May 2019 by Energy In Buildings & Industry

MAY 2019

PROMOTING ENERGY EFFICIENCY

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In this issue Air Handling Energy in Universities CPD Module: Batteries & Energy Storage Purchasing Green Energy

Seat of learning The challenge facing universities

Maintenance required! Cleaning leads to efficiency

No feed-in tariff? Photovoltaics power on

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MAY 2019

PROMOTING ENERGY EFFICIENCY

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In this issue Air Handling Energy in Universities CPD Module: Batteries & Energy Storage Green & Renewable Energy

Seat of learning The challenge facing universities

Maintenance required! Cleaning leads to efficiency

Contents

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No feed-in tariff? Photovoltaics power on

MAY 2019

FEATURES

12 Air Handling

Together with a 60 per cent growth in global building floor area, the demand for air conditioning is set to soar, says David Dunn Coil cleaning is one of the easiest and greenest tasks you can do for your HVAC system, as Paul Osborne explains (14) Replacing an entire HVAC system can be costly as well as a logistical nightmare, believes Kurt Bruns (17)

30 Energy in Universities

Universities have high expectations when it comes to meter reading systems, explains Bill Gysin

Steve Beer examines the particular challenges that universities face when it comes to energy saving (36)

39 The Performance Gap 42 Green & Renewable Energy

Dr Michelle Agha-Hossein believes that the construction industry must drive forward real change in the delivery of buildings

The abolition of the Government’s feed-in tariffs (FiTS) for new renewable energy schemes is not all bad news, says Ben Harrison

Richard Kelly explains the strategy behind Dublin City University’s success in cutting over a third off its energy use (32)

Organisations can enhance their reputation, boost their bottom line and resilience by turning to green energy. Ashley Phillips explains where to start (44)

Angela Reid takes a look at how universities can prepare to meet the demands of the future not only on existing buildings but also on those being prepared for construction (34)

A comprehensive metering strategy is fundamental to the successful operation of solar power and battery storage systems, says Will Darby (45)

REGULARS 06 News Update

ECAs enter their final year as the true cost in energy of downloading music becomes clear

10 The Warren Report

The UK’s SME sector accounts for half of all business energy use. The Chancellor has put in motion methods to stimulate energy saving. But more could be done

25 The Fundamental Series: CPD Learning

29 View From the Top

22 ESTA Viewpoint

The Committee on Climate Change has spoken. Julia Szajdzicka believes that the time is right for a full systemic review through the lens of net zero by 2050

Paul Bennett introduces battery storage and how it can help energy managers reduce costs, maintain resilience and integrate renewables

Compliance is a round-the-clock job. Jamie Tranter explains how businesses can remove the stress associated with controlling the risks

46 New Products

Among a whole host of new products for energy managers this month is a fuel cell micro CHP plant, a monobloc heat pump, storage water heaters, and a range of floor-standing boilers

50 Talking Heads

A continued reliance on fossil fuels makes absolutely no sense if we are to hit our carbon reduction targets, believes Martin Fahey. Electricity will be the driver for change

40 Products in Action

A Derbyshire school feels the benefits of pipe insulation while a controls system contributes to a high BREEAM rating

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editor’s opinion

Talk to SMEs early

hen a conversation turns to the

Scheme will focus on getting SMEs more involved

SME sector much head scratching

in energy saving. This must lead to more than a

and shrugging of shoulders often

consultation, especially as ECAs are now in their final

follows. Suppliers of energy-saving

financial year (see page 7). Although often ignored

equipment say they find it next to impossible to

and even unknown, ECAs have played a useful part

reach SMEs to sell their products. On the other side

in getting energy efficiency on a company’s agenda.

of the fence SMEs have a whole range of excuses for

Some of the consultation’s considerations we’ve

not taking an interest in energy saving. Let’s put SMEs into context. SMEs include

all seen before. The first, a zero-interest loans scheme, previously abandoned in 2010 but still up

everything from a small hairdresser to a medium-

and running in Scotland and Wales, could make a

sized manufacturing company. Individually, SMEs

comeback. As Andrew Warren suggests (see page 10)

consume modest amounts of energy, but collectively

the successful Salix model of loans for public sector

their energy demand is considerable, accounting

could be duplicated at little cost. In addition, a central

for around 50 per cent of business energy use, using

point of advice has been mooted. Now didn’t the

58TWh/year in England and Wales.

Carbon Trust provide that before it was sold off?

Without doubt energy use is often not an SME’s

What hasn’t been proposed is help for businesses

top priority. The day-to-day pressures of running

that are setting up. Companies supplying energy

and growing a business take precedent. In addition,

saving products often like a company to have at least

60 per cent of SMEs are based in commercial sites

two years trading before they agree to talk. But by

rented from commercial landlords so have no idea

then a company has made a considerable outlay on

what their gas and electricity bill might be.

machinery etc. and the damage has been done. It’s

However, it is encouraging to see that the Government has recognised the problem and may

essential that a way is found to educate start-ups from their first day of trading.

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the EiBI team editorial Managing Editor Mark Thrower tel: 01483 452854 Email: editor@eibi.co.uk Address: P. O. Box 825, Guildford GU4 8WQ Social Media Assistant Sam Jackson tel: 01889 577222 Email: info@energyzine.co.uk

advertising Sales Managers Chris Evans tel: 01889 577222 fax: 01889 579177 Email: chris@eibi.co.uk Address: 16-18 Hawkesyard Hall, Armitage Park, Rugeley, Staffordshire WS15 1PU Russ Jackson tel: 01704 501090 fax: 01704 531090 Email: russ@eibi.co.uk Address: Argyle Business Centre, 8 Leicester Street, Southport, Lancashire PR9 0EZ Nathan Wood tel 01525 716 143 fax 01525 715 316 Email nathan@eibi.co.uk Address: 1b, Station Square Flitwick, Bedfordshire MK45 1DP

classified sales

Philip Hammond, has confirmed that a consultation

MANAGING EDITOR

Sharon Nutter Tel: 01889 577222 Email: classified@eibi.co.uk

into the proposed Business Energy Efficiency

Mark Thrower

circulation

actually do something about it. The Chancellor,

Sue Bethell Tel: 01889 577222 Email: circulation@eibi.co.uk

administration/ production

THIS MONTH’S COVER STORY Big Green Egg Europe, supplier of the green egg-shaped ceramic barbecue, has moved to new architect-designed premises in De Lier, in Westland in the Netherlands. The company’s new premises, controlled by a Priva building management system (BMS), incorporate architect-led design with high levels sustainability. As the building is not connected to the gas main this includes roof-mounted solar panels, heat and cold storage in the ground, and exceptional insulation. Integration of a Priva BMS means operations savings and efficiencies are expected: the intention is to keep energy consumption to a minimum while delivering a healthy and comfortable interior climate. See page 20 for more details Cover photo courtesy of Priva UK Ltd

04 | ENERGY IN BUILDINGS & INDUSTRY | MAY 2019

Fran Critchlow Tel: 01889 577222 Email: info@eibi.co.uk

publishing Directors Chris Evans Russ Jackson Magazine Designer Tim Plummer For overseas readers or UK readers not qualifying for a free copy, annual subscription rates are £85 UK; £105 Europe airmail; £120 RoW. Single copies £10 each. Published by: Pinede Publishing Ltd 16-18 Hawkesyard Hall, Armitage Park, Nr. Rugeley, Staffordshire WS15 1PU ISSN 0969 885X This issue includes photographs provided and paid for by suppliers

Printed by Precision Colour Printing Origination by Design and Media Solutions ABC Audited Circulation Jan-Dec 2018 12,179

