts will enable the end-user to limit exposure to this key business cost through proactive energy management.

Examples include pinpointing deviations in energy use between different buildings, different times of the day or even by cubic metre squared – all at the touch of a screen. Besides that, monitoring permits the ongoing review of either subtle or major changes to operational constraints in a bid to achieve maximum energy efficiency while maintaining operational standards.

Day plus one data ensures that reactive measures can be reviewed soon after they have been undertaken allowing clients to understand the impact of their actions. That report to senior management, confirming that the £50k invested in relighting with LEDs and adding PIR control is resulting in a 60 percent reduction in electricity consumption outside production hours, has now become that much easier to write and packed with accurate data to back it up.

As with any monitoring and reporting system, it’s only as good as the data used.

EM-Powered is built on data direct from the Data Collector, its accuracy meeting the necessary OFGEM standards for utility billing. Of course, this data is not infallible but it’s the best out there.

In times of great energy price volatility, EM-Powered helps to give end-users a greater measure of control over their energy costs. Whilst little can be done to influence the cost of wholesale energy, careful management of demand and consumption ensures subtle savings can be made at the next renewal date. As the time-worn phrase goes, the cheapest unit of electricity is the one that is never used.

Tablet and mobile friendly, EMPowered is also an invaluable tool in budget management and energy reporting. With its self-populating fields

and simple check box functionality, this bespoke portal allows clients to customise their reports accordingly and give accurate forecasts over numerous date ranges.

If you would like to know more about EM-Powered and how it can help underpin your energy strategy going forward, please contact Ian Scattergood on 01225-867722 or email is@energymanagementltd.com

A SUMMARY OF THE FEATURES AND BENEFITS OF EM-POWERED •

• • • • • • •

Validated data for monthly energy consumption, accumulative energy consumption, monthly energy costs and accumulative energy costs for Electricity, Half Hourly metered and Non-Half Hourly metered as well as Gas supplies Budget creation Energy and cost figures compared to budgets Presents Half-Hourly data Early capacity allowance alarm warning system Invoice validation reporting Ideal for large multi-site, multiple supplies due to range of options Capable of producing performance tables against known outputs (i.e. how many kW’s are required in the production of xx kgs of product,

• • •

•

•

• •

or how many kW’s are required per m2 of floor space, etc.)

CCA Reporting Historical Electricity, Gas wholesale price graphs and trends Self-populating fields - ideal for those having to produce monthly/ annual reporting, (both in consumption and monetary terms) Produces professional energy reports in a quick and efficient manner Comparative data analysis tool enables clients to manage energy consumption and control energy budgets Regular CCA updates Early warning system offsets risk www.energymanagementltd.com

ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JULY/AUGUST 2018

13

ENERGY MANAGEMENT

A DATE IN THE DIARY A Building Energy Management System (BEMS) must be given attention throughout the year in order to maximise its potential.

Daniel Taylor, National Operations Leader at Trend Control Systems, explains why a 24/7/365 approach to BEMS optimisation can ensure optimum comfort conditions and help improve energy savings.

T

he UK’s weather is anything but boring – in early March we had sub-zero temperatures and plenty of snow thanks to the ‘Beast from the East’, yet by late May some parts of the country experienced 30°C heat and started the longest heatwave since 1976. Such dramatic fluctuations mean that a BEMS must be agile, flexible and responsive, as extreme temperatures can be particularly problematic for a wide variety of reasons that need to be addressed throughout the year.

UNDER THE WEATHER We’ve all experienced the effects of poor comfort conditions and the negative effect they can have on productivity and our sense of wellbeing.

While energy management is important in buildings, the focus should also be on the people that occupy them and BEMS technology can be used to improve their engagement.

Modern airtight buildings can suffer from poor quality air. Ensuring they operate in ways that ensure optimum comfort conditions as soon as heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) is switched on, will be time well spent.

A stuffy and polluted environment makes it difficult to concentrate, and hard to remain alert and focused. Studies have also backed up the theory that low air quality can reduce productivity through symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, nausea, aches and pains, shortness of breath or chest tightness, eye and throat irritation, blocked or running nose, and skin irritation. It can also exacerbate seasonal affective disorder (SAD), stress, depression, backache and other cardiovascular ailments.

It should also be remembered that increased productivity offers a significant return on investment (ROI). This was highlighted by research from the UK

14

Green Building Council (UKGBC), which found that temperature can negatively affect productivity by 2 percent for each 1°C above the ideal temperature and 4.7 percent for each 1°C below. Furthermore, good air quality can improve productivity by up to 11 percent – something that can have a massive impact not just the bottom line but also on maintaining a happy and engaged workforce.

FEELING GOOD This is where a BEMS can prove invaluable in terms of providing fresh, clean air that is not only comfortable to work in, but healthier too.

A BEMS should automatically control to pre-defined setpoints – constantly tracking changes in both external and internal temperatures and light quality, and adjusting the HVAC and lighting before any occupants even notice.

Furthermore, the data it produces allow building and facilities managers to better analyse, understand, reconfigure and improve a building’s internal environment by having information presented in an organised and informative way.

It is also worth noting that optimum temperature conditions don’t just apply to people – depending on the building’s use, they can affect paintings, artwork, medications or even animals.

Uncontrolled temperatures can also lead to equipment malfunction – IT is the lifeblood of most modern organisations, so keeping the operating temperatures of equipment within manufacturers’ guidelines is vital to maintain business continuity. Therefore, it is advisable to configure alarms to be activated when conditions fall outside of any predetermined critical point.

TIME FOR ACTION A BEMS is ideal for carrying out energy monitoring, as it will often possess unused capacity, have an existing service

ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JULY/AUGUST 2018

arrangement and generally be better supported than a stand alone energy logging application. The equipment itself may also be more robust and modular and, in the case of a modern BEMS, have the capability to carry out virtual energy measurements from plant run times. So, it makes sense to determine whether changing monitoring requirements can be met by an existing BEMS system and, if not, investigate whether some simple upgrades or reprogramming is required.

As employees begin their summer holidays, most companies experience a degree of downtime. This is an ideal situation for a programme of BEMS optimisation, for instance using a plant on a demand-led basis at this time of year is the ideal strategy for reducing wear and tear, and making use of resources such as free cooling. With a demandled strategy, when specific areas need different levels of HVAC, this can be achieved using as little energy as possible.

For example, many buildings have a central air handling unit (AHU) to supply air at a constant temperature to fan coil units (FCU) that carry out the local temperature control. Chillers are activated whenever the AHU return air temperature is above a setpoint, resulting in all the cooling being handled by the chillers, which are energy intensive and costly. Furthermore, whenever outside air is below the required supply temperature, an AHU has to heat it up but, sometimes, due to internal heat gains, this air then has to be mechanically cooled – wasting both gas on heating and electricity on cooling. Finally, ineffective use of an optimiser results in an increase in the air conditioning time zones during hot weather, so that during warmer months plant is set permanently to run for longer hours than normal.

STRATEGIC DIRECTION In this situation the answer is to initiate a strategy where, if cooling demand is between 0-50 percent, fresh air dampers modulate to meet this requirement by using fresh air only, without the need to initiate chillers.

If this free cooling is not sufficient and the cooling demand continues to rise above 50 per cent, only then can chillers be activated. To make this more effective, the supply air setpoint can also be reduced to make maximum use of the fresh air cooling effect.

This type of strategy makes good economic sense too, as the recently

ENERGY MANAGEMENT introduced DCP 228 regulation relating to Distribution Use of System (DUoS) charges has affected how electricity charges are calculated. This has led to a reduction of charges in red zones while amber and green are making up the difference. This means that most business customers will see a rise in costs, so using free cooling whenever possible throughout the day will lower demand on the National Grid and save money for the site.

COLD COMFORT During the colder months, before things get too chilly and energy demand increases, it’s a good idea to implement an optimum start/stop (OSS) strategy.

OSS offers an efficient and automatic way of maintaining space temperatures, while controlling the amount of energy used to achieve them. By using a rolling profile of when a setpoint was achieved the previous day and by monitoring outside temperatures, an OSS calculates a start time for the heating system, so that a building is warmed up when the occupation period begins. Conversely, OSS can work well in the summer months to ensure that a building is cool

enough during periods of occupancy.

COVERING ALL BASES While the ability of a BEMS to reduce energy use and save money is without question, organisations should remember that an improved working environment that has the health, happiness and wellbeing of occupants at its core offers a significant ROI through

improved productivity, less absence as a result of illness and highly motivated personnel. In addition to being at the forefront of the drive towards energy efficiency, the advantages of enhanced comfort conditions through the use of a BEMS are considerable and complement the energy savings that can be achieved. www.trendcontrols.com

RUSSELECTRIC ANNOUNCES DISTRIBUTED ENERGY CONTROLLER Integrated microgrid control solution improves power quality and decreases energy costs

R

usselectric, a leading manufacturer of automatic transfer switches and power control systems and solutions, announces its new Russelectric Distributed Energy Controller (RDEC™).

RDEC is a fully integrated controller for complex, mission critical distributed energy systems, ranging from back-up generation and demand management to fully functional microgrids. At the core of each RDEC is the ability of Russelectric’s transfer switches, switchgear, and power controller to provide seamless physical, data, and control integration of a facility’s onsite demand and generation assets.

RDEC has a number of features that improve business continuity and power quality. Facility integrated solar capabilities, priority-based load shedding, and permitted emissions optimization all enable RDEC to provide least cost, least emission business continuity strategies

for both short and long duration outages.

