Energy Manager Magazine May 2016

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Updated edition of White Paper offers new perspectives on energy management

Vital Progress on ÂŁ2 Million University of York District Heating Job

HVAC Infrastructure for modern healthcare delivery and patient wellbeing

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London Mayoral candidate officially opens UK’s first transparent solar bus shelter

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London City Airport awarded

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Updated edition of White Paper offers new perspectives on energy management

Vital Progress on £2 Million University of York District Heating Job

HVAC Infrastructure for modern healthcare delivery and patient wellbeing

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Bringing the best from commercial boilers

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Spend and save

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South Lanarkshire College goes low-carbon with NIBE

Bespoke wood burning technology keeps elderly warm at green care home

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Energy Manager Magazine • MAY 2016

News

Updated edition of White Paper offers new perspectives on energy management

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ritish businesses need to take a structured, technology-led approach to on-site energy management, in order to overcome the systematic energy waste that drives up CO2 emissions and energy bills.

This is the message of a revised and updated version of a White Paper published by Priva UK Ltd, a leading supplier of technologies for building automation. The White Paper, Taking a structured approach to energy management, was originally produced in 2014 in response to the widespread problem of energy waste in the UK’s building stock.

Gavin Holvey, UK & Ireland Sales Manager of Priva UK Ltd, comments: “When we published the first edition of the White Paper, we were met with tremendous appetite for information from the

market. We realised that by despite high levels of interest in improving energy efficiency, there remains a relatively low level of uptake for structured programmes of energy management. The 2016 edition has been completely refreshed with updates on energy statistics and new legislative drivers. It remains an important and useful document.”

The free-to-download White Paper from Priva UK Ltd is aimed at facilities managers, building managers and energy managers.

It provides a clear, easy-to-understand briefing on energy management: what’s driving it; how it intersects with energy monitoring and behavioural change; and

how technology can play a crucial role.

Priva UK Ltd is an expert in developing and supplying technologies for building automation and energy management.

Together with its local partner organisations, Priva offers organisations of all sizes access to high-quality hardware, software and services, in order to help the UK’s built environment to achieve greater energy efficiency.

The White Paper, Taking a structured approach to energy management, is available to download for free at the Priva website: www.priva.co.uk/energy

Energy management essentials guide now available from the Energy Institute

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he Energy Institute (EI) has released a new publication, A guide to energy management, as part of the EI’s Energy Essentials collection. The first copies will be available from the EI at edieLive, held on 17-18 May in Birmingham. The guide is also available to download free of charge.

Martin Maeso CEnv MEI, EI Knowledge Director, says, ‘Energy Essentials: A guide to energy management is an excellent starting point for anyone wanting to develop their understanding of energy management practice and improve their organisation’s energy efficiency performance. The EI Knowledge Service regularly produces resources such as this guide to make energy topics more accessible to non-experts. We couldn’t publish these materials without the involvement of our Energy Management Panel and other EI Fellows and Members who contributed their expertise, and we would like to thank them for their invaluable support.’

Effective energy management can make a significant contribution to a business’ bottom line. Implementing an energy management system in the workplace can help save energy and cut down your bills while reducing carbon emissions. As energy demand grows, there is a greater emphasis on making the best use of the resources available and on doing so sustainably.

Organisations which manage their energy use efficiently also enjoy improved productivity, greater employee comfort and reduced asset maintenance.

The guide provides an elementary introduction to energy management and is therefore an ideal resource for anyone new to the sector, beginning to take on energy management responsibilities alongside another role or those considering it as a career. It outlines what is meant by ‘energy management’, the main drivers for managing energy, and how to introduce and implement energy management within an

Energy Manager Magazine • May 2016

organisation. International standards, such as ISO 50001, and the associated ‘Plan-Do-Check-Act’ framework, and other key terms and concepts are explained.

A guide to energy management has been peer reviewed by over 60 subject specialists including EI Members and Fellows, members of its Energy Management Panel and Register of Professional Energy Consultants (RPEC).

The online guide and related materials can be found at knowledge.energyinst. org/energy-management. The guide is the second in the EI’s series of Energy Essentials, which provide foundation-level understanding of energy topics to non-experts. Also in this series is A guide to shale gas.

For more information, please visit www.energyinst.org

News

Ousedale Energy Envoys help Milton Keynes Mayor save energy

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ocal students from Ousedale School recently helped the Mayor of Milton Keynes make his home more energy-efficient and reduce his fuel bills as part of the National Energy Foundation’s Energy Envoys scheme.

Before the visit, a team of students from Ousedale School received energy awareness training from the National Energy Foundation at its low-carbon office in Knowlhill, including a tour of the building to see energy efficiency measures and renewable energy systems in practice. The students learnt all about how to carry out energy assessments and what to look out for when visiting Councillor Keith McLean at his home in Emberton to carry out their very own energy audit.

The Energy Envoys’ visit included an interview with the Mayor and an energy audit of his house. The students inspected Councillor McLean’s lighting, heating system and electrical appliances, and looked at how the family uses energy in their home.

After giving the house a thorough examination, the Energy Envoys presented their energy saving tips to Councillor McLean, advising him on how he could improve his energy use and save money on his fuel bills. In particular, he was advised to replace the energy-guzzling halogen downlighters in his kitchen/diner with LED light bulbs, which use up to 85% less energy than filament bulbs. National Energy Foundation Energy Specialist, Sandra Hayes, also presented Councillor McLean with an official Energy Performance Certificate,

which indicates how energy-efficient his house is.

After the visit, Councillor McLean commented: “Young people are crucial to our energy future – not just in the buildings around them today but as future energy buyers, users and decision-makers. It’s vital that young people learn to understand energy and how we use it.

“The Energy Envoys scheme is a fantastic idea. I’m delighted to support Energy Envoys in Milton Keynes and to demonstrate how we can all take simple steps to reduce how much energy we use, and save money on our energy bills. Thanks to Energy Envoys, I’m looking forward to changing to LED bulbs and making my home more energy-efficient.”

Energy Envoy, Rosia Li, was delighted to take part in the visit and found it fun to be able to recommend to Milton Keynes’ ‘first citizen’ how he can help save the planet by using energy more wisely: “I will use what I learnt to save energy at home and to tell my friends and family about energy saving.

Volunteering with Energy Envoys has been an insightful and memorable experience which has changed the way I look at the world around us and what I can do to protect our planet for generations to come.”

The visit to the Mayor’s house is an example of the kind of exciting project young people can get involved in as Energy Envoys. The Energy Envoys scheme, created by the National Energy Foundation and supported and endorsed by the UK’s leading professional engineering institutions, is a

new environmental volunteering scheme for young people to help their local communities use energy more wisely, save money and reduce carbon emissions. Young people across the UK who are working towards their Bronze, Silver or Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award can volunteer as an Energy Envoy to complete the Volunteering section of their Award.

If you know someone aged between 14 and 24 who’s ready to go for the Bronze, Silver or Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, they can sign up to become an Energy Envoy and get all the support and information they need at the Energy Envoys website. www.energyenvoys.org.uk/ content/1-get-started

UK Commercial Water Licence Set to Save £300 Million

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new public sector water licence has been awarded to AquaFund and is set to reduce the Government’s water bill by 30% per annum.

The multi-million pound AquaFund grant has five key objectives: reduce current UK water consumption by 250 million tonnes

per annum, provide funding for a range of managed services; provide funding for the installation of state-of-the-art water saving equipment, deliver sustainable water supplies and take 170,000 people out of water poverty in the world’s poorest countries.

A pan-European wide search was conducted to find the optimum grant funding source for the UK-led initiative, to ensure best value and maximum savings could be obtained for the public sector.

Prior to the launch, the grant model was extensively tested over a three year period in the NHS, University and Local Government sectors and exceeded the projected financial and environmental objectives.

The AquaFund Grant pays for all equipment and importantly the managed

services necessary to deliver substantial water and cost savings, over a period of five years - without the need for any investment from participating organisations. Private sector organisations can also apply for grants through AquaFund.

Access to the fund can be made by visiting www.adsm.com/AquaFund and obtaining the grant allocation number.

Grants can range from £150,000-£600,000 and most organisations can see water and cost reductions within just 12 weeks. The scheme provides demonstrable cash savings to all participants.

Organisations can access their funding directly by contacting AquaFund on 01753 833 880 or email aquafund@adsm.com OJEU reference 2015/S 227- 413650

Energy Manager Magazine • May 2016

News

What does an intelligent energy system for the 21st century look like?

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he Energy Institute (EI) will strive to answer this question at its second Energy Systems conference on 14-15 June in London. Organised in association with Elsevier, this biennial event brings together researchers, academia, industry, investors and policymakers to explore the most suitable and efficient ways to design, finance and build a better and more sustainable energy system.

Energy Systems Conference: 21st Century Challenges will be chaired by Joan MacNaughton CB HonFEI, Executive Chair – Trilemma, World Energy Council, and former EI President.

Ms Joan MacNaughton says, ‘Energy policymakers across the globe are struggling to meet the challenges of growing energy demand, changing consumer expectations, and transitioning to a low carbon system at affordable cost. They need help to identify the right policies and regulatory approaches and how to deliver them effectively. We are bringing together senior industry, academic and government representatives to provide that help – through unbiased insights on the technologies, the risks and opportunities

which policymakers should prioritise to deliver secure, sustainable and affordable energy in the 21st century.’

The conference programme will feature a stimulating line-up of speakers from both industry and academia, including: • Michael Liebreich, Founder, Bloomberg New Energy Finance • Steven Holliday FEI, Chief Executive Officer, National Grid • Lord Nicholas Stern HonFEI, Chair of the Centre for Climate Change Economics and Policy, London School of Economics • Doug Arent, Director, National Renewable Energy Laboratory • Xavier Mamo, R&D Director, EDF Energy • Dr Leena Srivastava, Vice Chancellor, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) • Alistair Buchanan, Chairman – Power and Utilities, KPMG • Abyd Karmali, Managing Director – Climate Finance, Merrill Lynch The Energy Systems conference aims to identify and address flaws and gaps across all aspects of the energy system including

policy, investment, technology, attitudes, management and security, as well as examine new thinking and hear from real life case studies. Following on from the 2014 event, this year’s programme will focus on the next 15 years, and look at the global drivers affecting the energy system such as governmental commitments and objectives, global climate change targets, technological evolution and resource constraints.

Over 600 papers were submitted for consideration by the conference committee, and the audience will hear from more than 60 presenters across three parallel sessions.

There will be four themes running throughout the conference, covering global and systemic risk, lessons from the real world, game changing disruptions – the role of new technologies and engineering solutions, and energy system economics.

Alongside this will be a dedicated poster presentation session, outlining some of the latest thinking on building a sustainable energy system.

For more information, visit www.energysystemsconference.com

New straightforward guide to Energy Management and Building Controls published by BRE and ESTA

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new briefing paper from BRE and the Energy Services and Technology Association (ESTA) aims to simplify the operational aspects of energy management and building controls. Its author wants to encourage uptake of the technologies so that building owners and occupiers can benefit from better indoor environments that promote well-being, which are more carbon efficient and have reduced energy costs.