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news update For all the latest news stories visit www.eibi.co.uk

Sweden leads the low-carbon way Sweden is a global leader in building a low-carbon economy, with the lowest share of fossil fuels in its primary energy supply among all International Energy Agency member countries, according to the latest review of the country’s energy policies conducted by the IEA. With the second-lowest carbon-intensive economy Sweden has been successful in its energy transformation through market-based policies that focus on energy efficiency and renewable energy, notably CO2 taxation, which has helped drive decarbonisation across several sectors. Sweden’s energy policy is also well-integrated with its climate objectives. In the 2016 Energy Agreement and the Climate Framework from 2017, Sweden set ambitious targets, including the long-term goal of zero net emissions by 2045. But additional action is needed to achieve these results, as the country’s total carbon emissions have been flat since 2013. “Sweden has shown that ambitious energy transition policies can accompany strong economic growth,” said Paul Simons, the IEA’s deputy executive director. “With the Energy Agreement now in place, the time has come to implement a clear roadmap towards the long term target of carbon neutrality.” The electricity system is another important element in Sweden’s energy transition. Sweden has largely decarbonised its electricity generation through investments in nuclear power, hydropower, and most recently, other renewables. Sweden has not taken a formal position against the construction of new nuclear plants and most existing nuclear power plants are expected to run for the next several decades before being phased out.

CARBON FOOTPRINT OF DOWNLOADS

The soaring cost of streaming music The advent of digital consumption of music streaming has caused its carbon footprint to soar, compared with manufacturing and distributing “hard” copies, as in the past. This is according to a new study that warns the environmental cost of listening to recorded music has never been higher. Results of a research collaboration called “The Cost of Music”, between the University of Glasgow and the University of Oslo, reveals that although creating vinyl, cassettes and CDs involved more plastic production, it is the storing and processing of digital music that yields a greater impact on the environment. “The transition towards streaming recorded music from internetconnected devices has resulted in significantly higher carbon emissions than at any previous point in the history of music,” concludes Dr Kyle Devine, associate professor in music at the University of Oslo. These figures do confirm the notion that music digitalised is music dematerialised – and therefore more environmentally friendly. But there

06 | ENERGY IN BUILDINGS & INDUSTRY | MAY 2019

remains the key issue of the energy used to power online music listening. Researchers translated plastic production and the electricity used to store and transmit digital audio files into greenhouse gas equivalents (GHGs). This shows that in the US GHGs from recorded music were 140m kg in 1977 (vinyl’s peak year), 136m kg in 1988 (peak cassette year), and 157m kg in 2000 (peak for CD sales). By 2016, when digital services dominated, it is estimated to have been over 350m kg . This increase comes despite a dramatic drop in the amount of plastic used by the recording industry as a result of digitisation. The amount of plastic used has plummeted from

157m kilograms in 2000 to just 8m in 2016. Storing and processing music in the cloud depends on vast data centres, each using a tremendous amount of electricity. “Storing and processing music online uses a tremendous amount of resources and energy - which has a high impact on the environment,” Dr Devine said. Simultaneously, the study found that the financial cost of consuming music has never been lower. A vinyl album in 1977 cost $28.55 at today’s value; a cassette tape in 1988 cost $16.66; and a CD in 2000 $21.59. But the advent of streaming means consumers can now access most of the music ever recorded for just $9.99 a month. The study drew its figures from the US music industry. Advocates of digital services maintain that they have the potential to slash their emissions as a growing number of operators switch to renewable electricity. But critics maintain that the IT industry’s soaring energy demand threatens to outpace the shift towards cleaner sources of energy.

Machine learning, battery storage to receive funding Managing energy though machine learning and new lithium ion battery storage are among four innovative projects benefitting from the Government’s £102.5m Prospering from the Energy Revolution Challenge that will develop local systems to deliver cleaner, cheaper and more resilient energy. From charging electric vehicles and managing heating and power through machine learning to storing power with lithium ion batteries and using heat pumps, these projects show how the very latest in energy innovation can be put together to provide cheaper, cleaner energy for users. The projects are: • The Energy Superhub, Oxford, led by Pivot Power LLP; • ReFLEX Orkney, led by the European Marine Energy Centre; • Project Leo (Local Energy Oxfordshire), led by Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks; and • Smart Hub SLES, West Sussex, led by Advanced Infrastructure. These demonstrators will show how businesses can develop local energy approaches at scale that will create better outcomes for consumers and promote economic growth for the UK. By the early 2020s, these demonstrators aim to prove that smarter local energy systems can deliver cleaner and cheaper energy services. Energy and Clean Growth Minister, Claire Perry (above), said: “We are at the start of a green revolution, as we move

to more digital, data-driven smart systems that will bring us cleaner and cheaper energy. These projects, backed by government funding, are set to spark a transformation and change the way we interact with energy for the better as part of our modern Industrial Strategy.” The Energy Superhub Oxford is expected to include the installation of the world’s first transmission-connected lithium ion and redox-flow hybrid battery. Cloud-hosted software and AI powered software will take an algorithmic approach to forecasting and energy demand/supply optimization and management of battery degradation. Already 41 other UK sites have already been identified as potential sites for replication. In addition, a network of 320 ground source heat pumps, targeting social housing premises and operating smart controls with community engagement will be employed.

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BUDGET REALLOCATED TO ENERGY-INTENSIVE INDUSTRIES

IN BRIEF

ECAs entering their final year

AI could reduce carbon emissions

This financial year will be the last one when companies, both large and small, will have access to any enhanced capital allowances (ECAs). Instead the Government is reallocating the scheme’s entire budget exclusively to assisting only energy-intensive companies. Originally introduced in 2001, ECAs were designed to encourage businesses to invest in energy saving measures that might otherwise be perceived as too expensive to install in cashflow terms. It allows 100 per cent of the costs of qualifying energy (and water) plant and machinery to be written off against taxable profits, on top of any investment allowance. This means that the investing company can write off all the initial capital costs. The current official Energy Technology List covers almost 15,000 specifically identified products. This includes boilers, heat pumps, electric motors, air conditioning systems and certain lighting products.

Harnessing AI in just four sectors to support better management of the environment could yield productivity benefits, higher GDP, reduced carbon emissions and up to 38m jobs globally, according to management consultancy PwC UK. Sponsored by Microsoft, the research models scenarios for AI’s use across four sectors agriculture, transport, energy and water. It estimates that using environmental applications of AI in these four key sectors could contribute up to $5.2trn to the global economy in 2030, a 4.4 per cent increase relative to business as usual. In parallel the application of AI levers could reduce worldwide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 4 per cent in 2030, an amount equivalent to 2.4 Gt CO2e equivalent to the 2030 annual emissions of Australia, Canada and Japan combined.

But, according to the Treasury’s latest Budget document “ECAs add complexity to the tax system. And the government believes there are more effective ways to support energy efficiency.” Scrapping ECAs from April 2020 would, according to Treasury figures, save a total of £315m in public expenditure over the years between 2020 and 2024. “These savings will be reinvested in an Industrial Energy Transformation Fund, to support significant energy users to cut their energy bills and transition UK industry to a low carbon future”. According to the Treasury, “the

Fund will support businesses with high energy use, such as energyintensive industries, to transition to a low carbon future. It will help companies cut their energy bills and carbon emissions through investing in energy efficiency and low-carbon technologies. The IETF has a UK-wide budget of £315m over five years to 2024.” The government is now undertaking an “informal consultation” until May 31, aimed at larger companies with energyintensive activities. According to the explanatory documents, the new Fund will become operational from next April, spending that reallocated ECA budget of £315m up to 2024. Just as happened with alterations to the Carbon Price Floor scheme, the Conservative government has removed any energy efficiency assistance available for smaller and medium-sized companies (SMEs), and instead is concentrating resources entirely upon the largest companies.