In addition, RDEC improves facility power quality, benefiting internal equipment and reducing utility power quality charges via dynamic islanding capabilities, fast and reliable decoupling, automatic black start of backup generators, seamless grid resynchronization, and more.

In addition to improving business continuity and power quality, RDEC reduces energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions. Features such as demand reduction and time of use asset optimization all allow RDEC to optimize a facility’s controllable demands, onsite storage and power generation to reduce energy costs and cost volatility.

Furthermore, RDEC fully integrates onsite renewable generation resources into a facility’s distributed energy system, reducing a facility’s GHGs, making it easier to reach sustainability goals.

The RDEC base system includes Russelectric automatic transfer switches, switchgear, and a power control cabinet.

Depending on power control needs, an optional SCADA and Electric Power Management System can be added.

Russelectric can also provide storage systems or work with a user’s selected storage supplier.

For more information and/or a live demo of an onsite operating microgrid at the Russelectric Innovation Center (RIC), contact us at: info@russelectric.com

ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JULY/AUGUST 2018

15

OPINION

A BREATH OF FRESH AIR With a growing awareness of the dangers of poor indoor air quality, effective ventilation has become a key component of the energy and sustainability agenda.

Here, Lee Stones, senior product marketing manager at Glen Dimplex Heating & Ventilation, looks at some of the recent policy changes surrounding ventilation and what steps can be taken to improve the quality of air we breathe inside buildings.

W

hen the Government published its draft Clean Air Strategy for consultation in May, it set out plans to tackle emissions from a range of sources, including agriculture, industry and homes.

Acknowledging that air pollution is about more than roadside emissions from diesel cars, the document raises – amongst other issues - the emerging health issue of indoor air quality (IAQ). And in doing so, it reinvigorated the focus placed on the quality of the air we breathe indoors.

Since then, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has also commissioned a report to investigate the level of indoor air pollution in London’s schools. As one of the biggest studies to date on indoor air quality in key public buildings, it has been both applauded and eagerly anticipated. These documents are indicative of the growing emphasis being placed on managing IAQ.

A VITAL ISSUE The Clean Air Strategy notes that up to 90% of our time is spent indoors and despite years of debate around the detrimental impact of poor pollution outdoors, taking measures to identify and improve the quality of the air we breathe inside our homes and other buildings is a relatively new (yet rapidly growing) notion.

In fact, the levels of some air pollutants are often far higher inside

16

than they are outside1.

The biggest cause of poor indoor air quality is Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), which can be emitted from a whole host of everyday items such as furniture, carpets, paints, cleaning products and even building fabrics and materials.

VOCs can be detrimental to a person’s health, especially when exposed to them for long periods of time. They can also aggravate pre-existing health conditions and cause fatigue, dizziness and headaches. The effects will be further increased as increasingly stringent energy efficiency targets have driven the development of better insulated buildings, leading to a decrease in natural ventilation and a tighter building envelope in new build properties.

In addition to all this, VOCs have been linked to poor productivity in offices and lower concentration in schools. It’s clear that modern ventilation solutions have an important part to play in improving more than just the internal climate of a building.

OFFICE POLITICS One of the biggest areas of focus outside of the home has been offices, where users typically have less control of their internal climate despite spending upwards of seven hours a day, five days a week in the same room.

One study commissioned by the British Engineering Services Authority2 shows almost 70% of office workers believe poor air quality in their place of work is having a negative effect on their day-to-day productivity and wellbeing.

Whilst many workers tend to focus on the issue of natural ventilation – not being able to open windows in modern

ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JULY/AUGUST 2018

office developments for example – it is with the addition of mechanical ventilation systems where the biggest improvements can be made. Not only is natural ventilation dependent on the weather, but it is also affected by the quality of the outdoor air. In contrast, a well designed ventilation system, together with correct maintenance of HVAC systems, can deliver the results needed.

There are a variety of systems available to help deliver the ventilation rates required within Part F of the Building Regulations, including box fans or inline centrifugal fans for ducted applications. Working closely with the entire specification chain will give any building operator or owner the support they need to match systems to their individual requirements.

EDUCATING THE INDUSTRY Energy managers in schools must also take note of indoor air quality, which plays a major role in establishing a favourable learning environment.

The Department for Education has issued a guidance document, ‘Building Bulletin 101 Ventilation of School Buildings, which was updated in 2016 and which sets specific targets for levels of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) within teaching spaces, as well as maximum daily averages for mechanical and natural ventilation systems.

A number of studies have highlighted the risks of poor indoor air quality in

OPINION

THE HIDDEN SKILL? schools and it is widely recognised that we need to provide the best possible comfort conditions to allow students to reach their full potential.

DOMESTIC SOLUTIONS Of course, the issue applies inside the home too, especially with the dramatic changes we have seen in building standards and efficiency targets in recent years which have ensured new homes are warmer and more energy efficient, but they are unable to breathe naturally.

Manufacturers have responded with continued development of products and one increasingly popular option is combining Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR).

Offering the opportunity to extract air from the building through a central heat exchanger and recover heat back into the air supply, the concept of MVHR is gaining traction as a method of enabling energy recovery whilst addressing health concerns through a cost-effective, mechanical, balanced ventilation system.

In fact, for energy managers tasked with improving the target emission rate of domestic properties, MVHR is fast becoming the popular ventilation system for meeting meets building requirements. It offers the benefit of providing ventilation that both supplies and extracts air through a property, whilst constantly supplying flitered fresh air To increase their effectiveness, the latest MVHR systems offer a host of features including ultra-fine filters, PIR sensor activity for enhanced efficiency and cold-climate pre-heating and NOX filtration. Intelligent systems also have the ability to continually assess the performance of the impeller and, when there is a consistent change in airflow, adjust the fan speed fan to maintain a constant volume of extracted air. It’s all about optimising efficiency, whilst maintaining the quality of indoor air.

INGREDIENTS FOR CLEAN INDOOR AIR Whichever sector you operate in, the one constant of a modern ventilation system is the need to balance energy efficiency with management of indoor air quality. With modern ventilation systems, evolving Building Regulations and a greater focus on management of indoor air quality, this is now more accessible than ever. www.gdhv.com

Andy Clarke, BSC CEng MIGEM MEI AIEMA CMVP, Chartered Energy Engineer, Committee Member UKAEE and NE Branch Energy Institute

E

nergy Managers now need a wide range of skills and abilities. They need to be highly numerate not only to handle the abundance of data becoming available from modern automatic meter readings but to handle the complicated financial models that businesses increasingly use to compare potential investments. They need the persuasive skills of a salesman to convince management that their project is valid. They need to be literate both to understand complicated standards and technical documents and to add that skill to commercial awareness to write convincing business cases. Professional credibility also means that they often need to make good presentations at conferences and the like. They often need Management and Leadership aptitude to control a department. Oh, and along the way it would be nice for them to have the engineering understanding to design and manage energy saving projects.

To add to that portfolio of excellence, they need a perhaps surprising skill. As well as devising engineering solutions to reduce consumption, they need to address the human factor. Individuals can have a significant effect, positive or negative, on the energy usage of a building or process. (One widely reported classic example of this was the dramatic increase in a kitchen’s energy consumption after a change of Catering Manager). If an energy manager is to challenge wastage and poor control he or she needs to motivate the users to take the simple steps to maintain control.

The Energy Manager needs to win “the hearts and minds” of the energy users and there is a profession who specialise in that methodology.

No, it’s not Politicians or even “Spin Doctors” (although they have that skill) but Marketers. Some people equate “Marketing” with “Advertising” but it is much more than that dealing with an understanding of the motivation of individuals and many techniques to change or enhance opinion.

Many Energy Managers already (whether they realise it or not) often

apply a variety of what Marketers call “Channels”. They use stickers, posters, emails, newsletters, articles, TV Screens, word of mouth, even things like tannoy announcements. They may not, without an understanding of marketing theory, be as effective as they could but they will already be making a difference.

How much more effective could they be with Marketing training?

Perhaps they do not need an in-depth comprehension of complex models like Howard-Sheth as in the diagram below – intended to confuse you all – but maybe an understanding of the AIDA model and its ways to increase active response or an understanding of available channels and their appropriateness for different messages and target audiences would help?

There are a range of basic marketing courses available from organisations like the Chartered Institute of Marketing. Perhaps you should consider enrolling on one?

I apparently have a Post Graduate Certificate in Marketing and the CIM Advanced Certificate – so I practice what I preach! Email: andycenergy@gmail.com

ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JULY/AUGUST 2018

17

HVAC

HARNESSING THE UK WEATHER FOR BETTER COOLING SYSTEM PERFORMANCE

HVAC systems are often identified as one of the main areas of improvement when it comes to maximising building efficiency. But did you know that it is the larger plant, often situated on or around the exterior of the building, which could unlock the largest return?

Here, Tim Bound, Director for Transtherm Cooling Industries, leading manufacturer of ambient cooling technologies, explores how we can harness the UK weather to improve cooling system performance and deliver impressive reductions in energy consumption; including free cooling and the potential of rainwater harvesting.

18

C

ooling plant such as hybrid cooling equipment, cooling towers and more modern adiabatic technologies are regularly specified to dissipate heat from Trigeneration and water-cooled chiller systems at healthcare, education and industrial sites as well as district cooling schemes.