Controls are the easiest and most cost effective solution for saving energy in buildings. Clients and building occupiers, however, have failed to exploit advanced control solutions because many of the innovative technologies they employ are perceived to be overly technical and complex to operate. This, when coupled with a lack of information on the subject, has resulted in a poor uptake of control technologies and a subsequent failure to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of buildings and to provide a better environment for occupants.

To help overcome these issues BRE and the Energy Services and Technology

Association (ESTA) have produced a Briefing Paper: Energy Management and Building Controls.

This paper is available free on-line (http://www.bre.co.uk/energyguidance) and provides clients and building occupants with simple explanations of the different control systems available. It offers guidance as to where and why a technology can and should be used along with advice on how to apply that technology to get an effective solution in practice.

To help readers select the most appropriate controls strategy the paper outlines the key issues that need to be addressed, such as value engineering, future proofing and training. The document introduces the European Standard BS EN 15232, to illustrate the impact different control systems can have on the same building. It also offers information on how the government’s Enhanced Capital Allowance scheme applies to controls and gives an overview of its eligibility criteria, which can easily be used for procurement specifications.

The Briefing Paper will be particularly

Energy Manager Magazine • May 2016

relevant to anyone involved in the specification, procurement, installation and operation of building controls; including Energy Management Professionals and those providing advice on energy saving measures and programmes. The paper itself can be provided for any organisation to use and brand – for further details please contact BRE’s leading expert Dr Andy Lewry on Andy.Lewry@bre.co.uk.

Robin Hale, Director of the ESTA, said: “Controls are a powerful tool in ensuring our buildings are run efficiently and provide the desired environment for the occupants.

This document will help building clients and occupiers select the most appropriate controls solution for their particular application”.

Julian Kay of Danlers Ltd said: “Controls are essential tools for managing energy.

This Paper will help building occupiers understand where they use energy and how to manage it”. www.bre.co.uk (www.esta.org.uk)

News

Council staff give lifts a miss!

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wo hundred teams from local authorities across Britain have joined a Department of Health-backed stair climbing initiative to cut carbon emissions, while boosting staff health and productivity.

Councils from the South coast to the North East announced last week that they had completed the first of four month-long challenges in which staff “ditch the lift” in favour of using the stairs. In fact, council employees burnt nearly 400,000 calories by climbing around four million stairs in 50,000 journeys between them.

Led by Environmental Officers, Directors of Public Health and elected representatives with responsibility for health and the

environment, the StepJockey Local Government Stair Challenge is part of a new national push towards “smarter buildings and more active working”.

It aims not only to boost staff health and save energy, but to set an example for the wider communities for which local government now have responsibility in the areas of public health and environment.

Claire McDonald, a fellow of the Royal Society for Public Health and NHS behaviour change specialist, said: “Increasing movement within the workplace is a vital component of any preventative health strategy and it is wonderful to see

local authorities embracing this approach and leading from the front in this way.

“Stair climbing is not only a powerful way to build short bursts of activity into your day but it is low cost and is accessible. It works for everyone in the office and not just the ‘sporty types’”.

The Local Government Stair Challenge is run by StepJockey, a health tech start-up which was seed-funded by the Department of Health in a bid to fight sedentary behaviour within the workplace.

In the first round, teams competed via real-time leaderboards over the course of a month to burn the equivalent calories of a team scaling Mount Everest. The Royal Borough of Greenwich Council emerged as the overall winner, with teams from Durham and Brent councils following closely behind.

East Herts Council had the highest average stair count per person, with all players completely substituting lift for stair journeys over a month.

A follow up survey of participants found that 70% reported feeling healthier as a result of taking part and 71% said they were now using the stairs more in every day.

Steve Whiteman, Director of Public Health at the Royal Borough of Greenwich, said: “As an employer we are committed to creating a healthy workplace for our staff and have been pleased at the enthusiasm shown by our staff towards this scheme.

“They’ve seen it as an enjoyable incentive to include some additional physical activity during their working day, and we’re all delighted that Greenwich was the best-achieving authority,” he said.

The second round of the Local Government Stair Challenge starts on 6 June and is now open for local authorities across the UK to enter.

“We have been astounded by the level of engagement in the Challenge and expect the next round to see even more teams competing”, said Paul Nuki, co-founder and CEO of StepJockey.

“It is especially gratifying to see directors of public health and environment coming together to tackle the twin issues of sedentary behaviour and excess energy use with one stone”.

Energy Manager Magazine • May 2016

News

London Mayoral candidate officially opens UK’s first transparent solar bus Cutting-edge invisible renewable energy shelter technology launched in London’s Canary Wharf

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K based technology company Polysolar has installed its revolutionary transparent solar-PV (photovoltaic) glazing in a smart, energy generating bus shelter - the first of its kind - at London’s Canary Wharf. The opening will be officiated

by Green Party candidate for London Mayor, Sian Berry.

Commissioned by Canary Wharf Group, and designed and developed by leading Building Integrated Photovoltaic company Polysolar Ltd in collaboration with leading hard landscaping and street furniture supplier Marshalls, the bus shelter has been constructed using innovative transparent photovoltaic glass that generates clean renewable electricity even in low and ambient light. The energy will be used to run smart signage and other infrastructure on the estate.

The concept of discreetly embedding solar technology into the fabric of structures and buildings presents a simple, attractive and cost effective means of reducing London’s carbon emissions. The solar bus shelter is capable of generating 2000 kW hours per year, enough electricity to power the average London home. The widespread adoption of this new glass technology could therefore make a significant contribution to London’s sustainable future.

In April 2015, Polysolar were selected as winners in Canary Wharf Group’s Cognicity Challenge for smart cities companies, having competed in a twelve-week accelerator programme under the ‘Sustainable Buildings’ stream of the competition. As part of their prize, Polysolar were selected to pilot their technology on the Canary Wharf estate. Polysolar continue to work alongside Canary Wharf Contractors, and hope to incorporate their innovative solar-PV glass into the façades of new high-rise office and residential developments on the estate.

Group plc, said: “Canary Wharf Group is very interested in the emerging technology of Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV).

Polysolar is an award winner from our Cognicity Challenge programme and we are delighted to be funding a pilot BIPV project on the Canary Wharf Estate. We are working with Polysolar to develop BIPV cladding systems which could be suitable to install on the facades of our buildings and we are hopeful that this technology will have the potential to significantly reduce the carbon impact of our future developments.”

Dr Joanna Slota-Newson, Chief Technology Officer of Polysolar said: “Key requirements to enable wider adoption of solar energy are value for money without subsidy, and attractive architectural aesthetics. Our transparent solar glass meets both these needs through multi-functionality: the solar panel becomes part of the structure itself, looks great and also generates energy efficiently.”

provides not just demonstration of the functionality, performance and aesthetics of our PV glass but represents an important application innovation. Using our solar PV glazing across London’s transport sector, in things like bus shelters, EV charging canopies, walkways and bike parks, could have a significant impact on the city’s emissions, without compromising its environment, architecture or budgets.”

Steve Reddington, Commercial Director for Street Furniture at Marshalls, said: “We’re really pleased that Polysolar approached us to get involved with this ground breaking project; the possibilities with this technology are really exciting. We worked closely with Polysolar to develop a design for the shelter which not only ensures integration into the modern landscape of Canary Wharf, but also means that the solar technology causes no visual impact; we’re thrilled with the outcome.” www.polysolar.co.uk

Sir George Iacobescu, CBE, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Canary Wharf

Hamish Watson, Founder and CEO of Polysolar explained: “The solar bus shelter

Energy Manager Magazine • May 2016

News

Inprova Energy powers up for growth

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rocurement outsourcing specialist Inprova Group has launched its new energy business Inprova Energy – following its acquisitions and integration of the established energyTEAM, ENER-G Procurement, and UES Energy businesses.

The newly branded business – Inprova Energy – is already one of the top ten business energy procurement and management consultancies in the UK and has a 40-year history.

Last year, the company managed almost 3,000 gas and electricity supply contracts worth nearly £1 billion. It now aims to build on its strong reputation as a trusted energy advisor to pursue further growth.

The 100-strong Inprova Energy team helps a wide variety of businesses, including Virgin Atlantic, Hotel du Vin, National Grid, Carlsberg and retail group White Stuff, to reduce energy costs and manage energy efficiency and compliance.

The company’s specialist water division is also helping organisations to prepare for water market reform.

Paul Kennedy, Inprova Group Chief Executive, said: “Since acquiring three energy consultancy businesses in 2015, we have now completed their integration

into Inprova Group and the launch of Inprova Energy completes this process.

The size and scale of our energy business enables us to negotiate highly competitive contracts for customers by taking a larger aggregation of spend to market, whilst ensuring we’re agile and flexible to always take care of each of our customer’s specific needs.”

“Inprova Energy has ambitious growth targets and further acquisitions will never be off the table. Our vision is to be the most trusted energy advisor in the UK and it is this that drives us to deliver the best customer experience for our clients. We are close to being one of the UK’s top five third party intermediaries, but our main focus is on delivering world-class operations and providing a truly trusted and outstanding service.”

During the last 12 months, customers benefited from £5 million worth of savings through the expertise of Inprova Energy advisors, working with 21 different energy suppliers to negotiate flexible, fixed and collective contracts.

The company has offices in Warwickshire, Cheshire, Sussex and Caerphilly, as well as a procurement operation in the US. It works

with organisations of all sizes and across all sectors – both public and private – to provide a ‘total energy management’ approach to improving business performance through smarter energy management. This includes business energy purchasing and analysis, energy and water auditing and management, carbon reduction and reporting and legislative compliance.

As members of the Energy Institute’s Register for Chartered Energy Managers and Register of Professional Energy Consultants, Inprova Energy’s chartered advisers are qualified ESOS Lead Assessors, and certified to deliver Carbon Trust Standard, ISO 50001 and carbon footprint measurement services. www.inprovaenergy.com

Opinion

Better the dEUvil you know in Europe?

Dr Kerry Mashford, CEng FIMechE FRSA Chief Executive, National Energy Foundation

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o, David Cameron has negotiated a package of changes for a ‘reformed’ EU (based on immigration, British sovereignty and the Eurozone), the in/out referendum has been set for 23 June and the campaigns are underway. But what are the things to consider from an energy perspective?

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First, the post-referendum options: The UK remains in the EU. If the vote is to stay in, the EU has agreed to put in place the reforms negotiated by the Prime Minister.

The UK leaves the EU (Brexit) but joins the European Economic Area (the EU plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) and/or the European Free Trade Association (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland).

The UK leaves the EU and goes it alone, relying on access to the EU market via either the World Trade Organisation or through a special deal which would give it the benefit of free trade with the EU but (hopefully) without all its ‘disadvantages’.

If the decision is to leave, there would have to be a managed exit, in what would be a period of uncertainty. Some believe that this could last up to 12 years, starting with two years of exit negotiations followed by a further period to agree the UK’s new relationship with the EU in the long term. If, by then, the UK is a member of the EEA, it would still have to pay into the EU budget and agree to its single market and to the free movement of goods, services, people and capital, together with certain EU laws, including those relating to the environment.