First UK plant set to turn plastics into hydrogen Peel Environmental is working in partnership with Waste2Tricity to deliver what it claims is the UK’s first plastics to hydrogen project at its 54-acre Protos site near Ellesmere Port in Cheshire. Using pioneering DMG (Distributed Modular Gasification); an advanced thermal treatment technology developed by Powerhouse Energy – it will produce a local source of hydrogen from unrecyclable plastics. This clean and low-cost hydrogen could then be used to initially power buses and Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) in the region, before being rolled out to hydrogen cars, helping to reduce air pollution and improve air quality on our roads.

The £7m plant will treat up to 25 tonnes of waste plastics a day that would otherwise go to landfill or incineration. This will be the first commercial scale project in the UK, with the technology having been developed by Powerhouse Energy over several years at the University of Chester Energy Centre next door to Protos. In addition to the production of decentralised hydrogen the plant will also generate electricity, which could be supplied to businesses located at Protos via the private network. Waste2Tricity is currently in discussions with suppliers of unrecyclable plastics across the region, including companies that could locate at the Protos site.

Meter installer in UK takeover Calvin Capital has agreed to acquire Lowri Beck, one of the leading providers of meter installation and data collection services to the UK energy market for an undisclosed sum. The acquisition will see Lowri Beck join Calvin to create an end-toend market offering comprising the installation, servicing, managing and funding of domestic metering assets. This agreement also provides a platform for the future funding, deployment and management of a wider range of digital energy assets, including battery storage and EV charging infrastructure. Lowri Beck currently installs and exchanges over 300,000 domestic meters annually, collects data from another 5m meters and is heavily involved in the nationwide smart meter roll out. It will continue to operate as an independent brand serving both large and small energy suppliers. Calvin is a leading Meter Asset Provider (MAP) for energy suppliers in the roll out of smart meters and in the development of a digital energy infrastructure. Calvin owns over 7.3m installed meter assets.

MAY 2019 | ENERGY IN BUILDINGS & INDUSTRY | 07

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CAPACITY MARKET DECISION

‘Misleading’ ministers come under fire

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Senior opposition politicians are lining up to attack Business Secretary Greg Clark (right) and his Climate Change Minister Claire Perry for deliberately “misleading” Parliament about the implications of a decision from the European Court of Justice (ECJ). The decision brought the Government’s flagship capacity market scheme to a crashing halt last November. This £5.6bn scheme is the government’s primary policy for ensuring security of electricity supply. The market had taken the form of regular auctions for capacity to be delivered four years hence. The amount of capacity deemed to be required was decided by Greg Clark. The quantities involved appear not to reflect the continuing annual decline in electricity consumption. But a small demand side response firm, Tempus Energy, seemed to have successfully challenged the entire scheme (see EiBI Jan 2019). Their case revolved around the claim that the way the capacity market was operated discriminated against companies offering DSR, selling negawatts rather than megawatts. The criteria that the government has adopted was biased against those seeking to save, rather than sell, energy.

08 | ENERGY IN BUILDINGS & INDUSTRY | MAY 2019

But Clark had responded immediately that the Court Judgement was entirely on “a procedural matter… rather than on the policy of Capacity markets per se. This led to Labour’s energy spokesman Dr Alan Whitehead – a former building regs minister in the Blair Government - querying with the Speaker, John Bercow, how Clark should be made to correct the record. “That is palpably not so. The

ECJ judgment did not simply decide on procedural grounds that it would annul capacity market payments for the time being.” His number two, Claire Perry, wrote formally to the Commons Business Committee that “the Court did not rule that aspects of the scheme were incompatible with State Aid rules.” In the House of Lords, the Liberal Democrat peer Andrew Stunell (as it happens, also a former building regs minister) also queried both the use of the “purely procedural” dismissal of the ECJ decision. He stressed that with electricity consumption continually falling, the entire rationale of retaining the Capacity Market became dubious. His argument has been amplified by a closely argued dismissal of the need for continuing with a distorting intervention like the Capacity Market. This appeared on the Brussels website EurActiv, authored by the highly respected Regulatory Assistance Project (RAP). The article argues forcefully that retaining the Capacity Market is entirely contrary to Article 20 of the newly recast regulation on the internal electricity market, other than purely as a temporary measure.

Energy giant commits to 7GW of distributed energy Centrica has committed to deploying 7GW of distributed, lowcarbon technologies globally over the next decade. The target has been established under the energy giant’s Responsible Business Ambitions (RBAs), which support its United Nations-backed Sustainable Development Goals and have been formed to support Centrica’s wider sustainability initiatives. It said that 7GW worth of battery storage, solar, combined heat and power (CHP), demand-side response and peaking plant capacity was intended to be developed by 2030, with the company’s distributed energy and power business set to play a vital role. That activity will be split between customer solutions and owned projects, and Centrica also said it expected its energy market and trading business to play a key role in opening up route to market for renewables. James Rushen (above), group head of environment at Centrica, said the firm wanted to continue to play a “meaningful role” in tackling climate change.

“We’ve already come a long way and now produce over 80 per cent less carbon than we did a decade ago through shifting our focus away from being a traditional utility operating centralised generation and production assets to become a customer-facing energy and services company. “We have now committed to reduce Centrica’s internal emissions by a further 35 per cent in the ten years to 2025 and, by 2030, demonstrate that we remain on track with Paris and develop a path to net zero by 2050. “We are now entering a new phase where we must innovate to facilitate and harness our customers’ ability to change, finding ways to help our customers use energy more sustainably, decarbonise the energy system and reduce our own emissions,” he said. Centrica has continued to build on its expertise in distributed power and is among the early front runners in the UK’s utility-scale battery storage market having completed its 49MW Roosecote battery last December. The firm is also underway with the trial of a local energy marketplace in Cornwall, linking solar installations with battery storage and other smart technologies to create a peer-to-peer trading network of homes and businesses in the region.

news update For all the latest news stories visit www.eibi.co.uk

CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY TASK GROUP

Framework to move to zero carbon The UK Green Building Council has delivered a framework for the UK construction and property industry to transition new and existing buildings to becoming net zero carbon by 2050, to meet the ambitions of the Paris Climate Agreement. The task group brings together over 180 experts and stakeholders from across the built environment value chain and is being supported by 13 leading industry bodies. The framework offers an allembracing framework of consistent principles and metrics that can be integrated into tools, policies and practices. It aims to build consensus in the industry on the path to decarbonising buildings. The new framework recommends guidance for developers, owners and occupiers targeting net zero carbon buildings, setting out key principles to follow and summarising how this goal can be measured and evidenced. The two approaches to net zero carbon are suggested by the framework: • net zero carbon – construction: the embodied emissions associated with products. Construction should be measured, reduced and offset to achieve net zero carbon.

• net zero carbon – operational energy: the energy used by the building in operation should be reduced and where possible any demand met through renewable energy. Any remaining emissions from operational energy use should be offset to achieve net zero carbon. The next decade will see the “scope and ambition” of the framework increased to boost “greater action”. In the short term, extra conditions will be introduced to “challenge industry”, including minimum energy efficiency targets and limits on the use of offsets. In the longer term, the two scopes for construction and operational energy will be combined

into a wider approach for net zero whole life carbon, covering all the emissions associated with construction, operation, maintenance and demolition. Richard Twinn, senior policy advisor, UKGBC, said: “The urgency of tackling climate change means that businesses must work together to drive down emissions as fast as possible. But this requires a shared vision for what needs to be achieved and the action that needs to be taken. This framework is intended as a catalyst for the construction and property industry to build consensus on the transition to net zero carbon buildings.”