Despite having the potential to communicate with building management systems (BMS) or remotely to a central control point via 3G, and deliver substantial energy reductions, this externally located plant is often overlooked by energy managers seeking to create a facility which is as energy efficient as possible.

The cooling market is rife with innovation and technology which can utilise UK weather patterns to maximum effect when it comes to dissipating heat from essential HVAC applications.

Specifying cooling technology in accordance with relevant weather data is rapidly becoming best practice and should be a key consideration in any new or retrofitting project.

MAKING THE MOST OF COOLER UK TEMPERATURES Even in the very early stages of specification, decision makers can narrow down which cooling technologies they should tender by arming themselves with some basic weather data for the UK.

ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JULY/AUGUST 2018

For example, we know from a variety of sources including the MET office that the average daily temperatures in the south west of England range from 5°C in January to 16.4°C in August, giving an average temperature across the year of around 10.3°C. Using this as a threshold, specifiers can make an informed choice for the selection of cooling technology that performs the most efficiently in that region. It is important to remember also, that technology which leverages cooler UK temperatures can reduce reliance on water-hungry evaporative cooling.

Most impressively, adiabatic technology can work efficiently in its more efficient, dry cooling mode for 97% of the year when operating in colder climates like the UK - only switching to evaporative cooling when temperatures exceed 21-23°C, which in mission critical environments that work around the clock equates to a tiny 3% of the year.

FREE COOLING Free cooling can generate substantial cost and energy savings across a multitude of manufacturing and processing applications where water cooling is essential.

Free cooling is a process which uses cold air from outside to cool water within a chilled water system. Whilst it is not a direct replacement for HVAC systems with refrigerated compressor units, it offers an energy and cost-saving

HVAC

alternative for up to nine months of the year when the outside air is cool enough – preventing or reducing the need for energy consuming systems when the external conditions allow.

Thanks to the extremely high energy efficiency of market-leading air blast coolers, operators can take advantage of low ambient air temperatures wherever possible throughout the year, totally or partially offloading the refrigerated chiller as appropriate.

For businesses in the UK, where even spring and autumn can be particularly cool, payback on a system of this nature can be as short as four to six months, with substantial cost savings after that. Free cooling systems can also be retrofitted to most pre-existing water cooling equipment to prevent the need for a full cooling system overhaul, which means even more businesses can benefit from this trend as it continues to become best practice.

REDUCE RELIANCE OF EVAPORATIVE COOLING FOR BETTER WATER EFFICIENCY When it comes to energy management, how important is water preservation for your facility? Water is, of course, a natural resource and governments worldwide are beginning to regulate its usage and set targets for personal and commercial consumption.

It is worth remembering that adiabatic coolers, in addition to offering low

energy consumption, can also deliver a reduction of between 8.5M and 17M litres of water per 1MW of cooling/ annum at a cost saving of between £19k and £39k per 1MW of cooling/annum.

As a general rule hybrid cooling plant uses evaporative cooling methods for around 50% of the year, only switching to dry mode in temperatures lower than 9.6°C, most commonly between January and April and then again in November and December. Meaning such technology relies heavily on the consumption of water in order to deliver effective cooling results.

Adiabatic technology can work efficiently in dry cooling mode for 97% of the year when operating in colder climates like the UK - only switching to evaporative cooling when temperatures exceed 21-23°C, which in mission critical environments that work around the clock equates to a tiny 3% of the year. Given this advanced dry cooling capability, it should be no surprise that adiabatic coolers consume approximately 2% of the water used by wetted surface hybrid dry coolers. Even when operating in wet mode, adiabatic systems automatically employ a pulsed spray operation to minimise water usage delivering much improved Water Usage Effectiveness (WUE).

If we examine those figures more closely, as water consumed in cubic meters over a one-year period for a 1000kW unit, an adiabatic cooler consumes 92m³ of water,

compared to a hybrid cooler which requires 8,647m³ and a conventional cooling tower which is more in the region of a staggering 17,310m³.

Running on such a small amount of water means adiabatic systems can even work efficiently when fed by a rainwater harvesting tank or even a building-wide grey water management system; a benefit which simply cannot be matched by alternative, evaporative cooling systems.

Rainwater harvesting systems can be used specifically to feed adiabatic coolers, or, for buildingwide water efficiencies, a ‘grey water’ system which recycles water from showers, baths and wash-hand basins to supply a number of water-consuming facilities including toilet flushing, laundry and irrigation systems. For buildings which are already utilising a grey water management system to good effect, onsite adaptations can be made to enable new or existing adiabatic technology to receive recycled water from this system rather than a cold mains feed.

The feasibility of feeding ambient cooling technology from rainwater is supported by the latest MET office statistics which show that in 2017, the UK was subjected to more than 10 days of rain, every month for ten out of the 12 calendar months. An average of 1,372mm of rainfall was recorded for the year, which represents a typical figure for the UK when compared to statistics from the last decade.

It is vital to remember that careful consideration should be given to the filtering, storing and hygiene of such systems and relevant experts should be consulted when considering rainwater harvesting or a grey water recycling scheme as a primary water source for adiabatic cooling technology.

For more information on how weather data can aid energy efficient specification of water cooling equipment, visit www.transtherm.co.uk

ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JULY/AUGUST 2018

19

ENERGY SUPPLY

TIME FOR CHANGE IN THE ENERGY MARKET

I

ndependent supplier growth, key market mergers and acquisitions, and an end to ‘sleeping’ customers on standard variable tariffs; there’s definitely change afoot in the UK energy market.

This evolving market has seen the government scrutinise energy bills as well as the big six’s market share dropping to a record low of 79 percent for electricity and 78 percent for gas in December 2017, and as they continue to come under fire from both the media and the general public, bearing the brunt of regulation changes and industry issues.

The big six’s dominance in the industry is still significant but reducing, paving the way for new entrants and challengers promising more competitive deals.

According to Energy UK half a million UK customers switched energy supplier in April this year, bringing the total number to just below 1.8 million. And this appears to be a long-term trend, as last year saw a record breaking 5.5 million energy customers – one in six – change provider.

With more and more small independent suppliers appearing on price comparison sites, including regional specific suppliers and others offering tempting incentives such as £50 just for signing up, it’s unsurprising that customers are being lured into new contracts.

Customers want an energy contract that is simple and easy to understand and as they become progressively active in seeking out better deals, and it’s the independent suppliers that seem ticking all the boxes for those looking to switch.

As a result, there’s an increasing number of independent suppliers edging their way into the top 10 energy suppliers for both the domestic and business markets.

Recent data from Simple Switch found that independent providers such as Ecotricity and Good Energy are topping the list compared to the traditional big six players such as npower and Scottish Power who have fallen down the rankings.

While many independent suppliers are focused solely on supplying energy, now supermarkets, housing associations, charities and councils are also muscling in on the action, providing gas and electricity in a bid to generate a new revenue stream and also building customer loyalty by providing them with an additional service. It’s becoming

20

Phil Ivers, head of customer optimisation at Gazprom Energy

an increasingly crowded market and traditionally focusing their efforts on the domestic market, independent suppliers are now, also beginning to target SMEs. While there is still a lot of reluctance from smaller businesses to switch energy suppliers, quotes for new energy contracts are easier to access and customers are slowly waking from their contract slumbers with the intention of finding a better deal elsewhere.

The industry also faces changing relegations set out by Ofgem and the Government. Alongside this, the price of gas and electricity continues to fluctuate and is set to rise once more as the UK heads towards it’s coldest months.

The winter of 2017 saw the National Grid warn that the UK might run out of gas as the market attempted to meet public demand. This resulted in prices for ‘within the day’ delivery rising nearly 400% to their highest in 20 years. And as the industry ensures it has enough energy to meet the demands of another gruelling winter, these new entrants to the market are at risk of being caught out due to a lack of credit or wholesale agreements to purchase enough energy to meet customer demand.

There’s certainly a wealth of new players entering the market, which is seeing a levelling out of the playing field.

ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JULY/AUGUST 2018

However, as the newer independent suppliers focus efforts on the smaller customers, the more established B2B suppliers within the market have hung on to their UK contracts with large industrial businesses, and this isn’t going to change anytime soon. But how will the big six respond to these market changes and fight against its decreasing market share?

Npower is set to acquire fellow energy giant SSE in a deal worth a reported £3bn, increasing its customer base to a staggering 11.5m, and reducing the big six down to five. And the other big suppliers are boosting revenues through sales of smart meters, boiler cover and energy servicing. This business model allows them to evolve with the industry, including setting up their own network of independent suppliers. By doing so, the big six can expand their market share and retain their hold on the market.

The energy market is always on the move. With new suppliers entering the market and the big six becoming five, businesses need to ensure the provider they chose, big or small, has a good knowledge of the industry and is able to meet their energy needs. The next six months is likely to be a real test for the whole of the market, and it will soon become clear who is here to stay. Watch this space. www.gazprom-energy.co.uk

ENERGY SUPPLY

BUSINESS ENERGY CLAIMS: UK BUSINESSES OWED HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS Tim Hipperson, Director, Business Energy Claims

E

nergy brokers are there to help businesses search the often confusing and crowded energy supply market to find business energy contracts from suppliers on behalf of the customer.

However, a lack of regulation by Ofgem and a dramatic increase in the number of brokers has led to UK businesses being owed hundreds of millions of pounds due to miss-sold utility contracts.

Brokers have various ways in which they charge businesses for their services but often the method, amount, or even the fact they are charging are not transparent, and this is why many businesses are either unclear about what they’ve been charged.