So, not much of a saving on either the cost of UK membership or a reduction of the dreaded EU bureaucracy so vilified by Brexiteers. How much the UK would actually save on bureaucracy is uncertain, especially as a 2015 OECD study (based on 2013 data) of its members and a number of non-members found that the UK is one of the least regulated/restrictive countries.

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In the 1970s and 80s, the UK was at the bottom of the environment league table. We were labelled the ‘dirty man of Europe’ - and with good reason. However, in recent decades the UK has made significant improvements having been pulled along by collectively-agreed EU legislation.

The EU Renewable Energy Directive requires the UK to generate 15% of ALL its energy (electricity, heat and transport) from renewable sources by 2020. This will produce the UK’s share of the total EU target of 20%. In effect, this means targets of 30% for electricity and 12% for heating underpinned by significant improvements in energy efficiency and a transformational move to low-carbon energy.

The UK’s targets are ambitious and are made even more so by its own Climate Change Act 2008, which includes the tougher target of cutting carbon emissions by 80% on 1990 levels by 2050. There are doubts whether the UK can achieve its goals and, quite frankly, I don’t see much progress in that direction, but the Government reckons it’s on track.

Some people believe that leaving the EU would enable the UK to abandon its EU Renewable Energy Directive obligations and allow the Government to lower its targets; and even repeal the Climate Change Act. For example, the UK could drop some EU initiatives such as the Emissions Trading Scheme or the Industrial Emissions Directive, with a view to running old power plants for longer. This, in turn, could ease the financial burden of ‘green levies’ and reduce energy bills for both households and businesses, but would it also make UK companies less attractive - to suppliers and business partners - than countries that are explicitly more environmentally responsible?

Indeed, some fear that any watering down of our energy commitments would set the scene for the UK sliding back to being the ‘dirty man of Europe’, particularly in view of: • The UK’s previous patchy record on energy issues in Europe.

Energy Manager Magazine • May 2016

•

•

The current Government’s ‘slash and burn’ approach to ‘green’ and energy efficiency policies, and its leanings towards fracking and a new ‘dash for gas’.

The continued support for the fossil fuel oil and gas industries, as demonstrated through the tax reductions announced in the Chancellor’s most recent Budget.

A UK outside the EU (whether it’s completely out or part of either the EEA or the EFTA) might have its hands tied.

Countries in the EEA are bound by many EU ‘rules’ and if the UK needed to negotiate trade and other deals, the EU would be unlikely to let the UK get away with hanging on to ‘dirty policies’ (especially if they might give the new outsider some trading advantage) without insisting on some (possibly quite hefty) carbon penalties or commitments to reducing carbon emissions, improving energy efficiency and promoting clean energy.

In effect, this would negate any notional advantage that Brexit might promise.

As the world becomes increasingly global, a non-EU UK would still have to innovate, design and manufacture with exporting to the EU in mind; the EU is our largest trading partner and it provides the UK with trading conditions it might not be granted if it were outside the block. What’s more, we’d be bound by future EU rules, regulations and product standards but have no say on how they’re agreed. Clean, renewable energy; carbon emissions; energy supply; and energy efficiency are global issues. As with all global issues, they can’t be solved by one country alone. The best way to solve them is through collaboration and international partnerships. Energy security is

Opinion a good example. Even if the UK were outside the EU it would still need to work with the likes of France, Belgium and the Netherlands on energy interconnectors and the security of its energy supplies, and these negotiations and any resulting agreements would most probably be under EU frameworks.

The UK needs to be a full part of Europe’s collective and partnership approaches – both leading and driving a competitive and sustainable market; not looking in like a child with its face pressed up against a sweet shop window. Leaving the EU would relegate the UK’s position in Europe from being one of the most important policymakers to a country with limited influence and ‘Hobson’s choice’ on EU decisions.

Both Europe and the UK face an enormous decarbonisation and energy saving task. This will need investment on a huge scale - in infrastructure, innovation and new technology. Brexit would almost certainly create uncertainty - something

the investor community gets very nervous about. In turn, this would almost certainly result in the UK having difficulty attracting the necessary investment, with investors favouring the more stable EU market instead.

The UK has certainly developed its strength in invention and innovation as a result of being in the EU, and has received support and exploitation opportunities from EU funding. One area particularly relevant to the energy efficiency sector is the Horizon 2020 programme. It’s the EU’s biggest ever research and innovation project, worth nearly €80 billion. A significant proportion of that money comes to the UK. Access to this funding could disappear if the UK votes to leave the EU. Certainly in the short term, a Brexit decision would have a significant negative impact on both ‘green’ and sustainable investments in the UK and our ability to work collaboratively in supported research and development with EU partners.

What’s more, it might restrict the movement of experts, skills and knowledge across borders, something we at the National

Energy Foundation have experience of and benefit from through our multi-national staff, interns and volunteers.

The EU is far from perfect but it has delivered significant benefits to the UK in the energy sector, and has helped the UK face the big challenges of climate change, carbon reductions and energy efficiency in a collaborative, responsible and robust way. Leaving aside the mega-issues of the economy and the UK’s global influence, are we prepared to take what would be a leap in the dark and risk jeopardising all the good work that has been achieved through the EU to make the world a better place?

Kerry Mashford is the Chief Executive of the National Energy Foundation. The views expressed in this article are personal, and do not necessarily represent those of the Foundation. www.nef.org.uk

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Opinion

‘Simplification will mean more Richard McCann warns that businesses need to start preparing for the changes immediately

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This is principally about increasing tax take,” says the head of taxation at the ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) Mr Chas Roy-Chowdhury. “The need for carbon reduction should come from regulation not taxation. Government should re-think and re-engineer the way Climate Change Policy operates and not treat it as source of increased revenue.”

A worrying view of the just-published DECC (Department of Energy & Climate Change) consultation document called ‘Reforming the business energy efficiency tax landscape’ which announces the government’s intention to abolish the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) energy efficiency scheme which Damian Hinds MP, Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, calls ‘a burdensome and bureaucratic tax’ and moving instead to a single tax, the existing Climate Change Levy (CCL).

Within the 34-page report the government sets out its decision for organisations to report under the CRC for the last time by the end of July 2019, with a surrender of allowances for emissions from energy supplied in the 2018-19 compliance year by the end of October 2019.

Claw Back When abolishing the CRC tax, it’s no surprise that main rates of Climate Change Levy (CCL) will increase from April 2019.

Consultants Carbon Architecture have negotiated with the government on behalf of more than one thousand businesses since the Industry Energy Efficiency Accelerator programme heralded the end of the first phase of climate change agreements. “This was the first time we’d had a sector-wide energy balance calculation,” remembers Mr Todd, the boffin originally contracted by the Carbon Trust who became Carbon Architecture’s

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Energy Manager Magazine • May 2016

MD. “Government came to some industries with impossibly tough energy-reduction targets, but our independently-assessed benchmarking matrix showing which technologies suggested by government are inappropriate enables us to go back to government and renegotiate by showing that the potential is often a whole lot less than the original demand.”

What Next?

Both Carbon Reduction Commitments and Climate Change Agreements (CCA) are in play at the moment and they pick up different organisations. Every commercial organisation already pays the CCL tax added to their utility bills, and if you are in a CCA you will have a target to reduce your emissions in order to receive a rebate on the CCL in the form of substantial gas and electricity discounts.

But as well as the tier of organisations that qualify for those CCA rebates, there is a whole other group of organisations which are currently picked up by the CRC, which was – let’s not forget - originally meant to be a scheme designed to motivate people to make improvements rather than outright taxation.

Something that the ACCA are now calling for, in fact…

Simpler, maybe – but more expensive for many?

Making everyone pay the CCL might be simple, but because that tax is being raised to claw back the loss when the CRC tax is abolished, the amount you will pay under CCL could double.

“An NHS Trust might typically be paying around £150,000 a year to be in the CRC,” says Mr Todd. “The government will now wind that up, and make up the tax loss on a bigger CCL. Not all organisations can get a rebate against that extra tax.”

Opinion

implification’ of carbon policy more tax for many Is EUETS the lifeline that some claim?

It’s unlikely. EUETS (EU Emissions Trading System) is an international system for trading greenhouse gas emission allowances, covering power stations and industrial plants in 31 countries, as well as airlines.

The EUETS works on the ‘cap and trade’ principle. A limit is set on the total amount of certain greenhouse gases that can be emitted by the factories, power plants and other installations in the system, and within the cap companies receive or buy emission

allowances which they can trade with one another as needed.

Will Todd: “Potentially if you are in the EUETS you don’t have to comply with the CRC, so you would not pay any CRC on your gas or electricity. But when CRC has gone, you only get a discount on the CCL for the gas and still have to pay all the tax on the electricity, so potentially there will be people in the EUETS in a net worse position.

“Don’t forget also that ESOS - which in other parts of Europe is called ISO50001 - is soon likely to be much more prevalent in the UK. Businesses need help understanding what that means for them; there’s no need

to suffer, there’s an ISO50001 compliance framework called InMetriks that embeds years of demonstrable industry knowledge as a benchmarking tool respected by government.”

The conclusion, at least, is clear says Carbon Architecture’s financial director Steve Bailey FCCA: “Technology, sustainability and finance must work as a team, so start planning now and call in specialist skills. Organisations need to be fit and ready with an energy management strategy complying with ISO50001 in place, before the new legislation - in whatever disguise that tax may ultimately appear.”

Case Study

Vital Progress on £2 Million University of York District Heating Job

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ital Energi’s relationship with the University of York continues with a £2 million contract involving the installation of a multi-utility package and the enhancement of the electrical infrastructure on campus.

The project has seen Vital Energi installing District Heating pipework, high voltage cabling, gas pipework, mains cold water pipework and communications cabling to connect the University’s new £25 million Piazza Building as well as the installation of foul drainage pipework. In addition to expanding the network, Vital Energi will extend and upgrade the current electrical substation.

Regional Director, Mike Cooke explains, “The University of York has invested over £750 million in its campus and it’s fantastic to see its commitment to sustainability. By investing in technologies like Biomass, Combined Heat and Power and District Heating the University has realised a step change in its carbon footprint and energy consumption. We look forward to working alongside the University to expand its network.”

The University’s Head of Estates Development, Gary Ashmore said. “This major enabling works project for the new

build Piazza Building is the latest strategic investment by the University as it seeks to redefine its Campus for the 21st century.

We have a long standing relationship with Vital Energi built over many similar infrastructures projects and which has borne fruit in this project with mutual understanding resulting in more efficient project delivery and a high quality end product.

The three storey Piazza Building is situated near Langwith College and will include, teaching facilities for the new International Pathway College, seminar rooms, a 350 seat lecture theatre, 300 seat restaurant, library and conference facilities.

The project involved planned shutdowns of the network while the extension was connected to the mains and Vital Energi were able to meet all deadlines and ensure that there was no disruption to the local bus routes.