Solar power for Welsh railway Newly electrified railways in Wales could be powered by communityowned solar and battery storage as part of a new study. The Green Valley Lines initiative will be led by climate change charity 10:10, alongside Community Energy South’s social enterprise Riding Sunbeams. It will be funded by a £110,000 grant as part of the Rail Safety and Standards Board’s ‘Intelligent Power Solutions to Decarbonise Rail’ competition. The grant will support plans for ‘smart electrification’ of commuter lines from Cardiff. Sites where community-owned solar, wind or hydroelectric generators could potentially be installed next to railway lines will be identified through working with Network Rail, the Energy Saving Trust and consultancy Ricardo. If developed, the sites will supply electricity directly to the railway lines, while also providing financial benefits to the local communities that own the generators. A 2017 study by 10:10 and Imperial College London’s Energy Future Lab found that solar alone could provide 10 per cent of the electricity needed to power the UK’s electrified train routes.

Global giants set to team up to support global microgrid development Rolls-Royce and ABB have announced a global partnership on microgrid technology and advanced automation. The two companies will offer an energy-efficient microgrid solution for utilities and commercial and industrial entities. Microgrids can either function off-grid, or connected to the main power grid. The ability of microgrids to seamlessly separate themselves from the main grid, in the event of a potential grid fault or emergency, is an increasingly important feature. Rolls-Royce offers the MTU Onsite Energy brand power system solutions: from mission critical, standby and continuous power to combined generation of heat and power, and microgrids. “Due to the transformation towards decarbonization, customers need to pursue sustainable power options that also deliver utmost profitability. For

this, we rely primarily on microgrids, which are autonomous energy supply systems that are efficient, reliable, and environmentally friendly,” said Andreas Schell, CEO, Rolls-Royce Power Systems. “Combining our integrated MTU diesel and gas

genset system technology and our control solutions, with ABB’s modular microgrid solution, control capability and remote service, will offer customers the combined strengths of the two world leaders in technology.” “ABB Ability e-mesh can ensure a

stable power grid, even with a high share of renewable energy from various sources, working smoothly together with already installed gas or diesel engines,” said Massimo Danieli, head of ABB’s grid automation business line within the company’s Power Grids business. “ABB has a vast number of microgrid installations globally.” The ABB Ability e-mesh solution will provide power generation asset owners a vertically integrated, unified view of their distributed energy resources and renewable power generation that is quick to deploy and that reduce operational costs. Cloud operations, site and fleet optimisation, weather and load forecast and machine learning algorithms offer infinite insights for decision-making, such as knowing where to increase investments on maintenance.

MAY 2019 | ENERGY IN BUILDINGS & INDUSTRY | 09

05.19

THE WARREN REPORT

Andrew Warren is chairman of the British Energy Efficiency Federation

SMEs now have their chance to come to the party The UK’s SME sector accounts for half of all business energy use. The Chancellor has put in motion methods to stimulate energy saving. But more could be done to fully engage this sector

am very bored with listening to high-level speeches that describe energy efficiency as the Cinderella part of energy policy. But if what the International Energy Agency describes constantly as the “first priority” can still merit such a patronising appellation, then there is no questioning where to find its own Cinderella part. It is the in the SME sector that section of the economy that employs 500 or fewer people. The official Spring Economic Statement is an important occasion. So I think it is a genuine sign of prioritisation when a sixweek public consultation exercise into an energy-saving initiative is launched by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Particularly as it is being devoted exclusively to SMEs. And is specifically geared to exploring which public policy mechanisms will stimulate such businesses to invest in energy-saving practices and measures. According to government statistics, approaching half of all business energy usage takes place in SMEs. The 2017 Clean Growth Strategy had identified that over £12bn of investment yielding reductions will be needed over the next decade to meet legal targets under the 2008 Climate Change Act. Everyone acknowledges that, whereas over the years there has been a plethora of initiatives geared to improve energy performance in larger businesses, relatively little attention has been paid to smaller enterprises. Now at last there is to be a serious drive to motivate the 99 per cent of businesses that nobody would describe as “large”. And thereby hangs one of the biggest complications.

The myth that simply pointing out areas where savings potential exists, and expecting companies to undertake the necessary improvements identified, has been exploded. Absent some extra stimuli, these investments simply never take place. Few SMEs employ any manager to oversee fuel bills. For the vast majority, energy costs are simply an acknowledged fact-ofbusiness-life overhead, Officials at the Business Department charged with overseeing this “Chancellor-backed” consultation have – after earlier less structured discussions – honed their thinking down to three potential avenues that will need to be pursued to be able to “pick this low-hanging fruit.” Put simply, these are using competitive auctions, better access to finance, and obligations placed upon fuel suppliers. Why competitive auctions? The concept is that these would encourage energy service companies (ESCOs) to bid to deliver energy savings in a multitude of SME premises, and be rewarded via the ensuing savings. It is a long-established concept, but familiar only in some large companies and some parts of the public sector.

Same amount of investment potential There are two major complications for the ESCO with SMEs. Chances are it needs to sign up many more entities to deliver the same amount of investment potential. And that each will require a slightly different delivery scheme. Much the same reason why ESCOs seldom succeed with the private housing sector. The only way this succeeds is if the ESCOs are provided with other policy stimulants. Over the past 25 years, the existing British housing stock has been transformed by placing a legal obligation upon gas and electricity suppliers to install energy-saving measures. Such practice is now mandatory under European law. But in every other country, the majority of effort is devoted to saving energy within companies rather than residential buildings; similarly, in the USA. Indeed, British SMEs were included in one of the earliest iterations of what is now called the Energy Company Obligations. Subsequent analysis reveals these to be among the most costeffective investments. Sadly, this opportunity was dropped, largely because of a political preference to be seen to be

‘A really smart result from the Chancellor's SME consultation would integrate all three areas identified by civil servants’ 10 | ENERGY IN BUILDINGS & INDUSTRY | MAY 2019

benefitting voters directly in their homes, rather than via the businesses such voters might be working for. There is however one scheme which has had a long track record of success in prompting SMEs to invest in energy saving schemes. It was begun by the Scottish Government back in the 1990s, and continues to this day. As it still does in Wales. It did run in England too for a dozen years up to 2011, and was much lauded as excellent value-for-money by the traditionally hard-to-please beancounters at the National Audit Office. It provides objective surveys to establish where cost-effective savings can be made. It delivers investment cash at no cost to the SME business. No need to divert much management time, or acquire new in-house expertise. The resultant financial savings benefit the SME directly. I refer to the really simple concept, of offering SMEs zero interest loans, repayable after five or more years. The costs to the public purse are relatively low. There is the cost of providing an in-depth audit of the SME, to establish where integrated savings can be made. And covering the interest rate of the loan for the length of the contract. At the end of which the initial capital is repaid. It can then be used for similar SME investment elsewhere. It is a mechanism available under the SALIX model to the entire public sector in health and education. A really smart result from the Chancellor’s SME consultation would integrate all three of the areas identified by the civil servants. Why not place obligations upon utilities to finance ESCOs to deliver zero interest loan scheme exclusively for SMEs? That way, Cinderella wouldn’t just go to the ball. The golden slipper would be around long after midnight. 