In fact, a recent report prepared for Ofgem1 said only five per cent of micro and small businesses believed they were charged anything for the services of a broker.

BUSINESS ENERGY MIS-SELLING: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW First and foremost, any type of business could have been affected by business energy mis-selling; from a sole trader to a large corporate.

Energy mis-selling by brokers is far more common than most people realise. To demonstrate the scale of the issue; there are approximately 3,000 energy brokers in the UK, but less than 10 per cent have registered for self-regulation, in which brokers follow a strict code of practice to ensure transparency with their consumers.

Whilst some brokers do charge upfront payments for their services, or are transparent about their fees, the vast majority use a commission model which can often lead to the customer’s energy spend being almost doubled due to the amount uplifted by the broker.

The problem is that in many cases the level of commission, the existence or commission, and/or how that commission affects the price customers pay, is not disclosed.

Indeed, the fact that the rate charged to the customer can often be determined by the broker and the amount charged is something the customer rarely learns In some cases, businesses will have achieved a saving on their previous contract where they’ve used a broker. However, this does not mean that they weren’t mis-sold to.

For example, if a business was already paying too much for energy (perhaps they were on out of contract rates), it would be very easy for a broker to undercut the existing price and provide a saving, whilst leaving a lot of room for their own commission.

The most common way for energy brokers to earn their commission is by applying an ‘uplift’ to the energy supplier’s unit price, which is not disclosed to the customer.

THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF MIS-SELLING There are a wide range of practices currently used by a number of energy brokers that are, at best, misleading and, at worst, fraudulent; many are centred around energy brokers acting in their own best interests, rather than their clients’ best interests The Citizens Advice Bureau has identified eight separate practices2 which are detrimental to businesses. However, the three that occur most often and/ or cause the most damage are: Mis-selling: selling consumers unsuitable contracts, presenting something as the “best deal” or the “best price” based on the broker’s commission, or contracts that do not meet their needs such as proposing a long term fixed deal.2 Lack of transparency: not clearly presenting fees/charges or specifying how much of the market was searched to find a price, therefore consumers may not be offered the best deal.2 Misrepresentation: failing to identify themselves as an intermediary by suggesting that they are calling from a supplier in order to get businesses to switch contracts or agree longer contracts.2

HOW DO BUSINESSES KNOW IF THEY HAVE BEEN AFFECTED? There are certain hallmarks of business energy mis-selling, many of which organisations are not aware of.

As a starting point, if a business is not aware of a fee or invoice being paid specifically for the use of its broker’s services within the last six years, there are grounds for believing that the customer may have been mis-sold to and are therefore eligible to make a business energy claim.

WHY IS THE ISSUE BEING RAISED NOW? WHAT’S CHANGED? The energy market has changed significantly over recent years with lots of new entrants and, whilst this should drive innovation and competition, it has instead led to more creative misselling and a “greedy” industry.

In 2014, Ofgem introduced proposals to regulate energy brokers to protect businesses from such issues but this failed to materialise. The market is unregulated and intermediated, with hundreds of new brokers opening in the last few years.

There are very few barriers for new brokers looking to enter the market and a lot of money to be made, so it’s easy to see how mis-selling has continued to be a growing issue. The current position is that brokers will remain unregulated for the foreseeable future.

WHAT’S NEXT? It is important for businesses to educate themselves on what makes a good broker and how to spot potential signs of misselling. If a business has used an energy broker in the last six years and is unsure whether or not they have been mis-sold to, there are now measures in place to allow them to make a claim – in some cases, they could be owed hundreds of thousands. http://businessenergyclaims.co.uk/

1. Micro and Small Business Engagement in Energy Markets. Prepared for: Ofgem. Prepared by: BMG Research Ltd, March 2015. https://www. ofgem.gov.uk/publications-and-updates/micro-andsmall-business-engagement-energy-market-2015quantitative-research-report 2. Citizens Advice policy on non-domestic Third Party Intermediaries (TPIs), 2017. https://www. citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/policy/policyresearch-topics/energy-policy-research-andconsultation-responses/energy-policy-research/ citizens-advice-policy-on-non-domestic-third-partyintermediaries-tpis/

ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JULY/AUGUST 2018

21

ENERGY SUPPLY

NAVIGATING A TRANSFORMED ENERGY LANDSCAPE John Langley-Davis, Strategic Marketing Manager at Schneider Electric

B

efore the century is through, the energy world as we know it will cease to exist.

Spurred on by massive and widespread electrification programmes in the developing world, humanity’s hunger for energy is unlikely to be sated. At the same time, concerns around climate change are driving calls for the deep decarbonisation and decentralisation of energy sources the world over. Owing to the technological advances of the last few years, this energy transformation is well within our grasp.

Yet, at the heart of this transformation is the need for greater resilience and increased reliability.

Faced with challenges such as severe weather events, value chain disruption and fluctuating power supply and price, many companies are seeking to improve energy security and responsiveness to future-proof operations.

RELIABILITY REDEFINED Reliability of power supply is a real – and growing – concern. A recent survey of 250 energy managers indicated that 25 per cent of companies experience regular power outages.

These power disruptions can be costly: 18 per cent of responding companies had experienced an outage that cost the equivalent of £70,000 or more.

22

The key barrier to achieving reliable power supply is either an immature or aging grid. For instance, in India, where more than 240 million people still lack access to power, 50 per cent of electricity generation is wasted due to poor transmission to rural areas, as well as power theft.

Some have suggested that the solution to reliability rests in stockpiling coal to support conventional baseload generation, but this is actually very risky. For example, during Hurricane Harvey in the US, grid operators in Texas had to switch from coal-fired generation to natural gas due to the coal’s level of water saturation.

Instead, the key to the reliability problem is an integrated, active approach to energy management that enables resilience with its diversity of supply and demand. Active energy management is a holistic view of the strategies, data and resources needed to reduce consumption, drive innovation and maximise savings. Rather than treating the procurement, dispensation and evolution of energy as disparate activities, the Active Energy Management approach assumes that these activities are interdependent and indispensable.

ACTIVE ENERGY MANAGEMENT By addressing operational efficiency, enabled by digitisation and technology, operators can reduce susceptibility to outages and potential downtime.

Strategically sourcing energy supply from a diverse portfolio that includes renewable generation reduces risk while maximising continuity. Investing in new energy opportunities and distributed energy resources (DERs) – like demand-side management (DSM), microgrid technology and battery storage, – can further the development of corporate assets that are responsive, agile, and reliable.

DSM is the process through which consumer electricity demand is modified

ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JULY/AUGUST 2018

to satisfy energy needs across the grid. It bolsters electrical grid reliability, ensuring that demand does not exceed supply and flattening demand curves by redistributing consumption from peak to off-peak times. It also addresses operational and emergency reserves, capacity, and real-time balancing. Yet, in addition to the capabilities of DSM to balance demand and supply and maintain grid reliability, it has great potential to enhance the lives of energy consumers and end-users.

DSM greatly encourages the consumer to better understand and manage their energy usage.

The provision of advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), or smart meters, gives users unprecedented insight into their consumption. With this knowledge, they are better equipped to manage their energy needs, moderating their consumption to reduce costs.

Smart meters serve as the point of engagement for consumers and their energy, providing them with more information on their energy consumption across various interconnected devices.

In the future they could allow them to participate in automated demand response programs, with the widening provision of adaptive energy tariffs offering an additional financial incentive to homes and businesses.

The result is both cost and carbon savings. Reductions in resource consumption from efficiency projects lower carbon emissions and the money saved can be used to fund sustainability projects. Once a cost centre, clean, green and renewable electricity is now cheaper than conventional generation in more than 60 countries, and will be the most inexpensive source of power everywhere by 2020. DERs continue to drive savings by allowing organisations to store power to use during peak load times and by reducing transmission utility charges.

ENERGY SUPPLY

MAKING DERS THE EPITOME OF RESILIENCE As more entities embark on the Active Energy Management journey and explore the flexibility of DERs, it is inevitable that there will be a growth in the deployment of microgrids to achieve grid autonomy.

A self-contained, localised grid that typically includes a combination of generation and storage assets, microgrids can both integrate with existing grids or operate independently in “island mode.” This flexibility and reliance on DERs makes them the epitome of true energy resilience.

Microgrids can be used as standalone power generation sources – as they are in both rural or off-grid electrification, or disconnected, remote geographies – or, as back-up power stations that ensure continuity of critical systems. And new financing models, such as microgrids-as-a-service, mean that companies can invest in a system without any upfront costs.

Often a familiar component of microgrids, battery storage also has a vital role to play. As the technology becomes cheaper, it is growing into an economically viable route for reducing peak consumption levels. The

ability to store the energy generated from distributed, renewable sources provides a dependable power source regardless of weather conditions.

Battery storage also provides a valuable reservoir of backup power, which can ensure a consistent power supply when parts of the grid are shut off.

Onboard batteries housed within the latest electrical vehicles (EVs) also hold much potential. As EVs are rolled out in ever-greater numbers, they will undoubtedly create complexity for operators. Yet, while their charging stations may put pressure on localised parts of the grid, their batteries could be used to give some of the energy back in times of need.

Energy storage also further extends the value of renewable energy sources by enabling self-consumption to be increased by up to 100 per cent. It allows locally produced energy to be consumed when it is needed, produced when it is relevant, and be sold back to the grid when it is most economically advantageous to do so. It is estimated that 3 million energy users in Europe are already generating at least some of their own power. By adding an energy storage system, customers are maximising self-

consumption of this energy and gaining more control over when to use it.

PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH Despite the advantages of Active Energy Management and its role in improving reliability and resilience, corporate intention lags behind implementation. Research conducted by GreenBiz and Schneider Electric found that while 82 per cent of respondents have initiated energy efficiency upgrades, only 30 per cent are planning projects directly related to resilience, and a mere 1 per cent have considered or implemented energy storage solutions.

Pursuing Active Energy Management and its range of distributed energy solutions can help businesses and communities insulate themselves from the inevitable and profound energy transformation. Reducing consumption, introducing renewables into our power supply and investing in evolving clean technologies can create valuable redundancies in power supply that reduce the value of lost load, especially for power critical industries such as data centres, healthcare and air transportation. www.schneider-electric.co.uk

ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JULY/AUGUST 2018

23

BOILERS & BURNERS

STOKVIS R600 EVOLUTION RANGE BOILERS SELECTED FOR WALSALL SCHOOLS SUMMER UPGRADE

T

he summer holiday period presents an ideal window for M&E companies to carry out critical maintenance and replacement work within education premises, with West Midlands based Lord Combustion Services completing the installation of three Stokvis Evolution boilers at a school in Walsall last August.

Queen Mary’s High School is on Upper Forster Street and provides places for over 750 pupils, within buildings which can be hard to heat.

Stokvis Energy Systems initially became involved when Solihull based Stewart Associates began the heating services design work early in the year, ready for replacement of the old cast iron boilers.

Lord Combustion was subsequently awarded the contract to carry out the work and installed a trio of R602 Evolution boilers within the school’s plant room. The upgrade to the heating system not only improves energy performance and reduces future maintenance requirements, but also features one of the manufacturer’s GCD044 BARE plate heat exchangers to provide separation from the very old existing heating circuits.

The Managing Director of Lord Combustion, Stuart Smith, commented on the success of the contract: “We have used Stokvis equipment on a number of projects in the past and always

24

Queen Mary’s High School, Walsall, now benefits from new Stokvis Evolution boilers found it to be very reliable. In the case of the Queen Mary High School in Walsall, switching the old cast iron boilers saves a lot of space in the plant room and represents a major upgrade in terms of performance. In addition, fitting the bare plate heat exchanger as a separation plate will prevent the higher pressure of the system causing issues within the original LTHW pipework or radiators around the school. Stokvis carried out the commissioning work after we completed the installation and the whole job went really well.”

The senior consultant on the project for Stewarts, Peter Drew confirmed: “Because of the age of the system and the condition of the pipe we were connecting to, we wanted to create a hydraulic separation – keeping the primary circuit and the secondary side completely separate. The Stokvis boilers just worked well in this context while they could also supply the bare plate

ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JULY/AUGUST 2018

heat exchanger - to give us a complete package from one manufacturer.”

The R600 EVOLUTION range includes seven models offering outputs from 142 to 540kW, while combining high economy with compact dimensions, making them the ‘go anywhere’ solution for confined spaces in either retrofit or less accessible new-build applications.

In fact, the new high efficiency boilers are all designed to pass through standard doorways. For those sites with even tighter access the boilers are easily dismantled and reassembled in position on site. They are also low in weight between 290 and 595Kg when empty – and can be ideal for tall buildings as they provide 8 Bar maximum pressure.

For further information on Stokvis Energy Systems, please call 020 8733 3050 or visit www.stokvisboilers.com.

For further information on Lord Combustion Services, please call 0121 544 4191 or visit www.lordcombustion.co.uk

BOILERS & BURNERS

KEELE UNIVERSITY OPTIMISES HEATING EFFICIENCY WITH NEW REMEHA BOILERS

R

emeha Quinta Ace 160 boilers have been installed at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at Keele University to optimise heating efficiency and minimise environmental impact.

Improved sustainability is a key strategic aim for the University. One of the ways in which they address this is by ensuring that the heating service operates as efficiently as possible. This includes upgrading any older boilers to newer, more energy-efficient equipment.

Condensing boilers are around 11% more efficient than non-condensing boilers. Replacing non-condensing boilers with condensing boilers therefore offers considerable scope for energy savings and carbon reduction. But even condensing models should be routinely replaced when they come to the end of their lifecycle to ensure optimum operation and efficiency.

So when the time came to upgrade the two ageing Remeha 3A boilers and one non-condensing HE boiler serving the David Weatherall Building, the University was quick to act.

The first requirement for the University was to achieve high energy efficiencies and reduced NOx and CO2 emissions in compliance with Building Regulations.

Access was a potential obstacle due to the rooftop location of the plant room.

The University was also keen to achieve the heat demand as efficiently and effectively as possible, avoiding any disruption and ensuring a comfortable environment for improved wellbeing and productivity.

To meet all these requirements, Ford-Mainwaring’s Dave Alcock chose to install multiple boilers in a modular arrangement rather than select ‘like for like’ larger units. This configuration increases the turndown ratio which enables fluctuating heat load to be more accurately matched, improving seasonal efficiencies and reliability.

Additionally, it allows the condensing boilers to operate at part load where they achieve their higher efficiencies.

Ford-Mainwaring’s project manager Paul Brett, supported by Jon Lewis of Heatech, selected six Quinta Ace

160 boilers on a preassembled Remeha cascade system.

“We are familiar with Remeha products, and the Quinta Ace 160 boilers fitted all the requirements, from capital expenditure and quality to reliability and good service support,” said Dave.

Given the rooftop location of the plantroom at the David Weatherall Building, the modular design brought logistical and financial benefits when it came to positioning the boilers. The six Quinta Ace 160 boilers were transported to the rooftop in the lift, where they were installed on a neat, ultra-compact back-to-back cascade system.

“The reduced footprint of the Remeha Quinta Ace 160 meant that we avoided having to crane the boilers into the plantroom which would have incurred additional costs,” explained Dave.

Installation was quick and easy for contractors Ford-Mainwaring thanks to Remeha’s time and labour saving comprehensive cascade system. As a result, changeover was rapid with minimal disruption.

Good control keeps heating efficiencies high and emissions low.

To achieve this, the new Remeha boilers have been integrated into the existing Building Management System at the David Weatherall Building.

Ash Hulme, Head of Engineering and Planning in the Estates and Development Directorate at Keele University, is pleased with the outcome. “The project went extremely well, resulting in a neat installation that delivers the required high performing heating service and reduced environmental impact,” he said.

“The design allows easy access to the boilers while the inbuilt redundancy makes servicing and maintenance simpler and the heating service more secure and reliable. As the lead boiler is rotated, the lifecycle of the boilers is also extended, all of which improves whole life operational costs.”

A comfortable environment for improved well-being and productivity, generated by advanced Remeha

condensing boiler technology – the Quinta Ace 160 boilers are providing the fitting solution to high efficiency heating at Keele University’s leading, state-of-the-art Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.

The Quinta Ace 160 is one of the most advanced wall-hung boilers on the market.

Built on the Remeha Quinta platform, it offers class-leading heat output to physical size ratio, enabling easier access through doorways and lifts and greater flexibility in plantroom design. Cascade options for up to eight boilers, in-line or back-toback, provide time-saving installation with on-site assembly. With in-built 0-10V and volt-free contacts, the Quinta Ace 160 can connect to any BMS without the need for additional parts. Email: info@remeha.co.uk

ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JULY/AUGUST 2018

25

CHP

GREATER ENERGY CONTROL WITH CHP In a shifting energy landscape, the ability of CHP to generate low carbon, lower cost electricity on-site assumes new importance. Ultimately, CHP can provide energy managers with greater control over their buildings’ energy consumption and supply, says Mike Hefford, Remeha CHP’s General Manager.

26

ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JULY/AUGUST 2018

C

entral government recently announced its Grand Challenges to put the UK at the forefront of future industry through science, technology and innovation. Clean Growth is one of its key goals, with the identified mission to halve energy use of new buildings by 2030 – and halve the costs of achieving the same efficiency standard in existing buildings.

The government recommends “embracing smart technologies” in order to reduce energy demand and costs, boost economic growth and help meet its carbon reduction target of 80% of 1990 levels by 2050. Using smart technologies, it says, will also provide consumers with more control over how they use energy.

CHP with Part L of Building Regulations and achieve excellent energy performance.

Combined Heat and Power (CHP), which provides useful heat and power in a single process, can certainly be seen as one of the “smart technologies” that ticks all boxes.

HOW DOES IT WORK? CHP is effectively a micro power station, but more than twice as efficient.

Compared with traditional heating plant and electricity supplied solely from the grid, CHP systems can reduce primary energy usage by up to 30% and emissions by up to 20%. As such, CHP provides local authorities with a costeffective, strategic solution to achieving long-term financial and carbon savings.

Remeha’s CHP technology uses natural gas to generate useful heat on-site, while also providing electricity to supplement or replace the grid supply. Instead of rejecting the ‘waste’ heat to atmosphere like traditional power stations, the heat generated by CHP can be re-used to provide heating, hot water or heat for swimming pools. And through on-site generation, CHP can produce lower carbon electricity at lower gas prices.

WHICH BUILDINGS BENEFIT FROM CHP?

Local government and public sector professionals have a key role to play in implementing and delivering this strategy across public sector estates.