For more information about Vital Energi contact www.vitalenergi.co.uk

Vital Win for York Teaching Hospital

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ital Energi & Vital Efficienci are celebrating after their work in partnership with York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust took the prize for Retrofit Project of the Year at the Heating & Ventilation News Awards.

The project saw Vital Energi design and

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retrofit an existing energy centre, including a 1.2MW Combined Heat and Power Engine, while Vital Efficienci implement a range of energy conservation measures such as upgraded Building Management System and replacement of 5,400 lights.

Mike Cooke, Regional Director for Vital Energi commented, “York NHS Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust have an absolute commitment to reducing their carbon emissions and lowering their energy spend and we are thrilled that has been recognised with another national award.

This is a wonderful example of the kind of savings which can be made in the public sector and I hope its success convinces more like-minded organisations to follow their example.”

Vital Energi have also provided an Energy Performance contract on the project, which guarantees that the Trust save in excess of £12 million in energy costs and over 45,000 tonnes of CO2 reduction over the course of the 15 year contract.

Energy Manager Magazine • May 2016

Brian Golding, Director of Estates & Facilities, from York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust commented, “The risk transfer arrangements provided under this contract coupled with the guaranteed savings have allowed us to go further faster than would otherwise have been possible.

Having built up great working relationships with the Vital team we were confident to roll out similar schemes at our Scarborough and Bridlington sites.”

Vital Energi also won the District Heating Project of the Year category for their work in partnership with Camden Council on the Somers Town Decentralised Energy Network. The project has seen Vital Energi design and install a district heating network and energy centre which will serve 339 houses across four estates in the first phase and by phase 2 the network will save over 1,000 tonnes of CO2 per annum.

Feature

London City Airport awarded by Airports Council International for reducing its carbon footprint •

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The Airports Council International (ACI) has awarded London City with its Stage 3 Airport Carbon Accreditation The improvement means that the airport is on course for a 20% reduction in emissions by 2020, and is one stage away from carbon neutral status Only 4 other UK airports have achieved this environmental award, which recognises reduction and management of ground-based carbon emissions

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ondon City Airport has been formally recognised by the Airports Council International (ACI) for the steps it is taking to manage its carbon footprint and reduce emissions.

The airport is now among a handful of UK airports to achieve stage 3 ‘optimisation’ status as part of the Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) programme, following independent assessment and verification. The ACI is the global trade association of the world’s airports, representing over 500 airports in 45 European countries.

Last year the airport welcomed a record 4.3 million passengers and operates flights to around 50 domestic and international destinations, with approximately 52% of passengers using the airport for business travel.

The award means that London City Airport is just one step away from becoming ‘carbon neutral’ – the final and fourth stage of ACA; the only industry-endorsed, carbon management certification for airports. Only London Gatwick, Heathrow, Manchester and TAG Farnborough have reached a similar status.

To reach this point the airport has invested in a number of carbon reduction schemes– including £500,000 on the installation of 1,300 energy efficient light fixings, the removal of 258 non-essential fixings, and more energy efficient boilers and air handling units.

Other improvements include the phasing out of diesel ground power generators for use by aircraft on stand and the installation of fixed electrical ground power units (FEGP), resulting in a reduction

in total carbon emissions and in turn reducing localised air and noise emissions.

James Shearman, London City Airport’s Environment Manager, said: “City Airport is a complex organisation which welcomes millions of passengers and handles thousands of flights each year, and we are always striving to manage the impact of our operations. To achieve this award demonstrates the tangible steps and successful energy saving measures that the airport is taking locally to reduce our carbon footprint.”

As part of the award, the airport has also been praised for its on-going engagement with third parties – from pilots to passengers – providing advice on how to reduce their emissions footprint when using the airport.

The airport’s Technical Operations department leads the engagement with stakeholders on carbon emissions. For example, during the bi-annual Pilots Forum hosted by the airport, the team provide advice on mitigating emissions when using the airport, such as the use of auxiliary power units and engaging on the future feasibility of using single engine taxiing.

Internally, the team implement environmental audits, campaigns and training as part of the airports accredited ISO14001 Environmental Management System to raise awareness, focussing on areas where emissions can be minimised.

This includes taking part in WWF’s Earth Hour campaign – switching off all non-essential lighting, additionally highlighting its commitment in tackling climate change.

Communication between departments is vital in the managing of carbon emissions across a large and complex operation such as London City Airport. As a result, progress and issues related to carbon and climate change are reported back on a bi-monthly Environmental Steering Group (ESG) which is chaired by the Chief Operating Officer.

Carbon management is a specific agenda item which notifies the team of progress made on carbon related projects and details the company’s carbon performance.

Members of the ESG are also encouraged to demonstrate how, in their own sphere of influence, their department is also reducing carbon emissions. For example, the airport’s Airfield Operations Unit implemented the periodic emission testing of airside ground vehicles, helping to internally drive

awareness in reducing carbon emissions.

The mode of transport which travelling passengers use before or after their flight is also a primary area of focus. Over 70% of travelling passengers use public transport to access the airport, with a journey to Westminster taking just 25 minutes and Canary Wharf 14 minutes. Since 2005 the airport has been served by the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) and from 2019 will be a short bus ride away from Custom House Crossrail station. The airport is also part of the Governments ‘Cycle to Work Scheme’ helping fund employees to take a more sustainable approach to commuting. A Transport Forum meets regularly with internal and external stakeholders to improve usage of public transport and sustainable forms of access.

As part of the external engagement work, the airport engages local schools for example giving practical lessons on carbon foot printing during National Science Week – and maintains communication with other stakeholders through its Airport Consultative committee.

The airport also publishes an annual performance report which details its progress against its sustainability action plan and Air Quality Management Plan, both of which include carbon reducing measures and an overall aim to reduce ground based carbon emissions by tons per passenger year on year.

The measures are working - the combined effect of these improvements in 2014 led to a 9% year-on-year reduction in carbon emissions from ground-based operations. The current momentum is expected to result in a 20% reduction in carbon emissions per person by 2020, when compared to 2013 levels. www.londoncityairport.com/environment

Energy Manager Magazine • May 2016

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Feature

Harmonious Solutions for IT Infrastructure Challenges

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hether considering the operation of a data closet or a large data centre, few would dispute that those who provide today’s IT services face a wide and growing range of challenges. The key to addressing many of these challenges is to put in place the right infrastructure and, says Paul Ryan, UK Segment Sales Manager for Eaton, the best infrastructure is made up of elements that are not only individually optimised but are also designed to work together harmoniously.

Though IT installations range in size from a small computer room with a single rack and a handful of servers, to purpose-built data centres covering acres, it’s very likely that the business demands will be very similar. They need a performance-optimised facility with maximum reliability.

Dig a little deeper and you’ll find that, more specifically, they’re constantly seeking ways of increasing energy efficiency without sacrificing uptime, looking for flexible solutions with inherent scalability, providing reduced implementation times; this last item

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corresponding to faster time to market for data centre operators and faster time to availability for corporate IT services.

Effectively addressing these requirements presents significant challenges and the magnitude of those challenges is increasing continually. What was consideredgood operating efficiency yesterday, for example, is only mediocre by today’s standards, and despite the gains already made in this area, there’s still constant pressure for ever-higher efficiencies. The same is true of reliability and resilience – enough is never enough!

Yet the engineering resource available to help address these challenges is, in many organisations, dwindling rather than growing.

So what is the way forward? The answer is to understand that, for the most part, it’s the infrastructure of the IT installation that determines its efficiency, resilience and flexibility. Get the infrastructure right, and many of the key challenges we’ve mentioned will be resolved.

Which, of course, leads logically to the question, “What is the right infrastructure?”

The details will vary according to the

Energy Manager Magazine • May 2016

application but, in a nutshell, the right infrastructure is made up of dependable high-performance elements that work together harmoniously.

Later in this article we’ll look at some of the major infrastructure elements – such as low-voltage distribution equipment, UPS systems, air-flow management and racking – to provide guidelines on their selection but, for now, let’s examine the need for harmonious operation of those elements.

This is most easily achieved by selecting a supplier that can offer a complete infrastructure solution, covering white space and grey space, and providing a holistic approach from the incoming utility supply to the power outlet in the rack space.

Working with a single supplier brings big benefits. First of all, engineering requirements are minimised, as all of the items of equipment from a single supplier will have been designed to work together.

Compatibility problems are eliminated and efficient interoperation is guaranteed. This means that implementation will be fast and commissioning time minimal, meeting the requirement for faster time to market or to availability.

Feature If problems should be encountered, there can be no divided responsibility, which is all too often a source of delays and cost overruns; there’s just one point of contact to provide the solution. Further, a company offering a complete infrastructure solution for a project can see the “big picture” and will often be able to put forward beneficial ideas that would not be feasible for companies offering only partial infrastructure solutions. In fact, the best of these suppliers may well be able to provide comprehensive design and project management services, in effect delivering a turnkey package at far below conventional turnkey costs.

This is all very well, of course, for projects like new-build data centres where the engineering team is able to specify every aspect of, for example, the power chain, from incoming switchgear down to the enclosure power distribution units. But what of the IT manager in a small to medium-sized company, who can specify only the contents of the data cupboard?

In such cases, and all those in between, harmonious operation of infrastructure elements remains a crucial requirement, and it is still, as far as possible, a good strategy to choose a supplier that can provide as many as possible of the elements needed for the project in hand. Such suppliers will recognise the need to accommodate infrastructure elements from third party sources and will be able to provide sound advice on how this can best be achieved.

Having established the benefits of working, as far as possible, with a single supplier for IT infrastructure elements, let’s move on to individual elements and, in particular, examine some of the latest technologies that specifiers should look for to be sure that they enjoy the highest possible levels of efficiency, reliability, flexibility and value for money.

Low-voltage switchgear is the foundation stone for the IT power chain, but it often receives scant consideration from IT professionals. This is unfortunate, as a major switchgear fault could result in prolonged disconnection of the utility supply to the IT systems. A fault-tolerant switchgear design with, in large installations at least, provision for switching between alternative utility supplies is, therefore, highly desirable.

Withdrawable functional elements are a major benefit as they enable maintenance and upgrades to be carried out without service interruptions. In addition, the switchgear should be designed to allow fast, easy and cost-effective expansion to accommodate future changes in requirements.

The next key element in the IT power chain is the uninterruptible power supply (UPS) system. The latest UPSs are

well adapted for use in cloud-based and virtualised environments, and are supported by powerful power management software that integrates easily with all modern operating systems and virtualisation packages. This means that users are always in full control of the UPS installation and also have instant access to detailed information about its status.

Big gains in UPS operating efficiency have been made in recent years, with models that incorporate Energy Saver System (ESS) technology delivering efficiencies as high as 99% when power quality from the utility supply is good.

This translates into large savings not only in power costs, but also in cooling costs, especially in large data centres. It should be noted that ESS in no way compromises the protection provided by the UPS. If the utility power quality deteriorates, the UPS switches to full double-conversion mode in under two milliseconds, a transition so fast that it is completely invisible to even the most sensitive IT equipment.