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Air Handling For further information on TCUK visit www.eibi.co.uk/enquiries and enter ENQUIRY No. 125

Keeping up with demand The demand for air conditioning will soar along with growth in building floor area. But best-in-class equipment can transform energy demand, says David Dunn

ccording to a recent report by the International Energy Agency (IEA)1, best-inclass air conditioning is up to five times more energy efficient than the least efficient equipment currently available. The IEA report suggests the implications of this disparity in efficiency could be profound on a global level. It estimates that over the next three decades, demand for air conditioning will increase significantly and that this will become one of the most important drivers of global electricity demand. However, the organisation believes that sharp increases in demand for air conditioning in rapidly developing countries over the next few years could lead to widespread use of inefficient and poorly designed systems. This could have potentially dramatic consequences for global electricity demand and the environment, it says, and underscores the importance of developing and promoting the use of energyefficient air conditioning. The issue is sharpened due to developing countries being able to use classes of refrigerants already phased out in more developed countries. Air conditioning and electric fans are currently estimated to account for around one fifth of total electricity used by buildings around the world, representing 10 per cent of global electricity consumption, according to the organisation. The solution, it suggests, is adoption of policies to incentivise or to require use of available cost-effective energy efficiency measures, along similar lines to those in place in developed nations. Despite a predicted 60 per cent growth in total global building floor area between now and 2040, this could result in energy use in buildings staying flat, it calculates. The agency concludes that, by supporting best practice, a key 12 | ENERGY IN BUILDINGS & INDUSTRY | MAY 2019

contribution to this desirable outcome could come from a doubling of average air conditioning energy efficiency.

Improved technology Significant investment in improved technology has resulted in great strides in efficiency, resulting in the development of best in class equipment in all the major classes of products, such as chillers, VRF, splits and airside. Improvements in the control of systems, in particular, has yielded major benefits in both efficiency and performance. Modern inverters have transformed our ability to control system operation at part load. As one of the main energyusing components at the heart of the system, the compressor plays an important role in determining system performance.

Big investments in the individual component technologies within compressors have yielded substantial improvements in both energy efficiency and reliability over many years. The latest high displacement twin-rotary compressors with technologies such as DLC (Diamond Like Carbon) also ensure that operating efficiency remains high throughout the unitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lifetime, and does not deteriorate at the same rate as conventional systems. Given its importance the compressor is likely to remain a focus for continued development in the future. The current search for safe and environmentally acceptable alternative refrigerants feeds into this process. New refrigerants often have different thermodynamic and physical properties to traditional refrigerants, which may require

David Dunn is managing director, TCUK

redesign of system components, such as the compressor and heat exchangers, in order to optimise performance and efficiency. This has been an evolving challenge ever since the phase out of CFCs and HCFCs, followed now by the phase-down of HFCs. The new era of flammable refrigerants we are now entering has its own challenges and opportunities. For example, it is generally known that R32 refrigerant has a significantly lower Global Warming Potential (GWP) compared with outgoing R410A. However, it is not widely appreciated that, as a result of optimisation of the compressor and heat exchanger to enhance efficiency and optimise operation with R32, it is possible to reduce the refrigerant charge by 30 per cent compared with equivalent capacity R410A legacy systems. The effect of lower inherent GWP and reduced charge results in an 80 per cent reduction in total equivalent kilograms of CO2 for a Toshiba system optimised for use with R32. Alongside the enhancement in reliability and efficiency, this is a significant additional plus. Fans and motors are other important system components which have been subject to significant development over recent years, resulting in performance that is light years ahead of early designs. While technology plays a vital part in determining energy efficiency, we should not overlook the importance of initial system design and ongoing maintenance. Standards in both of these areas, and the related training needs that spring out of them, have to be developed hand-in-hand with equipment improvements and optimisation. As the IEA highlights, the introduction of policies to support adoption of best in class solutions has the potential to mitigate problems arising. Implemented effectively, this will help ensure that the economic and social benefits of air conditioning can be made available to all, while ensuring protection of the environment. ď&#x201A;˘ 1) The Future of Cooling: Opportunities for energy-efficient air conditioning. International Energy Agency, 2018

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Delivering Optimised Indoor Air Quality

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Air Handling For further information on Aermec visit www.eibi.co.uk/enquiries and enter ENQUIRY No. 126

Cleaning for efficiency Coil cleaning is one of the easiest and green tasks you can do for your HVAC system. It can boost energy savings by up to 15 per cent, as Paul Osborne explains

ow much do dirty condenser coils cost your company? No idea? You are not alone. Condenser coil cleaning is one of the most overlooked maintenance jobs. The dirtier the coils get, the more they increase the compressor’s energy consumption while reducing the ability to transfer heat, put additional stress on components and increase the likelihood of premature failures and costly repair bills. One of the easiest and most costeffective tasks that can be carried out to maximise energy efficiencies of your chiller is to have the condenser coils inspected regularly and cleaned when necessary. When it comes to managing your building’s assets, planned preventative maintenance (PPM) is a key element and the best way to ensure optimal performance, and protect the longevity of your HVAC plant while staving off failures. Yet all too often cleaning the coils on air cooled chillers and condensers are disregarded in a bid to cut costs – dirty coils can increase compressor energy consumption by as much as 30 per cent. In the long run clogged coils end up costing you more.

Over 10 per cent improvement An ASHRAE study showed that cleaning coils as part of good maintenance practice could improve energy efficiencies by as much as 10-15 per cent. But it is not just old systems that need cleaning. Chiller efficiencies have improved considerably thanks to advances in technology, but systems with higher SEER ratings lose much of their effectiveness when forced to run harder than is necessary, so the newer and more efficient your HVAC system, the more it will benefit from regular inspections and a cleaning programme. Ignoring coil cleaning can lead to an unpleasant spike in energy bills and compromise the overall performance level of your 14 | ENERGY IN BUILDINGS & INDUSTRY | MAY 2019

Paul Osborne is service manager at Aermec

periods and detritus is allowed to build up, equipment could eventually fail leading to costly downtime. Dirty coils can also have a more human impact. Compromised cooling equipment can affect the general discomfort of a building’s occupants, resulting in lower levels of productivity.

Many coils are rarely cleaned

Planned preventative maintenance is a key element in managing key assets including chillers

chiller system. All too frequently coil cleaning is not part of a PPM contract. PPM engineers are typically concerned with the overall running of the plant and more specifically the mechanical and electrical aspects and cuts in maintenance contracts mean that coil cleaning is either not specified or postponed to reduce their costs. The job is very labour intensive, can be unpleasant

and requires a specific skill set to address safety issues and prevent any damage particularly to the fins. Over time the surface of the coils will build up with contaminants and have an insulating effect which will decrease the available surface area for heat transfer and lead to excessive energy consumption, poor system performance and shorten the life of your equipment. If left unchecked for substantial

Coil cleaning is key to turkey comforts One company taking advantage of the benefits of coil cleaning is Aviagen Turkeys, part of the Aviagen Group, one of the UK’s leading poultry companies supplying premier breeding stock. The company supplies day old breeder chicks/poults to its customers around the world as well as the UK market. Two Aermec NRB process chillers are used in the hatchery to maintain environmental conditions. As part of the maintenance programme the chillers’ coils have been specially coated to maintain efficiencies and performance and increase their longevity. The coils are also cleaned every three months to ensure optimal performance levels are maintained and is part of the company’s overall asset management strategy.