The recommendation is to be welcomed as reducing energy consumption in buildings makes perfect business sense, cutting energy costs and minimising environmental impact. And, as the country transitions to a low carbon grid, it’s equally vital that energy managers have greater control over energy usage to bridge any potential gap and keep buildings operating. So where to start?

SMART TECHNOLOGY As heating and powering our buildings account for 40% of total UK energy usage, these areas are natural targets for improvement. In buildings with high, constant requirements for heat and electricity, it’s therefore essential to select the appropriate low carbon technology that will comply

CHP can be used as part of a standalone heating system in both new and existing buildings – providing there is sufficient demand for high-grade heat and power.

4,000 operating hours is usually the minimum requirement to maximise CHP operation and achieve an acceptable return on investment. As a result, it is particularly effective in sites like residential care homes, leisure centres with heated swimming pools and schools and universities with extended hours.

IMPROVED CONTROL CHP’s ability to generate electricity on-site brings numerous advantages for energy managers. Energy costs are lower, as CHP produces site electricity requirements at gas prices which are typically a third of the cost.

Emissions from buildings are reduced, due to the more efficient, less carbonintensive generation process.

Energy managers also have the opportunity to offset fluctuations of wholesale energy prices in a volatile market. This gives them greater control and resilience when it comes to energy costs.

Equally importantly in the current period of profound change, CHP’s ability to generate electricity on-site provides organisations with a safe energy supply and greater energy security.

The grid is rapidly decarbonising, undergoing its biggest change in recent years. Around the country, old polluting coal and nuclear power plant generators are closing fast, with more set to shut in the 2020s. At the same time, renewable energy sources are soaring, accounting for 29% of UK total generation in the first quarter of 2018. As we adapt to the modern low carbon grid and the changing energy mix, on-site generation assumes new importance. In CHP, energy managers have a highly-efficient low carbon tool to bridge any gap in energy supply and ensure that their buildings can continue to operate.

EXCITING OPPORTUNITY The shifting energy landscape will undoubtedly present some interesting challenges in the coming years. This is compounded by the intensifying pressure to reduce energy consumption as we approach our 2030 and 2050 carbon targets.

But equally there are exciting opportunities ahead to transform the way heat and power is generated across our buildings, providing long-term heating efficiency and greater energy resilience and security. The public sector is well placed to lead by example and with smart technologies like CHP readily available, it has the means to do just that. Email: sales@remeha.co.uk

ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JULY/AUGUST 2018

27

DISTRICT HEATING

DISTRICT ENERGY: A PROVEN, LOWCARBON, FLEXIBLE HEATING SOLUTION Dom Barton, Metropolitan Infrastructure

O

pting for district energy is a long-term commitment.

Networks are assets that need to be managed for years; a well-designed network can be expected to be in operation for up to 80 years. It is therefore essential that energy managers make an informed choice about district energy. They need to be aware of how flexible a heating solution it is, able to change and adapt as heat and power generation technology and low carbon targets change, yet still deliver the heat and cooling required, efficiently and at an affordable price for the consumer.

Metropolitan's district energy network serves King's Cross. Photo credit iStock.com

DELIVERING GOOD QUALITY SERVICE District energy networks serve entire communities, delivering all the heat that each community needs. Since the residents and customers have no alternative heat options, it is essential that the network delivers heat where and when it is needed, provides excellent customer service and represents good value over the long-term. The evidence suggests that this is indeed the case in practice with district energy.

Last year the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) undertook the first-ever survey of heat network customers. The survey was carried out by independent researchers between April and July 2017 and received over 5,000 responses from users of both communal and district energy networks.

The results, published in December, were very positive for the district energy network sector. They suggested that heat network consumers paid, on average, around ÂŁ100 less for their heating and hot water compared with non-heat network consumers, whilst being overall just as satisfied with their heating.

One of the key drivers of satisfaction

28

The Energy Centre at King's Cross

was the level of information provided about the system. Networks that were members of the Heat Trust achieved particularly impressive consumer satisfaction levels concerning the quality of billing and usage information they received. The Heat Trust is an

ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JULY/AUGUST 2018

industry-led, self-regulatory initiative supported by the UK Government, which recognises best practice. The service standards and customer protection requirements include: billing and payment arrangements; fault and emergency reporting; complaint handling;

DISTRICT HEATING

District Energy Network schematic

and privacy policy and data protection.

Metropolitan’s scheme at King’s Cross was amongst the first to be registered.

DELIVERING LOWCARBON DEVELOPMENT District energy therefore is clearly delivering for the consumer, but it is also delivering for the wider community by contributing to low-carbon development.

Heating accounts for more than 40% of UK carbon emissions. So, the savings that district energy networks offer are vital in helping to meet new stringent carbonemission targets. Compared to traditional utility solutions, district energy can deliver more than a 50% saving in carbon emissions. Furthermore, any spare power generated is not wasted and can be used to run a cooling network; a solution known as tri-generation.

FLEXIBILITY BUILT IN It is flexibility like this which is such a valuable characteristic of district energy networks. Once a network has been installed, it can be expanded as required.

More heat sources can be added to the energy centre and older buildings can be retrofitted as their heating systems need renewing. These systems also work well with large, phased developments delivered over a number of years. At each

Combined Heat and Power (CHP) engine at King's Cross (painted pink in aid of Breast Cancer Research)

stage, the energy centre capacity can be matched to the size of the development as it grows, avoiding unnecessary over-servicing but meeting planned, community needs.

Finally, there is the enormous potential of new sources of heat currently being explored, such as heat from rivers, the London Underground, and sewers; waste heat from industrial processes; and hydrogen fuel cells.

Once the heat network is in place the system is ultimately very flexible. Whilst

gas-powered CHP engines are the most common generators now, that could all change in the future and energy centres can be updated to take advantage of new knowledge and new technology.

Some experts predict that by 2030, district energy networks could be providing 10% of the UK’s heat. Given the flexibility that district energy offers, this may be an under-estimate. It truly is a future-proof solution to community heating needs. www.met-i.co.uk

ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JULY/AUGUST 2018

29

LIGHTING

LED IS LIGHTING THE WAY FOR IMPROVED EFFICIENCIES IN WAREHOUSES AND FACTORIES

U

se of LED lighting is on the rise in factories and warehouses with companies reaping the benefits of huge energy savings and significantly reduced maintenance costs. Lighting levels can also be greatly increased to provide even illumination across a warehouse or factory floor giving better visibility and eliminating shadows or dark areas.

In warehouse and factory environments, the colour temperature of the LED lamps can make a difference to the look and feel of a space and often affects staff well-being throughout the workplace. Goodlight LED lamps and luminaires come in three colour temperatures: daylight, natural and warm. Cleaner, whiter light can aid concentration, reduce eye strain and increase productivity in the warehouse or production floor, whilst warm light improves the ambience in staff communal areas.

30

LED Eco Lights, the UK LED manufacturer, has designed the awardwinning Goodlight range of retrofit LED lamps and luminaires especially for industrial and commercial applications.

Goodlight LED luminaires are widely renowned for their unique designs, quality of build and engineering, with innovative solutions to increase efficiency and reliability. All products provide immediate energy savings, reach full brightness instantly and are virtually maintenance free. They are also fully controllable and can be dimmed to exactly the level required at any particular time. This is beneficial in warehouse and factory environments that typically have long operating hours and don’t always require 100% illumination.

The Goodlight LED range has proved

ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JULY/AUGUST 2018

popular with design, engineering and sustainability professionals, delivering energy efficient, low maintenance lighting in high profile installations including Quorn Foods, Hi-Speed and Middlesex Aerospace.

TURNING ENERGY EFFICIENCY INTO ROI The most obvious benefit of upgrading to LED lighting is the improvement in energy efficiency.

This has an immediate impact on the monthly electricity spend, with demonstrated energy savings of up to 85%. Typical return on investment calculations show full payback from as little as three months. The installation of Goodlight’s high-performance, energy

LIGHTING efficient T8 LED Tubes at Quorn Foods’ manufacturing plant in North Yorkshire illustrates the financial benefits upgrading to LED lighting can bring. Quorn Foods achieved a payback in just eight months, significantly reducing its carbon footprint.

Commenting, Derek Passmore, Electrical Engineer at Quorn said, “Goodlight gave us a four-fold advantage. We’ve reduced our costs, reduced our carbon footprint, reduced the maintenance workload and improved the working environment for our staff. It’s rare to make everyone happy, but replacing fluorescent tubes with Goodlight LED light fittings has pleased management, staff and made our lives easier. It was also quick, easy and economic.”

IMPROVED LIGHT DISTRIBUTION Goodlight LED technology provides very directional light that can be focused where needed and is flicker free. High performance LED lighting is very consistent, providing an even spread of light, without colour shifting or contrast imbalances. This is especially beneficial in warehouses and production facilities where directional crisp bright light helps eliminate shadows and dark corners where accidents may occur. Good visibility can also improve assembly accuracy and manufacturing productivity.

The large, open spaces of a warehouse building or distribution centre require adequate illumination so items can be identified and workers can navigate through aisles easily, reducing the risk of accidents and damage to stored items.

Hi-Speed Services, a transport and logistics company, were delighted with the improved working conditions in their warehouse after upgrading to LED lighting. In selecting Goodlight IP65 G5 LED Battens, they were able to downsize the number of light fixtures needed due to the increased light output, achieving brighter illumination with fewer lights.