Other important benefits of the latest UPSs include easy capacity testing to verify condition of the batteries, and hot-sync paralleling that provides enhanced battery management, inherent redundancy and a scalable architecture that can readily be adapted to meet increasing power requirements.

While apparently simple items with little of the technological sophistication associated with, for example, a UPS, racks play an essential role in IT installations and are, in fact, considerably more sophisticated than they may at first appear. The best modern racking systems, for example, provide enhanced air management to eliminate the risk of hot spots that might lead to equipment failure, and incorporate versatile security features like rack based electronic access control. The ability to provide the optimum equipment layout and densities provides operators with the ability to truly maximise their infrastructure and Return On Investment (ROI).

They’re also flexible in their configuration and easy to expand, should the need arise. The best systems can, if required, be delivered to site fully assembled and equipped with enclosure power distribution units (ePDUs), an option that can lead to big reductions in the time needed to implement a new IT installation or to extend an existing installation.

And those ePDUs, while they may seem relatively minor components in the overall scheme of things, are well worth thinking about. Types are now available that provide dependable plug retention even with inexpensive standard IEC power leads, thereby removing a surprisingly common cause of interruptions in the power supply

to individual servers. Depending on the type selected, ePDUs can also offer remote switching, allowing wayward servers to be conveniently restarted without needing to physically access them, and comprehensive metering that allows the power consumed by each individual server to be accurately recorded as an aid to effective power management, billing and apportionment of costs.

To summarise, the key to success in the challenging world of IT service provision lies with the infrastructure. The individual elements making up that infrastructure should be sourced from a supplier with wide experience and a solid reputation for product reliability and support. They should also embody the latest technology, as this provides many benefits in terms of efficiency, reliability and scalability. As far as possible, it pays to source all of the infrastructure elements from the same supplier, as this eliminates the risk of compatibility issues and ensures that all of the elements work together harmoniously.

The challenges of the IT world are not going to go away – as we’ve seen, they’re more likely to increase. Hopefully, however, the suggestions provided in this article will help to cut the challenges down to size. www.eaton.eu/powerquality

Energy Manager Magazine • May 2016

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Biomass

Bespoke wood burning technology keeps elderly warm at green care home

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iomass experts have custom-fitted a £250,000 wood pellet heating system into a Cumbrian care home which is using green power to keep its residents warm and comfortable. re:heat worked for 18 months with the owners of the Rosehill residential home at Aglionby, near Carlisle, to design a bespoke, sustainable heating system to replace inefficient oil-fired boilers.

The 500kW biomass boiler is fuelled by wood pellets stored in a new building on site constructed by McKnight & Son after re:heat’s detailed design work to understand the heating needs of the Grade II listed care home.

North East England-based re:heat also manages the fuel supply and delivery of wood pellet stocks at the home, to ensure residents are never without heat and hot water.

The new biomass system is cutting fuel bills for care home owners the Henry Lonsdale Trust, in conjunction with benefits the home receives from the Government, which are paid every quarter for the amount of clean, renewable energy it generates.

Rosehill benefits from the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme which is a financial incentive for homes and businesses to encourage the uptake of low carbon heat.

The charitable trust took the bold decision to invest in new heating technology and solar panels to ensure sustainable power, heat and hot water for its 40 residents.

The care home owners have installed a solar farm on part of the land surrounding the listed property, enabling them to generate their own electricity.

The new biomass boiler was connected into the existing heating pipe network by re:heat, and the result has delighted John Mallinson, chair of the Henry Lonsdale Charitable Trust.

“We were looking to make the home more sustainable, looking for an environmentally-friendly heating option to make us more competitive in the future,” he said.

“The added bonus for us with the biomass boiler is that we have installed something environmentally-friendly which provides us with all the heat and hot water

Henry Lonsdale Charitable Trust’s John Mallinson (left) and re:heat’s Ben Tansey inspect the new biomass boiler at Rosehill Care Home

our residents need.

“We’ve also installed a solar farm which gives us our own electricity to use, and when we have a surplus we sell it via the National Grid.

“Biomass is far more sustainable than oil. We chose re:heat based on their expertise and track record and this has proven to be a great decision.”

Ben Tansey, re:heat director, said the biomass boiler is large enough to generate heat for 25 average-sized family homes.

“What the biomass boiler gives the residents and owners of Rosehill is a lower cost, sustainable and more robust system than the oil boilers they had,” he said.

“We sat down with the care home owners to really understand what their requirements were, why they wanted to change, to look at the design of the listed building and see how this system could be carefully fitted in place.

“It is important that the residents have a high and continuous level of heat, and the technical solutions we have put forward for Rosehill have ensured that we are future-proofing their heating system.

“The principle we took for the whole scheme was that with some additional capital expenditure in the future, they will have the option to switch to alternative renewable fuel sources - such as wood chip for instance – so they remain flexible and able to take advantage of cost effective options which may arise.” re:heat supports firms through the process of designing and installing biomass boilers, and through the RHI scheme, to help them unlock the potential of the latest green energy technology. re:heat was founded in 2011 by Neil Harrison and Ben Tansey to assist businesses of all sizes convert from fossil fuels to sustainable, low carbon wood fuel heating systems.

The firm’s team of experts can help clients with buying a boiler, designing systems, fuel supply logistics and material handling, fault-finding and problem resolution, and specialist training.

More at www.reheat.uk.com

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Energy Manager Magazine • May 2016

EMS

Achieving measurable savings with the complete energy management solution

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he term ‘energy management’ can often be confusing, as it is widely used to cover a range of products and services which offer various methods to achieve the same goal. Each solution has its own merit, but can be even more powerful when implemented as a complete solution which can achieve savings, and importantly, maintain them.

In order to achieve effective energy management, it’s first of all important to assess existing performance and infrastructure. eSight Consult from eSight Energy is a service which ensures companies make the right energy policy decisions for their organisation. Their experienced team advise on how to improve efficiency and how to achieve the quickest return on investment. Energy Audits are a main part of eSight consult and comprehensively map the actual energy consumers within processes or buildings.

As part of an Energy Audit, eSight will gather all available energy data relating to utilities which is used to create a systematic

survey of the facilities including an investigation of the main areas of energy usage at site level. From this, specific energy consumers (e.g. chiller, boiler) can be identified in order to offer significant savings. The data is then analysed to highlight base load profiles and benchmarking, process variables and degree day interactions. All of these findings are finally handed over to the customer in a report format detailing the energy savings opportunities and to help them understand their infrastructure.

To gain a deeper understanding of the energy usage detailed in the Energy Audit, a visualisation of data through energy management software is essential in order to achieve ongoing savings and maintain efficiency. eSight are proud of their development and provision of comprehensive and advanced energy management software. The modular structure allows companies to select pieces of functionality to provide a system that is truly customisable to fit an organisation’s individual requirements. This all

encompassing energy management suite provides an extensive range of techniques for identifying areas of savings and managing all aspects of energy data effectively.

The market leading software suite has helped organisations around the world to reduce their energy consumption, cut costs and lower CO2 emissions by up to 30%. eSight is already used extensively in the public sector, with clients such as NHS Scotland effectively managing all aspects of their energy, including waste, with the software. www.eSightenergy.com

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HVAC

HVAC - Infrastructure for modern healthcare delivery and patient Chris Needham, Healthcare wellbeing By Solutions Lead, Schneider Electric

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ospitals are the second most energy-intensive buildings to run after restaurants. Globally, the cost of operating healthcare sites, including energy costs, are on the rise. Whether building a new hospital, or retrofitting an existing facility, hospitals are under mounting pressure to do more with less, while also complying with strict regulations, ever-changing technology, plus health and safety measures.

The Centre for Sustainable Energy recently found that UK hospitals are one of the highest average carbon dioxide emitters in the country. In fact, energy alone makes up almost one quarter of the National Health Service (NHS) carbon footprint.

At the core of this efficiency problem are outdated and siloed processes, along with legacy systems.. Fortunately, new advances in technology now make it possible to integrate traditionally separate facility systems together to form an “intelligent” hospital infrastructure. As a result, significant improvements in patient safety and outcomes and reductions in operational costs are possible. Through the use of intelligent infrastructure, hospitals can manage everything from HVAC to lighting to CCTV, patient journeys and valuable medical equipment assets. This improves both the environment of care and the bottom line. It’s vital that these platforms are flexible, scalable and repeatable, whilst delivering the right information, to the right people, at the right time.

Acting as a central nervous system for the hospital an intelligent technology infrastructure integrates traditionally disparate systems. Power, building

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management, security and IT can be integrated to enable cross-system communication, as well as real-time monitoring, optimisation and automation.

When a hospital’s systems can “talk” with each other without the need for complex interfaces, the resilience of the infrastructure as a whole is strengthened and provides access to greater information and intelligence, leading to more effective use of all resources. Additionally, actionable information and real insight is provided by tools like Schneider Electric’s Power Monitoring Expert help manage power quality performance, and improve financial performance, energy availability and patient safety in healthcare facilities. Constant power monitoring that provides real time status is vital to ensure network recovery time is reduced in case of a fault. This includes identifying and focusing on the most sensitive parts of the network as well as ensuring that standby system is consistently and effectively tested, thereby reinforcing predictive maintenance.

Effectively managing heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) solutions is the foundation for taking control of energy usage in a building, and optimising environments for enhanced performance and energy efficiency. In hospitals they are a vital part of the infrastructure and very high standards of design and operation are mandated as part of the government’s “Health Technical Memorandum 00”.

HVAC controls connect to and are controlled by Building Management Systems (BMS) and respond to

Energy Manager Magazine • May 2016

environmental conditions such as temperature, moisture and CO2. In hospitals, certain types of rooms have specialist HVAC pressure requirements. For example, operating rooms and ICUs may employ a positive pressure regime to help to reduce the risk of airborne infection, while isolation rooms may require negative pressure to prevent the spread of airborne pathogens.

As HVAC is often responsible for over 40 per cent of energy usage in any given building, in hospitals particularly, it is one of the areas where the most savings can be made. These savings vary depending on the equipment being controlled as well as the existing state of energy conservation technologies. Experience suggests that savings of between 15-30 per cent are achievable in most cases.

As an example, Schneider Electric is working with Musgrove Park Hospital, part

HVAC of the Taunton and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust to implement 180 technical energy saving solutions. These will save the hospital £17 million over 20 years.

This is as a result of reducing the hospitals’ energy consumption by more than 40 per cent. One part of the project was a full overhaul of the HVAC system including variable speed drives and control on air handling units and pumps. The upgrades included free cooling alterations to remove mechanical cooling requirements.

Hospitals demand consistent and constantly available power to ensure safe, efficient and cost effective operations.

Although the installation and management of critical power environments are both complicated and costly, losing the power supply simply isn’t an option when patients’ lives are on the line.

Hospitals are often directly connected to electricity sub-stations to minimise the risk of power cuts. Nonetheless, it’s vital that hospitals have a power outage solution in place, which monitors critical power availability, power quality and schedules in maintenance at the most appropriate time, along with performing real-time diagnostics in the case of a power failure.