Despite knowing the positive benefits of coil cleaning, many are rarely cleaned, cleaned poorly or irregularly allowing contaminants to build leading to corrosion and reducing coil life. The frequency for cleaning coils varies according environmental factors. In the UK for example, cleaning is recommended after the pollen season is finished. Pollen fibres can quickly build up and become matted. Twice yearly cleaning is recommended for most sites, but a mission critical data centre running 24/7 will require more frequent attention. One of the UK’s leading finance houses for example, requires coil cleaning at its data centre every three months. Awareness of the coil’s environment and experience will help determine the right cleaning schedule. Although some companies have tried cleaning coils themselves to reduce maintenance costs, it is best left to the experts. The use of high-pressure washers for example, can do more damage than good as the excessive pressure can easily damage coils and lodge the dirt deeper within the tightly packed fins, making it more difficult to remove. Fluids incorrectly applied can also lead to corrosion and/or safety issues. But attention should be paid to other components too. Upgrading condenser and AHU fans can achieve further efficiencies. Instead of buying new kit, upgrades can potentially save money and energy too. EC fans offer the same output as AC fans for less input and consume 70 per cent less energy. By installing EC fans, airflow is improved and significant energy savings can be achieved. A site survey will identify the right programme for your plant and recommend appropriate upgrades and/or replacements to optimise performance. 

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Intr oducing the new Introducing S400 and S600 models

Spiro Spirotech otech has re re-engineered e-e engineerre ed its fully automati automatic SpiroVent Spiro oV Ve ent Superior vacuum deaerators. With increased increased performance the new models With are are now capable of servicing even higher system volumes than before. before. Furthermore, Furthermore, the new remote access and operation platform allows remote via the cloud. • • • •

Remote access Easy, menu-guided commissioning Easy, Increased system volume range Increased The B and R versions have an integrated refill system automatic refill

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Kurt Bruns is project engineer at ebm-papst UK

Air Handling For further information on ebm-papst UK visit www.eibi.co.uk/enquiries and enter ENQUIRY No. 127

Out with the old Replacing an entire HVAC system can be costly as well as a logistical nightmare. Kurt Bruns examines the financial and energy-saving advantages of retrofitting

etrofitting legacy HVAC equipment to EC motor technology can provide the same benefits as replacing it with an entirely new unit with less disruption and lower costs. Over the past 15-20 years, motor technology has advanced considerably, so it’s understandable that equipment being produced today, with the latest EC technology, will be significantly more energyefficient than equipment containing traditional AC motors. Most air handling units will typically contain belt driven blowers made up of: belts, pulleys, AC motors and fan scrolls. These belt driven systems are very inefficient at providing air movement due to the inherent losses associated with the isolated components. By removing these individual components and replacing them with the latest EC motor and fan solution, you can achieve significant

energy savings and operating efficiencies. Fan speed control is very important for your AHU. A 10 per cent reduction in speed will result in a 30 per cent reduction in energy consumption. This is in addition to energy savings achieved from the EC motor’s superior efficiency, at matched performance compared to traditional AC motors. What’s more, the EC motor will maintain a high level of efficiency even at partial load, whereas the efficiency of an AC motor drops significantly when speed is reduced.

Popular retrofit solution FanGrids are becoming a popular retrofit solution. Taking the multi-fan approach of the FanGrid design builds resilience into your ventilation system. Even if individual fans are not in operation

FanGrids build resilience into a ventilation system and ensure constant supply

at a particular time, the ventilation system will always have sufficient reserves. This ensures a constant supply of the required air volume to your building.

Replacing an entire HVAC system can be a logistical nightmare, not only costly, time-consuming and but also sometimes completely unnecessary. There are many great reasons to retrofit; from noise reduction and improved energy efficiency, to an average ROI of 24 months. An example is a project at a major chemical company. The motors inside the fan filter units (FFUs) in the ceiling above their clean room were extremely inefficient and the failure rate was increasing. The customer explored the option of fitting new units. However, access to the existing units through the ceiling void was extremely limited presenting a huge practical and logistical challenge, which would be very labour intensive and costly. The other option explored was to shut down production so that the units could be accessed from inside the clean room, but this would cause huge disruption to the business. A solution was devised whereby the FFUs remained in-situ and only the fan/motor element of the unit was replaced. Our solution was approximately 1/3 the cost of a new unit and resulted in zero downtime to the customer’s production as well as a 68 per cent reduction in power consumption. 

Urgent help supplied to airport check in area When the fan in the air handling unit that serves the check-in area failed, Birmingham Airport urgently needed a replacement. Airport management needed help quickly and contacted service provider and air treatment specialist Munters Ltd, who in turn looked to ebm-papst UK for support. The solution was a completely new FanGrid system. Instead of replacing the large double axial fan, Munters Ltd replaced it with a new ebm-papst FanGrid design incorporating five RadiPac EC fans. Implementing this design adds to system resilience meaning that if one fan is not operational, the remaining can continue to deliver the air volume required. In addition, EC FanGrid solutions can be controlled more accurately, are quieter and reduce maintenance costs.

ENERGY IN BUILDINGS & INDUSTRY | MAY 2019 | 17

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Pizza restaurant chain upgrade to energy-efficient solution A nationwide project to upgrade Pizza Hut’s kitchen ventilation systems to a higher performing, energy efficient solution is underway. The facilities management team at the restaurant chain, tasked with monitoring energy usage across the estate, soon realized that the existing ventilation systems in a number of the older units were causing issues. The old systems would occasionally break down meaning store closure. Pizza Hut uses a number of commercial deep fat fryers as well as ovens within its kitchens. Both of which produce significant quantities of fumes and vapours as well as large amounts of heat. Ultimately, ventilation plays a crucial role in providing a comfortable and safe environment for staff to work in by extracting these by-products and discharging to a safe external location. GFMS Services Ltd was called in to review the existing systems in a number of sites with a track record of failures on the extraction systems.

One of the first upgrades was at Royale Leisure Park in London where the new Elta Fans QUBE solution has reduced energy costs by up to 10 per cent and breakdowns to zero. Situated on a retail estate, the restaurant receives a high volume of footfall from people visiting the nearby shops and entertainment

outlets. It was originally opened 15 years ago meaning the ventilation system was due an upgrade. Upon the initial visit, it was highlighted that the existing fan, which featured a forward curved impeller, was in need of replacement. The design of the previous system meant that it would operate at a

lower pressure and higher volume flow, which resulted in increased power consumption. The use of an Elta Fans QUBE Centrifugal Box Fan due to its high performance and backward impeller was recommended. A spokesperson for GFMS explained: “Once we’d defined the volume flow rate and combined with the resistance flow that the fan encountered in operation, we identified the need for a bigger fan that met with the legislative requirements outlined in the Building Engineering Services Association’s (BESA) DW172 Specification for Kitchen Ventilation Systems. The solution was the Elta Fans QUBE Centrifugal Fan due to its high efficiency backward curve impeller.” The Elta Fans QUBE also has a slim body shape and lighter weight, which was ideal for the restricted space on the retail unit’s roof, as well as coming fully waterproof as standard.  ONLINE ENQUIRY 128

FanGrid solution improves air handling reliability and consistency Working with supply partner Rosenberg, Axair Fans have developed an energy efficient solution to refurbishing old and outdated ventilation systems such as air handling units with an ECFanGrid. An ECFanGrid consists of several modular backward curved centrifugal fans or plug fans arranged in a grid construction offering numerous advantages over conventional technology and is equally suitable for new and existing ventilation systems. In addition to being compact and flexible, the ECFanGrid is easy to clean, replace and maintain while expelling low noise and delivering uniform air stream. A uniform air stream improves the efficiency of other downstream components, for example, a thermal wheel. Running fans in parallel allows for redundancy which is designed to improve reliability and consistency. For example, if one fan fails within the fan grid only that portion of the airflow is lost, unlike single fan systems where the entire air handler goes offline. Moreover, the loss of airflow from one plug fan can be offset by increasing the speed of the remaining fans; this can be achieved automatically in conjunction with the building’s management system. 18 | ENERGY IN BUILDINGS & INDUSTRY | MAY 2019