Commenting, Ian Dawkins, Managing Director at Hi-Speed said, “We are delighted with the results and the savings we’ve already started to see. The most obvious impact, however, is in the light quality and the vast improvement in colour temperature. Our employees are enjoying the cleaner, brighter, whiter light with no visible flickering.

Also, the LED lights generate much less heat which is hugely beneficial to us as we hold some heat sensitive stock.”

ELIMINATING MAINTENANCE COSTS Warehouses and industrial buildings characteristically have high ceilings and

therefore the lifetime of the light fittings is important. The costs of changing a lamp often involves the use of specialist equipment and is costly. The long lifespan of industrial LED lamps means that fixtures need to be replaced far less frequently. One manufacturer that has eliminated maintenance costs is Middlesex Aerospace who replaced its outdated fluorescent lighting in its 50,000 sq ft production factory and inspection area with Goodlight GX1 Plus LED High Bays and T8 LED Tubes. Goodlight LED lamps and luminaires are rated at 50,000 hours, over triple the typical fluorescent tube, giving site operators further savings in maintenance budgets.

Commenting, John Masey, Senior Buyer at Middlesex Aerospace said, “Not only are we making substantial energy savings but have eliminated maintenance costs too.”

Businesses are able to fund lighting replacement programmes from their operating budgets by taking advantage of Goodlight’s BrightPlan LED leasing scheme. This allows the replacement lights to be paid for directly by the

energy savings and the customer will own the lights outright at the end of the lease. Goodlight offers businesses a free site survey which will provide a detailed breakdown of suitable replacement light fittings, the installed cost and the return on investment from savings on energy and maintenance costs. They also guarantee all Goodlight fittings for five years, making installation risk-free.

CONCLUSION As shown in the examples above, upgrading to LED lighting can bring many benefits to businesses, including substantial energy savings and a significant reduction in maintenance costs. It can also enhance employee working conditions and improve workforce efficiencies through better, brighter white illumination without glare or flicker. With products such as the award-winning Goodlight range plus lamps that are specifically designed for retrofit, installation couldn’t be easier. Many businesses that change to LED lighting usually recoup the initial outlay from as little as three months. www.goodlight.co.uk

ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JULY/AUGUST 2018

31

LIGHTING

ENERGYS GROUP DELIVERS DRAMATIC EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS FOR WALTHAM FOREST EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES Next-generation lighting equipment and boiler controls have been installed at the Edinburgh Primary School and Adult Learning Centre operated

by Waltham Forest Council.

T

he energy-saving potential of a large primary school and adult learning centre in the London Borough of Waltham Forest have been transformed thanks to a significant installation of the latest Energys lighting and boiler control technologies.

The new solutions – which were financed via Salix through client and site owner/ operator Waltham Forest Council – have also remedied long-running sensor inadequacies and failure problems associated with previous systems.

The starting point for the project was Energys’ approach to Waltham Forest Council’s energy team with information about the long-term cost savings that could be obtained with its latest lighting and boiler control ranges, as well as the relatively short payback period that could be achieved with even the most extensive deployment. As it turned out this proved to be a very timely conversation as the council’s energy manager, Andras Kis, was already considering the potential of new technologies to reduce expenditure at both the Edinburgh Primary School and co-located Adult Learning Centre (ALC).

“We were also experiencing issues with the efficiency of the existing lighting and occupancy sensors, with regular failures occurring at both the primary school and the ALC,” says Kis. “Light were often coming on at the wrong time, or were remaining on all the time, leading to considerable inefficiencies. Despite the fittings only being about seven years old, we were starting to incur hefty replacement costs as well as expenses related to maintenance and support.”

Through conversations with the Energys team – who produced detailed forecasts and specification sheets for projected site-wide installations – Kis and his team were assured that the new solutions would make an enduring difference to their facilities’ energy consumption patterns. Consequently, a two-phase programme of work was devised to take place during school breaks in early 2018, ensuring a minimum of disruption to personnel and regular activities.

Work at the Adult Learning Centre was undertaken shortly beforehand, in December 2017.

32

COMPREHENSIVE UPGRADE At both sites the final specification drew on a broad cross-section of current Energys solutions, with an understandable emphasis on high-efficiency LED-oriented products. The latest LED light fittings were installed widely, in conjunction with motion/occupancy sensors to make sure that lighting was only used when and where it was required – something that certainly hadn’t been the case with the previous lighting systems and sensors.

The project was extensive and covered all areas in the school, including the sports hall, gym, dining halls, kitchens, laboratories, staff rooms, classrooms, storage areas, toilets and corridors. The new Energys installation also included the latest outdoor and emergency lighting products, replacing ageing systems that were either technically outdated or no longer in warranty.

Meanwhile, the deployment at the Adult Learning Centre spread over two floors and encompassed offices, classrooms, reception areas, a cafe and a canteen.

With the programme of work now fully complete, both sites can look forward to payback periods that are expected to be in the region of five years, as well as significant annual savings of approximately £12,000 across the school and Adult Learning Centre. Not only will these new systems bring lasting reductions to annual energy expenditure, they will also play a crucial role in minimising the sites’ carbon footprints.

In addition, the new lighting comes equipped with multi-year warranties,

ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JULY/AUGUST 2018

allowing the school and Adult Learning Centre to lower their forecasts for lamp replacements and associated labour. Indeed, staff at both centres report that the energy savings to date are entirely in line with expectations; while there have also been positive comments about the improvements that have been delivered to the quality and consistency of illumination.

Mr Kis concludes with satisfaction that “the project went smoothly and without disruption – as expected. We are achieving the energy savings and technical benefits of the lighting – again as expected. But the most important aspect for me is that the management teams are very happy with the new lighting. And if they’re happy, I’m happy!” www.energysgroup.com

LEGISLATION

EPBD IS A GIANT LEAP FOR THE BUILDINGS OF EUROPE

The buildings where we live, sleep, and work hold enormous potential in terms of saving energy. We can unlock these opportunities hidden behind concrete, glass and steel – to generate huge savings, create jobs and build better places to live. The revised EPBD is a significant step towards unlocking this potential.

W

e could save 67 billion Euros on energy bills for EU citizens annually in 2030, and initiate a reduction in emissions of 156 Mt. CO2, equivalent to that generated by 82 million cars – by optimising our technical building systems. As documented by an ECOFYS study initiated by Danfoss.

A giant step on the way will be taken on July 9, 2018, when the new Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) comes into force. It will accelerate the cost-effective renovation of existing buildings with the vision of creating a decarbonized building stock by 2050 and the mobilization of investments.

The revision also introduces new provisions to enhance smart technologies and technical building systems.

Member States will have to transpose the provisions of the EPBD into national law by 10 March 2020. That means 20 months for Europe’s governments to be ambitious and seize the opportunity to unlock the potential of the three pillars of energy efficiency in buildings, especially the optimization of technical building systems (next to the envelope and the heating or cooling supply).

Danfoss sees the EPBD as key to getting the basics right in our buildings and making them future-proof for the wider energy system thanks to digitalization.

Technical building systems include the systems for heating, cooling, ventilation and hot water. By optimising the control of energy flows in these systems, energy consumption can be reduced by no less than 30% on average, and the benefits of digitalization can be fully utilised.

“Policy-makers have clearly strengthened the provisions targeting the technical building systems in the new EPBD. We welcome this step as it will not only save energy but will also bring more indoor comfort and improved air quality to millions of EU citizens,” says

Lars Tveen, President of Danfoss Heating.

The only way to significantly improve building energy efficiency is to focus on existing buildings. Nine out of ten existing buildings in the EU will be occupied by 2050. Renovation of our building stock is more affordable than many currently believe. The investment cost for basic improvements to the control of energy flows inside buildings is low, and the payback time is two years to get the basics right.

“A priority for investors is also to reduce the energy performance gap in energy renovation, meaning the gap between calculated and actual energy consumption. The optimization of technical building systems, especially at part-load, will reduce this gap, because it will secure that energy flows are controlled dynamically, whatever the outside temperature or internal usage,” says André Borouchaki, CTO, Danfoss Drives.

FACTS ON THE EU BUILDING STOCK Buildings are responsible for approximately 40% of energy consumption and 36% of CO2 emissions in the EU. Currently, about 35% of the EU’s buildings are over 50 years old and over 75% of the building stock is energy inefficient, while only 0.41.2% (depending on the country) of the building stock is renovated each year. Therefore, more renovation of existing buildings has the potential to lead to significant energy savings.

Improving the energy efficiency of buildings can also generate other economic, social and environmental benefits. Better performing buildings provide higher levels of comfort and wellbeing for their occupants, and improve health by reducing illness caused by a poor indoor climate. It also has a major impact on the affordability of heating and cooling. Improvement in the energy performance of the housing stock and

the energy savings it brings would enable many households to escape energy poverty.

Investments in energy efficiency also stimulate the economy, in particular the construction industry, which generates about 9% of Europe’s GDP and directly accounts for 18 million direct jobs.

FACTS ON THE REVISED EPBD •

EU countries will have to establish stronger long-term renovation strategies, aiming at decarbonizing their national building stock by 2050 with solid milestones and key performance indicators • The optimization of technical building systems will be promoted, for instance by requirements on self-regulating devices for the control of room temperature or the mandatory assessment and documentation of the energy efficiency of technical buildings systems by installers • The energy performance gap will be targeted with the mandatory assessment of the energy efficiency of cooling and heating systems at part-load operating conditions in inspections • Smart technologies will be further promoted, for instance through requirements on the installation of building automation and control systems, or via a voluntary European scheme for rating the smart readiness of buildings • E-mobility will be supported by introducing minimum requirements on recharging points and ducting infrastructure • Health and well-being of building users will be promoted, for instance through an increased consideration of air quality and ventilation. www.danfoss.com

ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JULY/AUGUST 2018

33

PRODUCT SHOWCASE

RINNAI CONTINUOUS FLOW & SOLAR PANELS AT PECKFORTON CASTLE

R

innai, the UK’s leading manufacturer of continuous flow hot water heating units and systems, has recently completed an installation at Peckforton Castle in Cheshire, replacing the old direct fired stored hot water system.