Recent developments in Building Automation System open protocol communications technology allow all of the critical systems within a hospital, like HVAC, lighting, security and electrical power to communicate with one another in a more intelligent way, both improving the healing environment for patients and allowing for more efficient facilities management.

Often a BMS is installed and commissioned, with predicted parameters that are suitable at that time. But, whilst hospitals are only built once, over time the use of the building and the services delivered within that building will inevitably change. Additions to the building or changes in its configuration without major investment to upgrade environmental systems and controls at the same time will impact negatively upon the energy performance. Such changes can also result in lower employee productivity, higher energy bills and increased building maintenance costs. However, re-commissioning, extending or upgrading a BMS which is designed to be flexible and scalable to meet with the activities of the hospital in the future, can change all of this.

The challenges faced by healthcare providers means that ensuring operational efficiency is vital. It is imperative that healthcare institutions get health check of their own as well. This will allow them not only to check whether they are resilient and getting the most of out their infrastructure – but also to check whether they are compliant with the standards

in operation. Consultants can help with resilience testing services to ensure security and assurance, along with design and audit services to help with upgrading any systems and providing retrofits, as well as providing strategy and advice.

Understanding the condition and performance of a hospital’s systems and infrastructure is key to improving safety and efficiency. A successful and effective BMS system is at the core of the ability to do just this. The direct implications on health and wellbeing of patients, together with the need to ensure hygiene and cleanliness, and operational considerations make a BMS a significant factor in ensuring successful outcomes of patients.

Connected, intelligent controls and equipment can now deliver greater insight

into the performance of hospital facilities and can provide a significant, measurable return on investment. The opportunities for savings that exist cannot be accessed through the traditional building approach as this leads to a hospital infrastructure with disparate systems, duplication of infrastructure and inefficient communication.

A significant investment has been made over many years into developing solutions and technologies that can unlock savings, improve operational productivity and patient safety. These solutions are now a reality and are helping healthcare providers do more with less across the world. www.schneider-electric.co.uk

Energy Manager Magazine • May 2016

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Boilers & Burners

Bringing the best from commercial boilers

Paul Sands, Sales and Marketing Director at Stokvis Energy Systems, considers the options for improving boiler efficiency in new and refurbishment situations.

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ithin the commercial market today, approximately 70% of boilers from 30KW and higher are wall hung.

To what extent these modern condensing boilers actually deliver higher efficiencies compared to their old counterparts is, however, dependent on a number of factors including whether they are correctly sized and specified, as well as the manner in which they are controlled.

So what are the main principles to be respected in the creation of an efficient heating and hot water system? Although there is a definite desire on the part of specifiers to provide for future flexibility in terms of additional demand, they should resist the temptation to oversize. Aside from the increased capital outlay, one could be reducing the boiler’s capacity to modulate at low loads. It is also important to design for achieving low return temperatures in order to maximise the time when a boiler condenses. A Larger delta T or a return temperature of 560C or below is generally considered desirable.

Wall-hung boilers are often installed as a cascade of three or more units which not only means maintenance can be carried out without interruption of service, it also allows the duty to be shared.

Interestingly most condensing boilers offer slightly better efficiency when running at a percentage of their potential output; which can be taken advantage of in a cascade arrangement. While figures vary between different boiler ranges, a model which delivers 102% net efficiency at 100% capacity might see this rise to 106% net when running at 25% capacity; this increase resulting from the lower volume of flue gas passing over the heat exchanger.

With an appropriate sequencing controller, one boiler would modulate up until the demand requires output from a second unit; at which point the duty will be shared equally between the pair. The same applies when a third boiler has to contribute. Meanwhile, the main controller also ensures ‘first up’ duty is

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rotated between the individual boilers in order to even out wear.

To weather compensate condensing boiler plant directly utilising outside temperature sensors, will provide higher efficiencies and further savings, since a lower flow temperature will also give a lower return temperature and therefore aid condensing possibilities. In practice, for a part load situation, the boiler controller reduces the fan speed, in turn causing a pressure drop which is utilised to modulate down the pressure operated gas valve. By incorporating weather compensation control, the premix air and gas is modulated down further. So, introducing weather compensation directly to the boiler plant is one of the key measures which can be used to improve the performance of new and existing heating systems.

Another is to replace hot water storage vessels with modern plate heat exchanger (PHE) technology. When a boiler constantly cycles to try and maintain the temperature of large amounts of stored domestic hot water, it is generally firing inefficiently; normally well below its modulation range.

The way to eliminate these cycling and standing losses is to replace the calorifier with a PHE such as one of the Econoplate

Energy Manager Magazine • May 2016

Packaged Plate Heat Exchangers that heats domestic water on demand at much higher levels of efficiency and combats the possibility of Legionella contamination.

Essentially, the PHE set up sees higher loads being met instantaneously, resulting in the boiler mainly working within its part load or modulation capabilities. The plate heat exchanger also provides primary return temperatures as low as 350C which is ideal for condensing boilers. Further savings would be achieved by making use of a preheat vessel where the hot water is heated from a solar thermal system.

Given the Government’s environmental agenda, the proportion of smaller, wall-hung boilers is likely to remain as the larger share of the market as the uptake of renewable energy increases and, therefore, the “top up load” provided by the boiler plant dictates smaller boilers that are able to provide good turn down/modulation with condensing capability that match the required load.

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

Boilers & Burners

PLATE HEAT EXCHANGERS COMBAT LEGIONELLA RISK

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he recent prosecution of Reading Council for the death of an elderly resident who contracted Legionnaire’s Disease while staying in a care home highlights both the danger posed by this strain of viral pneumonia, and the responsibility that property owners carry for its control.

While such actions as the regular disinfecting of shower heads are a necessary precaution, it is far more important that the building services are designed to deny the Legionella virus a breeding ground. This is why Stokvis Energy Systems recommends the use of plate heat exchangers as the best means of supplying ample hot water in buildings other than single dwellings.

Legionnaire’s disease was first identified in the USA in 1976 when it affected members of the American Legion attending a convention, but there have been deadly outbreaks here such as the one caused by faulty air-conditioning plant near Oxford Street, London, which claimed several lives. However, it is believed that – as with carbon monoxide poisoning – many low level cases go undiagnosed with the virus being widely present where water is stored at medium temperatures, or allowed to stand in long pipe runs.

Stokvis Energy Systems’ Paul Sands explains: “Not only is storing hot water a risk, but Legionella can breed anywhere there is an HWS ‘dead leg’ or if you get a very large temperature drop between the flow and return on your hot water circuit .

The benefit of a plate heat exchanger is that water comes in at approx 10 degrees centigrade and goes out instantaneously at 60 degrees – meaning that Legionella bacteria does not have any time to breed.

“In some cases, it may be preferred to install a buffer vessel because the kilowatt capacity is not available from the plate heat exchanger to meet peak demand, but in these cases – unlike with calorifiers - the storage is limited and the heat up period is likely to be just five to 10 minutes.

“We would often recommend avoiding any storage so, instead of a buffer vessel, put in two plate heat exchangers to serve as duty and standby. In terms of sizing the boiler system, clients should understand that it is normally fine for the plate heat exchanger to take priority over the heating

system during peak periods as there is normally enough thermal inertia in the fabric of a building to bridge these periods.

This then results in keeping the boiler size to a minimum, ie not necessarily adding on the full HWS load to the heating load to arrive at the boiler size” Stokvis Econoplate plate heat exchangers are available in a wide range of outputs and can be found providing very efficient, reliable and Legionella free performance in properties across sectors including hotel, leisure, healthcare,

education and industry where they are frequently specified to provide very high volumes of hot water service Stokvis Econoplate plate heat exchangers are available in a wide range of outputs For further information on Stokvis Energy Systems, call 020 8783 3050 or visit www.stokvisboilers.com

Energy Manager Magazine • May 2016

23

Monitoring/Metering

C.A 1950

Simple ergonomics for a Chauvin Arnoux® thermal camera which is an essential part of any toolbox

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00% French! The brand new thermal camera designed and developed by Chauvin Arnoux, the DiaCAm2 C.A 1950, is particularly simple to use. Its ergonomics has been designed for a comfortable grip, with direct access to the functions using one hand only.

It offers an exceptional battery life of 13 hours without wasting any time, as it starts up in 3 seconds.

The DiaCAm2 is balanced: it doesn’t move even when stood on a benchtop. The display uses a wide 2.8 inch screen with automatic brightness adjustment. The C.A 1950 is focus-free with a 20° x 20° field of view. The flap protecting the lens is built into the instrument, so it does not get in the way and cannot be lost. Contextual help guides users to limit the risk of error.

The C.A 1950 is a communicating camera which can simultaneously recover the necessary measurements (current, etc.) from current clamps and multimeters via Bluetooth. In this way, users can link to the thermograms the measurements made simultaneously with current clamps or multimeters. The emissivity table can be completed as required. It is also possible to rename the images and thermograms by site and record voice comments for easier follow-up.

This rugged, IP54 instrument can withstand falls of up to 2 m. No problem when you throw it into your toolbox.

With its Eco-Conception (eco-design) labelling, the C.A 1950 camera from Chauvin Arnoux meets the environmental requirements and is designed to allow recycling of its parts.

Applications The C.A 1950 is ideal for all the applications in the building, electrical maintenance and mechanical maintenance

sectors: • Thermal audits • Troubleshooting: thermal bridges, infiltrations, presence of humidity • Electrical maintenance: detection of faulty contacts, unbalance, etc.

• Mechanical maintenance: detection of wear points, motor overheating, lubrication problems, etc It is also possible to record and store in memory the configurations for each application (building, electrical cabinet, etc.), thus saving additional time.

The CAmReport software provided free of charge can be used for automatic generation of reports which can be exported in Word or pdf format. This makes printing and archiving much simpler.

The C.A 1950 is delivered ready to use in a site-proof case with all its accessories, including the Bluetooth earphone. info@chauvin-arnoux.co.uk

C.A 1510

Monitor ambient air quality: CO2, temperature and humidity

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he level of CO2 is an excellent indicator of air quality and the effectiveness of air renewal solutions. Simple and user friendly, the C.A 1510 can be used to measure and record three parameters (CO2, temperature, humidity) and can monitor air quality criteria based either on the level of CO2 or on a combination of the three physical quantities measured. Its multiple functions are ideal for the needs of certification organizations, laboratories, environmental engineers, etc.

The C.A 1510 complies with the functional and metrological requirements for CO2 measurement stipulated by French decree no. 2012-14 in the context of indoor air quality monitoring for buildings open to the public.

The rear panel of the compact, stand alone C.A 1510 is equipped with a magnet

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and an insert for hanging on a wall. It can also be fixed on a wall mount with a padlock (available as an accessory) or on a desktop stand. Its memory is capable of storing more than one million measurements in the form of several campaigns and the display and keyboard can be locked during recording.

Equipped with a large two colour backlit display, the C.A 1510 simultaneously shows the level of CO2, the temperature and the humidity. In addition to its portable function, it can be used intuitively as an indicator; as soon as a parameter moves outside the recommended conditions, the backlighting changes colour and a L smiley is displayed (the value involved is indicated).