The number of plug fans in each ECFanGrid system can vary according to the airflow requirements. For example, in a wall of 9 fans in a 3 x 3 configuration where only seven fans may be required for normal operations to deliver the designed duty, the 8th and 9th space can be blanked off with a plate. If the demands on the AHU increase through building expansion for example, the blanking plates can

be removed and one or two fans added to the grid to meet the new requirements. Unlike a traditional belt drive unit which covers a large floor space, the ECFanGrid is completely free of the floor. This means that maintaining the hygiene of the AHU is quicker, simpler and more effective. No dust is released into the supply air as there are no belt drives to degenerate over time. Furthermore, component failure is quickly dealt with due to the modular nature of the ECFanGrid. For example, a single fan module could be replaced and the AHU back online within an hour of being shut down. Fan Grids are ideally suited for retrofit AHU projects, particularly where a single large radial fan is being replaced. It is often the case that buildings have expanded around an AHU over its years of operation. This can make the extraction of the old fan problematic but the install of the new fan impossible without minor works to the fabric of the building. Plug fans can be walked through standard pedestrian doorways by no more than two operatives: a significant factor in maintaining a tight replacement schedule, reducing costs and downtime.  ONLINE ENQUIRY 129

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Find the energy stories that matter at www.eibi.co.uk. News updated every day together with all the features, news, products, interviews and analysis youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve come to expect from the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s No.1 energy journal.

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Air Handling For further information on products and services visit www.eibi.co.uk/enquiries and enter the appropriate online enquiry number

Control of air handling leads to low-energy offices

Heat provision comes on top Elta Group has launched PURA - a new range of standard energy recovery air handling units suitable for both internal and external applications in a range of sectors, from industrial and commercial buildings to healthcare and educational facilities. The units are available as a double-decked/vertical or side-by-side/horizontal arrangement depending on the footprint available. They also come equipped with a plate heat exchanger or rotor and an electric heater or low pressure hot water (LPHW) coil for heat provision. For cooling, a chilled water of refrigerant coil can be used. When it comes to selecting the right AHU for project specification requirements and applications, Air Design offers dedicated selection software with pre-configured standard layouts and quick design parameters. The standard AHUs cover an airflow envelope of 0.5 - 2.5m3/s and are built with an innovative IAQ and energy recovery management device which delivers efficient, clean and comfortable ventilation whenever required. The Kinairtico Controller offers various modes of operation according to pre-set parameters and comes with a built-in screen for easy set-up, a system damper control, BMS monitoring and demand controlled ventilation.  ONLINE ENQUIRY 130

Big Green Egg Europe, supplier of the green egg-shaped ceramic barbecue, has moved to new architect-designed premises in De Lier, in Westland in the Netherlands. The company’s new premises, controlled by a Priva building management system (BMS), incorporate architect-led design with high levels sustainability. As the building is not connected to the gas main this includes roofmounted solar panels, heat and cold storage in the ground, and exceptional insulation. Integration of a Priva BMS means operations savings and efficiencies are expected: the intention is to keep energy consumption to a minimum while delivering a healthy and comfortable interior climate for staff and visitors. Crucially, all the rooms at Big Green Egg’s new offices can be controlled separately using Priva’s Touchpoint One technology. The Touchpoint One allows users to adjust room conditions including heating and cooling via a user-friendly user interface – it constitutes the latest generation of powerful and aestheticallypleasing operating units. In addition, TouchPoint One measures CO2 levels on a roomby-room basis. The unit clearly

also highlights the status of CO2 levels with the help of clear graphical ‘traffic light’ icons such as a green smiley face (good), a straight-faced amber and unhappy red face when air quality levels reach a high level. Wessel Buddingh, owner of Big Green Egg Europe, said: “The building is very well insulated, with precast concrete walls featuring extra deep cavities. I come from the brick industry, so I knew right from the start what type of brick should be used: a stylish brick that’s bigger than average, so you have good insulation in both summer and winter. The Priva

building management system also contributes significantly to the low energy bill. In the first four months we occupied these premises, our energy bill was zero!” The pathway to a truly optimised building is still a work in progress, says Wessel Buddingh. “We’ve only just got started in the new building, so we’re still discovering and learning lots of things. For instance, we’ve not yet got any air conditioning, only a supply of cool air. Because the building features so much glass, we’re still finding out how best to deal with it.” 

ONLINE ENQUIRY 131

London hotel’s £60m refurbishment helped by installation of rooftop chillers The Biltmore Hotel in London’s Mayfair has installed Carrier’s AquaForce Vision chillers as part of a £60m refurbishment. The inverter-driven screw chillers were selected for their exceptional energy efficiency, reliability, environmental performance, low noise, reduced running and servicing costs, and the high quality indoor climate they provide for building occupants. Carrier, a world leader in high-technology heating, air-conditioning and refrigeration solutions, is a part of Carrier, a leading global provider of innovative heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC), refrigeration, fire, security and building automation technologies. The Carrier AquaForce Vision chillers replaced two ageing chillers by another manufacturer that had reached the end of their working life, and were proving increasingly inefficient and unreliable. Carrier’s Modernisation Team carried out the work on a full turnkey basis, managing all logistics associated with dismantling and removing the old machines and 20 | ENERGY IN BUILDINGS & INDUSTRY | MAY 2019

replacing them with the new Carrier chillers. Challenges included limited space on the building’s rooftop to accommodate the new machines, and strict controls on noise levels due to the hotel’s high standards for guests and surrounding residential properties. There were also limitations on power which meant careful assessment of start-up and peak loads

were required. Two Carrier AquaForce Vision chillers – with a combined cooling capacity of 1,460kW – were installed within the limited 6.8m footprint available. The work included installation of integrated hydronic modules linked to the chiller’s variable speed drives, chiller sequencing control and factory-fitted remote monitoring. An energy usage simulation produced by Carrier highlighted that the building has a peak cooling load of 1,400kW and a base load of 700kW, requiring the chillers to operate an average of 18 hours a day throughout the week. Using Carrier’s Chiller System Optimiser software program, the team calculated that the new installation would consume 20 per cent less electrical power than the previous chillers, delivering savings of 345,079kWh of electricity, equating to an annual carbon saving of 179 tonnes of CO2. 

ONLINE ENQUIRY 132

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ESTA VIEWPOINT

For further information on ESTA visit www.estaenergy.org.uk

No longer the poor relation The Committee on Climate Change has spoken. Julia Szajdzicka believes that the time is right for a full systemic review of everything we do as we head towards net zero by 2050

rom household plans to government policies, little of what we would like to do can be enacted without a budget. Everyone knows that. But to work to a budget it has to be clearly defined. And now that the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) has reported back to Government, we have the definitive green house gas (GHG) budget we need to align the UK with the IPCC’s 1.5˚ temperature limit. In the light of this, we need a full systemic review of all human activities across every department of government, and throughout society, through the lens of net zero by 2050. If the science of climate change has taught us one thing, it is that our actions can have far-reaching effects. Since our window of opportunity to respond effectively is now very short, we must ensure that the actions we choose to take are the most 22 | ENERGY IN BUILDINGS & INDUSTRY | MAY 2019

effective they can be. In addition, they have to be fully considered at a systemic, as well as at the detailed level. Single issue, isolated policies just won’t do.