Two HDC 1500i units were linked to solar panels as the main hot water heating source by contractor A P Mitchell.

Peckforton Castle, built in 1842 and completed in 1851, is a Victorian country house built in the style of a medieval castle and is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a Grade I listed building. It stands in woodland near the village of Peckforton on the Cheshire plain. The house has changed ownership many times before it was purchased by the Naylor family in 2006, whereupon the historic building was repurposed as the popular luxury hotel and spa it is today.

The house has featured many times in TV and film – Robin Hood in the mid-1980s – and Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Who. Now it is a 48-bed room hotel and prestigious venue for corporate events and weddings.

Says Adam Mitchell for A P Mitchell, “The brief from the client was to create a more efficient system, and at the same time to enact a reduction in stored water volume to give substantial saving in gas fuel consumption. But the new system had to still meet peak demand in the hotel, spa and event facilities.”

He adds, “Our company provides a professional and comprehensive M&E building service, design, supply and installation; offering quality construction workmanship and value for money services. We pride ourselves on our quality of building services, workmanship excellence and client service.”

Rinnai’s HDC1500i, is an award-winning range of continuous flow water heating units that will reliably meet this brief. The range was developed to guarantee the maximum amount of affordable, ecologically friendly; safe-temperature controlled hot water, on demand at any time, by even the busiest commercial user. The Rinnai 1500i is engineered to the highest standard and is technologically advanced with a host of features giving added value.

Both Rinnai HDC1500i internal and external units turn in an impressive energy performance of 105% net efficiency. They can also be cascaded into Infinity Plus modules

34

comprising of a minimum of two HDC1500 units - any number of modules can be manifolded; therefore, the capacity for never ending ‘cascading’ hot water is infinite.

Installation is straightforward and simple – each module of Infinity Plus cascades for the Rinnai HDC 1500i comes with its own precision engineered rack, so there is no need to fabricate one or partake in adding pipework right up to the appliances. Simply connect the services pipework and the rack system will eliminate these time-consuming plant tasks, streamlining the installation and helping keep remedial costs to a minimum.

A major benefit onsite has been the savings on fuel over other forms of water heating solutions, this has been achieved by the added advantage that Rinnai systems will only raise the temperature of the water if required and that these smart condensing water heaters will only increase the temperature by the precise amount needed. This ensures that any solar gains are maximised and ‘boosted’ by a secondary heat source thus guaranteeing the optimization of both technologies.

Rinnai hot water heating products and systems are intelligent, fully modulating units, giving an output range from 56kW down to 2.27kW, and only use as much gas as is needed to bring the required volume of water to temperature. For example, if the solar panel array can only achieve a temperature of 40°C within the stored water instead of the required 60°C, and there is a demand on the system of 15 litres a minute, the fully modulating intelligent Rinnai unit will increase the temperature by the required 20°C (±1°C) whilst only using the required 21kW. If the demand drops to say 5l/min the heater will modulate down accordingly to an output 7kW. As can be seen a Rinnai unit used as a gas booster for solar systems will not only maximize solar gain, it will only use the correct amount of energy for the demand at the time and the rest of the time the

ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JULY/AUGUST 2018

unit remains inactive. It is this, the booster, that ensures never-ending hot water – no matter the demand, the conditions. Fossil fuel is only used when the renewable thermal energy store is below its setpoint, thus reducing the dependency on fossil fuel and reducing CO2 emissions.

The Rinnai system produces usable hot water on demand, at the turn of a tap or the push of a shower button.

The relatively compact footprint of the units also means they can be housed in tight spaces and still be easily accessible for maintenance and servicing.

According to Chris Goggin: “Rinnai 1500i units represent the best value-formoney commercial hot water solution on the market today, delivered direct to site in one complete, easy to manage package. Ensuring that our customers and end users experience is effortless” “Rinnai condensing continuous flow water heaters are low NoX, achieving less than 50mg/ kwh with gross efficiencies of 96-97%. The appliances can delivery in excess of 960 litres per hour at 50° degree rise and all our units are A rated within ErP” adds Chris Goggin.

For more information on the RINNAI product range visit www.rinnaiuk.com

PRODUCT SHOWCASE

KESTREL MECHANICAL ON SITE FOR CARE HOME WITH RINNAI NEW HOT WATER DELIVERY SYSTEMS

K

estrel Mechanical Services of Sevenoaks, Kent, has recently completed a complete refit of hot water heating systems at a well-known care home in the South East of England.

Kestrel has installed two Rinnai HDC 1500i on Natural Gas and included the unique scale inhibitor protection system.

Previously the hot water systems delivery was provided by a whole set of satellite domestic boilers dotted all over the site.

The building is a stunning villa which is a converted private residence that’s been modernised to the highest standards of comfort and practicality. It offers a delightful 50room residential and nursing home set in three-and-a-half acres of beautiful gardens near the north Kent coast.

The home is made up of two separate buildings that provide very specialist care.

Both have the benefit of access to the glorious landscaped gardens – complete with conservatory and patio area.

The care home aims to provide as comprehensive a range of care as possible, so can offer 24-hour convalescent, respite, palliative and frail elderly nursing care.

Regular and stimulating activities are the key for social interaction and general well-being, and that’s why there is a packed schedule of fun activities to do.

A reliable hot water heating delivery system was needed to replace the tangle of boiler units spread over the site.

For Kestrel Julian Ringrose said, “Our brief was to make the hot water delivery system work at an optimal level of efficiency. We chose the Rinnai 1500i units for a whole variety of reasons - reliable & continuous flow of useable hot water, safe temperature water distribution at all tap and shower points, overall energy efficiency and ease of installation plus minimal ongoing maintenance costs. Hot water is vital to the wellbeing of all residents, so we needed to get it right with the right product and Rinnai was the right choice.”

Water temperature is pre-set through easy-to-use built in digital controls, eliminating the risk of scalding and potentially eradicating the need for thermostatic mixing valves. Water can be used simultaneously at several points of delivery with no loss of heat.

The Rinnai HDC 1500i range is designed for use directly off the mains, with no need for large, ungainly and energy inefficient storage vessels -and is capable of delivering in excess of 780 litres per hour at 65 degrees Celsius, therefore ensuring water temperatures ideal for preventing legionella proliferation.

Eco-labelling of products offers transparency to specifiers and end users in a clear and simple guide when sourcing the most energy efficient hot water heating units. And so, the fact that Rinnai maintains ‘A’ rated Eco-labels on all its units speaks volumes for the company’s manufacturing process and stance on supplying only the highest efficiency units to the UK market. Rinnai products also meet and exceed the requirements of the Building Regulations Part L (fuel and power) and with these bespoke system arrangements they can offer G3 and ACOP L8 best practice too.

Any possibility of Legionella breeding is minimised as Rinnai units have no storage and can be cited close to the outlet and therefore limiting the environment for bacteria production. The Rinnai Infinity series HDC1500i/e Low NOx is capable of delivering in excess of 2000 litres per hour. It has efficiencies of up to 107% and can realistically claim to be one of the most efficient hot water heating units of its kind available in UK. The HDC1500i/e Low NOx is an on-demand style hot water heating unit – suitable for natural gas or LPG - and it has NO storage cylinder. This means

that there is no needless waste of energy from constantly reheating a stored body of water for when there is demand. Energy is only used on a Rinnai unit when there is demand – simple as that.

There is a big potential of annualised fuel saving costs with a HDC1500i low NoX unit - these costs can be minimised next to any comparable type of storage water heater, such as gas direct fired storage water heater or indirect cylinder system connected to the heating boiler. Contact Rinnai for professional CPDS and studies on this topic.

Rinnai Infinity HDC1500i Low NOx can boost a modulation range of 59.5kW to 2.8kW, and operate at a flow rate of as low as 1.5l/min. Thanks to this high modulation range, the Rinnai units ensure that the optimum amount of energy is used to heat the water, minimising waste and maximising system efficiencies.

The HDC1500i low NoX is extremely lightweight and easy to handle at just 31 kg.

By developing this holistic condensing technology initiative, Rinnai offers a simple, viable, cost effective, and energy efficient solution to any consumer needs for hot water.

For more information on the RINNAI product range visit www.rinnaiuk.com

ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JULY/AUGUST 2018

35

Reducing water and waste water costs “It’s simple when you have the knowledge”

Water Strategy Water Audit Water Procurement

Centralise billing data Compile a water and waste water database Clean data base Complete a water audit by identifying any historical water company overcharging and undercharging Identify and implement “low hanging fruit” – fixed and none variable charges Water management – Drive down water consumption, benchmark sites, compile high users list Complete site surveys where applicable, compile written report containing recommendations for reducing water costs Implementation of recommendations The Scottish and English water retail markets - procurement of Scottish and English water supply contracts Future water strategy – ongoing monitoring and water bill validation

www.h2obuildingservices.co.uk

Tel: 01924 387 873