In ECO energy saving mode, it has a battery life of one year.

Available in two colours (white or black), the C.A 1510 is equipped with USB and Bluetooth communication interfaces.

Energy Manager Magazine • May 2016

The interface tools (AQR software delivered as standard or 1510 application available from Play Store) can be used to configure the recordings, display the results remotely on a PC or Android™ tablet, view the data as graphs or value tables, export data into Excel and calculate the confinement index with selection of the periods when people are present.

A compliant solution to Sub-metering in the Heat Bender G59 Mains Protection Relay Network (Metering and Billing) Regulations 2014!

– a cost effect

solution for safe connection to the grid

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ender’s VMD460 Interface Protection System makes it simpler than ever to protect the critical link between renewable power generating equipment and the National Grid.

VMD460 is compliant with UK and European standards for the G59 Mains Protection Relay for photovoltaic systems, CHP (combined heat & power), wind turbines and hydroelectric power to provide a comprehensive solution to the requirements for renewable energy installations.

Product users benefit from reduced commissioning time and a range of flexible settings and related parameters saved in pre-set basic programs. No connection to a PC or other device is required to set up, commission or change operating threshhold parameters.

All functionality and information is accessed via push button controls and an illuminated liquid crystal multi-line graphic display.

VMD460 continuously monitoring phase sequence, voltage and frequency. If there is an infringement beyond the pre-set limits the relay isolates the connection between the public grid and the power generation system - instantly disconnecting the generator from the grid for reliable safety protection.

Product features include password protected settings, a test function for the determination of the shutdown time, memory of the last 300 events and faults with real-time clock stamp, continuous monitoring of phase voltage, line conductor voltage and separate switching conditions after a threshold infringement.

The device incorporates an RS-485 interface for data exchange and software update via BMS bus.

Manufactured in Germany this product is by far one of the most competitively priced and highest quality solutions available in the market place today. It is available in stock from Bender UK, Low Mill Business Park, Cumbria.

The new clamp-on heat/ energy metering solution from Micronics. Simple, low cost, hot or chilled water energy measurement from outside the pipe. A smarter solution than in-line meters!

The U1000 HM displays energy rate and totalised energy with pulse output and Modbus, so it can be used as a standalone meter or as an integral part of an aM&T or BEM’s system.

Q Q Q Q

Rate and totalised heat/energy demand Easy to install Clamp-on flow and temperature sensors Lower installed cost than in-line meters

www.micronicsflowmeters.com or call

01628 810456

Contact 01229 480123 for ordering information or visit: http://www.bender-uk.com/products/c/measuring_and_monitoring_ relays__5/voltage_relays_for_ac_systems__18/linetraxxr_vmd460na__344.html

Suitable for: Steel, Plastic & Copper pipe, 25mm – 115mm OD

MADE IN BRITAIN

Lighting

Spend and save Before

After

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L

ight emitting diode (LED) technology has redefined lighting by providing an energy efficient solution that has extremely long life, low carbon emissions and excellent lighting quality. Marcus Brodin, Commercial Director at Future Energy Solutions (FES), examines the latest developments in this innovative sector and explains why there’s never been a better time to build a business case to make the switch.

LED lighting still suffers from a reputation for being expensive and not as reliable as older lighting technology, but the truth is that prices have declined to a point where this type of lighting is now economically viable in most applications and LEDs are now more reliable than traditional lighting technology. The current wave of adoption is much more focused on the value of ongoing energy and operational savings that can be factored against a modest increase in upfront cost.

Payback periods are now achievable in most environments within single figure years and although some organisations invest in LED lighting to meet set technical standards and achieve a certain level of illumination, what tends to dominate the investment criteria is the potential to save money, reduce carbon emissions and comply with legislation such as the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme.

This should come as no surprise and to illustrate the point, National Car Parks (NCP) recently completed a second phase of LED installations, bringing the total amount of LEDs installed across their estate to over 85,000 energy efficient LED luminaires, generating energy savings of over 65 per cent. NCP were helped with the funding of their upgrade by FES and the Green Investment Bank (GIB), through a deal whereby there was a zero up-front capital outlay and paid via the energy savings achieved upon upgrading the old inefficient lights to the new efficient lights. This project will lower NCP’s carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions by an average of over 12,000 tonnes per year whilst generating just over £34M in savings over the life of the new LEDs. A combination of increasingly innovative solutions and a competitive total cost of ownership (TCO) has therefore meant that making the switch to LED makes better sense than ever. Despite all of these positives, the vast range, quality and types of luminaires available can be intimidating, which is why building a business case is a

Energy Manager Magazine • May 2016

must if all the advantages of an investment are to be acknowledged and understood.

A key part of this process involves choosing the right product, as LED luminaires vary considerably in price, quality and performance. Lower end products have lifetimes of around 25,000 to 35,000 hours while, at the opposite end of the spectrum, some manufacturers claim that their products could last up to 100,000 hours plus, based on their design and operating temperature. However, performance claims should be challenged to find out whether a product has LM70, LM79 or LM80 reports to justify the lifetime stated and whether their is compliance to IEC 62717 and IEC 62722 standards.

It is also important to determine the luminous efficacy of available LED light sources. This is defined as the total luminous flux emitted by the light source divided by the fitting wattage, and is expressed in lumens per watt (lm/W). At present, most LEDs offer an average of 110lm/W, yet some leading manufacturers have demonstrated the capability to produce 17000lm/W plus light sources, which need less than 5W of energy to produce the same amount of light as a traditional 60W bulb.

When it comes to maintaining an LED lighting system, overall operational expenditure (OpEx) costs can vary considerably depending on the type of luminaire specified and used, along with the warranty the luminaires come with. Like all light sources, LED luminaires slowly fade over time and light output degradation is often exacerbated by the drive current and heat generated within the device itself. It is advisable to look for a luminaire rated no lower than L80 B10. The L80 value refers to the period after which the luminaire outputs only 80 per cent of its original light. The B10 value means that a minimum of 90 per cent of the installed LED modules will meet the declared L value and only 10 per cent will have a lower flux level. Higher end products counter this effect by using the best quality components – another factor that should be thought about when determining TCO. Reliability, as defined by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE), is the ability of a system or component to perform under specific conditions for a certain period of time. Described as the mean time between failure (MTBF), it is used to measure when a system is repairable and can determine the likely maintenance interval.

The average time of random failure is calculated by dividing MTBF by a population

Lighting size, for example, if there are 1,000 devices with a MTBF of 100,000 hours, it is realistic that there will be a failure every 100 hours.

While capital expenditure (CapEx) might be more, when compared to the industry average of maintaining a non-LED luminaire of £15 per year, the average for an LED solution is around £3, significantly reducing TCO. Further energy savings can be achieved through the use of lighting controls, which can contribute to additional energy savings of 10-30 per cent when LED luminaires are integrated with sensors to determine when and where lighting is used within a space.

Lights also only come on if the movement of a person is detected and this type of system can then monitor light levels and make use of daylight harvesting, which uses daylight to offset the amount of electric lighting

needed to properly light an area using minimum electrical power.

Navigating the complexities of building a business case is well worth the time and effort, as it will ensure that the chosen solution best fits the need.

However, for organisations that don’t have the requisite skills, knowledge and experience to make informed purchasing decisions and install and maintain an LED lighting systems, agreeing an energy services agreement (ESA) with a turnkey energy performance solutions provider is becoming increasingly popular – and for good reason.

With zero upfront capital investment, they can be created off balance sheet, with all equipment, installation and maintenance costs factored in from the outset. By guaranteeing the savings, ESAs ensure

projects deliver the agreed rate of return, thereby reducing the risks for customers.

It’s no secret that the cost of energy will rise even higher over the next few years, whether it’s through an overall average rise in the commodity price or a hike in the fixed charge elements of an electricity bill and, for consumers of this increasingly precious resource, monitoring and managing its use is a key priority. With everyone trying to lower the amount of money they spend, while at the same time reducing carbon emissions, LED lighting is the right technology at the right time.

For further information please contact Marcus Brodin on +44 (0) 207 908 3921 or marcus.brodin@feslighting.co.uk

CHALLENGES OF EXTERNAL LIGHTING SCHEMES

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esigning an appropriate external lighting scheme without compromising daylight, the surrounding environment or indeed, natural habitats, can be a challenge. Here, lighting engineer, Aimie Loveday of multi-disciplinary consultants, M-EC, discusses the constraints, considerations and creativity required of engineers when tasked with devising new or remedial lighting for development.

“The implementation of external lighting or artificial light has a primary function to safeguard our night-time environment but how it is designed, installed and maintained varies significantly. Location, local authority specifications, existing hazards e.g. trees or overhead cables must all be considered, and that’s before any demands of energy efficiency, cost savings or future maintenance can be addressed.

“What’s defined as ‘obstrusive light*’ e.g. obstructing your view of the night sky, keeping you awake though a bedroom window, glare or sky glow, is a form of pollution and has to be properly managed.

To achieve this, a lighting impact assessment is undertaken to ascertain the environmental zone e.g. protected, natural, rural, suburban or urban and this forms the parameters to work within. Day-time and night-time monitoring is then carried out to provide commentary on the impact of both existing and proposed lighting. For example, on one of our projects in Lincolnshire, our assessment confirmed proposed development would not negatively impact the immediate environment and outlined accepted methods of lighting control which the

developer was then able to include within the application.

“Naturally the type and scale of development will also affect the recommended lighting scheme. Residential developments, for example, where lighting is positioned on boundaries of properties to minimise intrusion into homes, have completely different requirements to traffic routes and motorways, where the glare factor has to be accounted for and high uniformity is essential. There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach.

“Despite this, location has the most fundamental impact on the design we can create. The environmental zones within which we work dictate every detail, from direction and brightness of light, to choice of lantern, position of columns and how lights are cleaned and maintained. For instance, if a street light was suggested to be placed on a public footpath, how would a vehicle gain access for repairs?

“In addition, an increasing occurrence is the proximity of bat roosts to a proposed site and this requires a different level of reporting, over and above initial impact assessments. Studies** have shown that artificial light affects feeding patterns, foraging, colony isolation and makes bats more susceptible prey. For example, on a site in Worcestershire, after carrying out a feasibility report, we have designed a sensitive lighting scheme to minimise light spill into hedgerows and trees, as these are commonly used by bats, as well as specifying different lantern types to the original brief, which has reduced the number of columns required, creating not only a more sensitive design for the ecology but is also more cost –effective for the client.

Aimie Loveday, lighting engineer, M-EC Consulting Development Engineers.

“Improvements in technology have significantly and positively altered the lighting schemes we can design. Instead of timers, we can either use a CMS (Central Management System), where a remote operator can dim or switch off individual lights as well as detect any faults, or where this isn’t possible, we use photo cells – enabling us to dim or trim the lights as appropriate. Other techniques such as colour rendering mean we can make more recognisable environments e.g. blue tints for clinical spaces, yellow tints for more inviting residential areas. All of these technologies are compatible with most LED lanterns.

Despite some misconceptions, LED’s are actually highly energy efficient, longer lasting and give better light quality than SON and SOX lamps. They are also extremely adaptable, meaning for retrospective works, they do not necessarily need to be replaced and instead, can be retrofit, back shields, etc.

“Ultimately, good lighting design is all about balancing the right type of light at the right time and within the right context. That way we can ensure a bright future for all!”

*Guidance from the Institution of Lighting Professionals (ILP) 2011. ** Bat Conservation Trust 2009.

Energy Manager Magazine • May 2016

27

Legislation

Changes to energy consumption tax could increase costs to organisations using oil, gas & LPG, warns Peter Leggett

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hen Chancellor George Osborne delivered his budget on Wednesday, 16th March 2016 the main focus in the media was making all schools into academies, a longer school day, and freezing beer duty.

What many organisations may have overlooked was news that the Treasury plans to replace the Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme (CRCEES) and indicated changes to the Climate Change Levy (CCL) from 31st March 2019.

Peter Leggett, Energy & Carbon Consultant at IMServ believes the potential changes could come as a shock to organisations as any new scheme is likely to encompass all fuels, as well as incorporating smaller-sized businesses, hospitals, colleges and public sector buildings who may have previously been outside CRCEES. Peter Leggett explains, “Over the last decade there have been various schemes that have been introduced to encourage the uptake of energy efficiency and low carbon reporting. What has defined most of the schemes has been their complexity. Some businesses have had to comply with CRCEES reporting and buying allowances; report emissions through Mandatory Green House Gas Reporting; maintain compliance within schemes such as ISO14001/50001 or Carbon Trust Standard, as well as considering new audit and report requirements under ESOS. It’s all been very time consuming, often repeating with a different slant of results and, so at times, confusing.”

“The implication is that use of the CCL framework, which operates on a pence per kilowatt-hour rating has the potential to simplify revenue to HM’s Government yet at the same time draw more sites, organisations, and potentially more fuel types into the fold. Under CRCEES Phase 2, businesses didn’t need to buy emissions for LPG, small gas or oil use, just for large electricity and gas consumptions.

Pre-empting the direction of the consultation slightly, I suspect this is likely to change once CRCEES Phase 2 closes on 31st March 2019.”

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Tips from IMServ 1. Look at tightening up your organisation’s energy management process on your whole estate. Take a look at energy consumption on smaller sites, not just on larger, more energy intensive buildings, especially if an energy management programme has been in place for some time.

2. Consider what the implications would be on energy budgets if CCL increases and takes into account all fuel types.

3. Reporting will continue to be a key feature of any new scheme. Ensure your organisation is capturing information across all utility usage now, and sharing data to define management strategy, consumption and cost decisions.

“Many businesses that come under CRCEES are getting figures together for the end of the year and ensuring that they have sufficient budget to pay for allowances.

But, for those organisations that were not participants in CRC they may not have yet realised the potential change and impact of increased CCL rates.”

“If we take a ‘like-for-like’ conversion using the ‘buy to comply’ rate for March 2019 indicated by DECC ( £18.30 per TCO2e) the revenue equivalent would have to add 1 pence onto CCL electricity kWh (about 0.3 pence to gas CCL).”

Peter continued, “In this respect, if as I suspect CCL rates would change for all energy users, then by example, if an organisation was currently outside CRCEES consuming 2,000,000kWh such rate increase

Energy Manager Magazine • May 2016

could add £20,000 to the utility costs; proportionally this could be a 4-7% increase.”

Across the board the Government is still consulting on reforms to reduce the administrative and compliance burden on businesses and simplify energy efficiency reporting, and Peter believes removal of CRCEES will go some way to achieving this aim. When the opportunity arises, business should add its voice to such consultations.

Regardless of change and outcomes, there are still areas that organisations can look at to ensure that when any new system is introduced they are ready. www.imserv.com

Product Showcase

New eLearning programme makes quality energy training affordable for all staff

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new energy awareness eLearning programme has been launched that will make it possible for even the largest organisations to involve every employee in their energy saving journey.

Most energy conscious organisations realise that training staff in energy awareness can lead to significant energy savings – as much as 10% reduction can be achieved - but often cost is seen as an unbreakable barrier to widespread implementation.

Be Energy is a new affordable, high quality, user-friendly, eLearning programme that will help employees to understand what energy is, how the use of energy impacts on our environment and how they can use less energy at home and at work to save costs and to create a healthier planet .

Through a series of thought provoking and enlightening videos and interactive elements, participants will see how they

depend on energy every day at home and at work and how they can start to use less energy through making small changes to how they think and act and through using low-energy technology. There are interactive graphics, questions and multiple-choice quizzes after each module to engage the participant in the programme and to ensure they take away the key messages. Delegates are able to download a certificate to show they have successfully completed the programme.

The one-hour programme can be branded and tailored to an organisation’s own requirements, has engaging multi media content and is suitable for all employees, no previous knowledge or experience is required.

JRP Solutions’ Managing Director, Jes Rutter, says. “We have designed Be Energy to achieve maximum impact with minimal disruption to business at a very affordable cost so that even in very large organisations,

every employee can be engaged in the energy saving journey.”

Costs vary depending on user numbers and whether bespoke elements are required, but can be as little as £1 per delegate, making it a very affordable step towards engaging all staff to save energy.

A brief introductory video has been produced and is available at http://www. jrpsolutions.com/be-energy-affordableawareness-elearning-programme/ For delegates or organisations that want to continue their energy learning journey, JRP have a range of practical classroom and workplace training programmes to suit a wide range of requirements.

JRP Solutions are energy consultants who specialise in delivering energy efficiencies across the whole asset base in commercial and industrial environments. www.jrpsolutions.com

Schneider Electric Easergy P5

S

chneider Electric, the global specialist in energy management and automation, announced the launch of its Easergy P5 protection relay. Powerful, flexible, and digital, the Easergy P5 sets the new benchmark for protection and control, providing the next-generation standard for businesses’ critical assets and an unparalleled digital experience.

features help businesses meet their safety, security and reliability requirements, regardless of industry.

An unparalleled digital experience for greater operational efficiency •

A major step forward for safety, cyber security, and reliability •

Proven protection and control functions give the new Easergy P5 a rock-solid foundation and ensure first-class performance.

• Safe operation is fully aligned with the latest safety standards while users can operate their device in safe conditions with a new mobile companion application.

• Cyber security, in full compliance with IEC 61351, helps protect installations with security based on users’ job functions.

For peace-of-mind, P5 benefits from Easergy Protection, our new 10 year warranty extension programme, enabled through a simple registration process. The state-of-the-art breaker control also helps users prevent and solve problems quickly, and the Easergy P5’s modern, digital

•

•

•

Sustainability and future-ready through openess and consistency •

•

The latest online tools make it easy to select, configure, and order, meaning that users can enjoy much faster delivery, especially on standard configurations Data from the Easergy P5 can be securely stored in a cloud-based repository and made available thoughout the lifetime of the installation. Access is granted through a simple initial registration The powerful Easergy Pro configuration software is designed to be easy for non-expert users to use, while offering advanced functions to satisfy advanced needs The Easergy SmartApp mobile companion application can be used on smartphones and tablets and allows easy and safer operation without standing in front of a circuit breaker. It also provides a simple way to get support from Schneider Electric experts, meaning quicker power recovery during unexpected downtime

•

•

The Easergy P5: Is IEC 61850 native and designed to be fully interoperable with maximum use of the latest communication standards Enables the integration of network analytics, real-time control and operations into all types of electrical distribution networks as part of a complete MV/LV digital ecosystem Enables sustainable management of its life cycle through embedded asset performance and condition monitoring Is designed for simple, on-site scalability with downloadable firmware upgrades available – keeping it up to date and preserving the original installation investment

One powerful, flexible, digital range The Easergy P5 protection relay is part of the new Easergy product range from Schneider Electric, which also includes the Easergy T300, an innovative feeder automation device. www.schneider-electric.com/b2b/en/ products/product-launch/easergy/

Energy Manager Magazine • May 2016

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Product Showcase

South Lanarkshire College goes low-carbon with NIBE

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newly opened, ‘zero-energy’ teaching block at South Lanarkshire College in Scotland has been fitted with a ground source heat pump system from NIBE – helping it become the first building in the UK to achieve a BREEAM sustainability rating of ‘Outstanding’.

Situated on the college’s East Kilbride campus, the state-of-the-art, £2.6 million building has been specifically designed with first-rate environmental credentials in mind. It boasts a whole host of efficiency enhancing measures, including highly insulated floors, walls and roofs, tripleglazed windows, low-energy lighting and electrics, rainwater harvesting and solar PV panels on the roof. Partnered with a water-based underfloor heating system, the energy efficient NIBE F1345 40kW ground source heat pump (GSHP) was specified to meet the heating requirements of the eight classroom block in the most sustainable, cost-effective and reliable way possible.

Stewart McKillop, principal at South Lanarkshire College (SLC), explains: “We pride ourselves on our forward-thinking approach to sustainability at SLC, and we couldn’t be happier that our new teaching block has been deemed ‘Outstanding’ by BREEAM assessors. We already have a range of NIBE products in our on-site renewables

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training centre, which students use for practical sessions – so the ground source heat pump system from NIBE seemed like the natural choice to heat the new block.

For even greater efficiency, we opted to pair the heat pump with water-based underfloor heating, which operates at similarly low flow temperatures.

“In fact, the NIBE system is so efficient that it has been awarded a rating of A+++ in line with energy labelling criteria under the ErP Directive. The heat pump system and the solar PV panels combined generate enough renewable energy to meet the block’s entire heating and power needs, making it a ‘zero-energy’ building. It really is a huge asset to the whole college – not only from a resource point of view, but also as a real-life example of sustainability in action.

As well as being a valuable learning space for our construction and energy students, it’s a place for us to bring local businesses and community groups, and showcase the benefits of low-carbon, low-resource buildings first-hand.”

The new SLC facility excelled in all 10 BREEAM assessment categories, which range from energy, waste and water to health and wellbeing. The project was given £1.45 million-worth of support from South Lanarkshire Trust and £700,000 from the European Regional Development Fund. It

Energy Manager Magazine • May 2016

was also awarded a further subsidy from South Lanarkshire Council’s Renewable Energy Fund.

Robin Adderley, sales and marketing director at NIBE, says: “NIBE has a longstanding relationship with South Lanarkshire College, and we are really pleased to have been a part of what is a truly pioneering project. The new block sets the bar high for sustainable construction in the UK, which is reflected in its outstanding BREEAM assessment. It’s also a perfect working example of how heat pumps can be the ideal choice for larger-scale applications – helping them to minimise their carbon footprint and keep running costs down in the process.”

NIBE’s MCS-accredited F1345 GSHPs are specially designed for use in larger residential, commercial and industrial settings, and use ground, rock or lake as a heat source. Available in an output range of 24kW-60kW to suit applications of various sizes, the high-efficiency units perform at an industry-leading COP of up to 4.51 at 0/35°C. They also feature an integrated control system for bespoke programming and a multi-colour user display for straightforward and intuitive operation. www.nibe.co.uk

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