Increased efficiency in everything There is one decision that everyone can get on with right now, and that is increased efficiency in everything we do. For any problem that we are faced with, a logical approach would be to see if we can reduce it in any way. Efficiency is a way to immediately reduce emissions. Efficiency is a way to reduce the challenge of replacing GHG inputs and infrastructure. Although efficiency is invariably described as the poor relation compared to renewables, and when people repeat something often enough it can become a self-fulfilling prophecy, efficiency is not in fact any kind of “poor relation”. Efficiency is at the heart of everything

Julia Szajdzicka is managing director, ND Metering Solutions, and member of ESTA’s automatic Monitoring & Targeting group

we have to do, to re-orientate our systems, so they operate consistently with Earth’s systems, instead of against them. Efficiency is the key to our success. It is the basis of vast opportunities for human ingenuity to flourish in a truly sustainable way. There is nothing we can conceive of that will be sustainable, that is not conceived of within a systemic appreciation of the Earth’s systems that support us, and of which we are a part. The ‘lights are on but no one’s in’ is still far too much the case, both literally and figuratively. The tension can seem unbearable between the reality of the science and the reality of many people’s daily lives. Last month for example, I came across a very hot radiator with controls that couldn’t be turned, the window above open, and an extractor fan running. This was at a UK university that should definitely have known better. Such inefficiency is comparable to leaving your car running between trips. Except that you’d notice the next day that you couldn’t go to work because your tank would be empty. Net zero by 2050 however, gives us a finite GHG budget: a tank that can’t be refilled – an absolutely defined imperative for efficiency, with an end date in sight. Our response to climate change and biodiversity loss defines our humanity for our generation. There’s not going to be another chance. This is the final sprint of the last team, with a chance to win this relay race. No more baton passing is available. If we don’t cross the finishing line, now clearly defined for us by the CCC, the track will run out, and the next generation will be “screwed” to quote Greta Thunberg. The challenge as always is continued traction in an environment coping with constant distraction. As we are encouraged by the CCC’s NET ZERO by 2050 analysis, I encourage you to enter the debate, and find out what you can get on with doing today. Reach out and engage with ESTA at an upcoming event and help to deliver a future for all our children. Your input would be welcomed. 

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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Energy as a Service

Vincent de Rul is director of Energy Solutions at EDF Energy

For further information on Energy Solutions at EDF Energy visit www.eibi.co.uk/enquiries and enter ENQUIRY No. 133

Shift towards flexibility

Energy as a service is no longer just theory. To ensure it becomes reality the time has arrived for shifting mindsets towards a more flexible approach to energy, says Vincent de Rul

lexibility is playing an increasing role in our energy system. It’s about balancing supply and demand to keep the lights on, about managing energy consumption patterns to align with the supply available in the system and reducing excess cost and waste. The flexibility opportunity is about proactively managing your energy so that your assets can earn you revenue, so that you are more efficient in your energy use, so you can give back to the system and get rewarded for doing so. This has the overarching benefits of helping us deliver against our carbon commitments, while keeping our supply secure and keeping costs down. Flexibility is about a change in perception from energy as a cost to energy as a service. What goes through a customer’s head when they hear you talk about energy as a service? Perhaps they’re convinced, “if I allow them to automate the way my business uses energy, then surely I’ll lose control.” Or maybe they are thinking, “There’s no way they will be able to make the changes they promise without causing serious disruption to my business.” Others will be considering, “Surely I’ll need to invest in some very costly equipment to make these changes happen.” And underlying all of these thoughts is the question, “Why do utilities want to help me save money, surely they are all about maximising profit?” The challenge surrounding energy as a service is that, as the questions above demonstrate, a whole shift in mind-set is needed. Energy services are a way of facilitating the paradigm shift from traditional, centrally-generated dispatchable energy, through to a decentralised, electric future. Energy as a service is not only about reducing energy spend, but about managing power supply and demand during the shift to

an electrified, low carbon energy system. The principle is that businesses and consumers sign up to an energy supply deal in which they pay a fixed amount for energy use, with the contract covering them up to a certain volume threshold. These volume thresholds, particularly when set with the help of energy usage monitoring data, give a better understanding of the total amount of energy that will be demanded from the grid at any one point, and at any moment. As we shift away from older, carbonintensive forms of generation and increase the amount of intermittent energy sources, this understanding will be crucial for preparing the grid, and maintaining the necessary balance between demand and supply.

The future electrified energy system will need to be supported by reliable baseload generation alongside a full set of energy solutions: flexibility, energy efficiency and storage. These energy solutions can be included in an end-to-end energy management deal. Ultimately, this helps both businesses and the wider country to transition to low carbon alternatives. For example, electric vehicles will increasingly place new demand on the grid. Energy services such as vehicle to grid (V2G) technology, which enable power to be drawn from car batteries and fed back into the grid when not in use, will be important to support the balancing of electricity demand. If we focus only on the cost saving potential of energy as a service,

Energy services are a way of facilitating the shift to a decentralised electric future

24 | ENERGY IN BUILDINGS & INDUSTRY | MAY 2019

we fail to recognise that there is something far more fundamental behind the shift towards energy being sold and managed in this way. Energy as a service represents the point at which the decentralised, decarbonised and digitalised energy future that is envisioned from the big podiums at events like Davos and COP24 becomes something both practical (delivering real benefits to companies) and practicable (that is, actually implementable). This approach is growing because companies are recognising that thinking more strategically about energy management, rather than just shopping around for the best prices, opens up a range of opportunities and benefits. As they make this shift, they are able not only to save energy, but to create extra revenue, decrease their company’s carbon footprint and improve their company’s resilience. Energy companies that are primed for change will help consumers and businesses to understand how they are using energy and support them to build operational resilience and achieve their sustainability targets. This is the true potential of energy as a service. We expect that in 2019, increased opportunities for generating energy on site, and the pressure to reduce carbon footprints, will lead to a greater uptake of flexible energy solutions among manufacturers. This will ultimately help them reap both the financial and environmental benefits of proactive energy management. Incorporating flexibility into your energy strategy could be easier than you think. Talk to us about how our flexibility solutions can benefit your business. • Call: 0800 068 7171 or email energysolutionssales@ edfenergy.com. • Visit edfenergy.com/ energysolutions to find out more.

“ Energy in Buildings and Industry and the Energy Institute are delighted to have teamed up to bring you this Continuing Professional Development initiative ” MARK THROWER MANAGING EDITOR

SERIES 17 | MODULE 01 | BATTERIES & STORAGE

Batteries and energy storage Paul Bennett is managing director of BSSEC Ltd

alancing the electricity supply with demand has always been a challenge for the energy industry. This has been further complicated as we’ve entered an era when widespread integration of renewable generation is being commonplace. In the last few years, battery storage seems to be the technology dominating the agenda of conferences, magazines and sales pitches across the energy industry. As the cost of battery technology continues to fall, many experts within the energy industry believe that battery storage is going to become a crucial part of the electricity network, potentially increasing the reliability and flexibility of the electricity grid. For years, the technology has been considered intangible, expensive, unreliable and riddled with technical challenges. However, advances in battery storage and battery management within the last decade has made the technology financially and strategically viable for a growing number of organisations; so much so that some utilities providers now appear willing to fund battery storage on their customers’ behalf. On a domestic scale there are changes too. It’s now more feasible than ever to combine solar generation with domestic-scale batteries to decrease your personal reliance on the grid energy, and to sell excess energy to your supplier through a purchase agreement. It is becoming increasingly clear, during an age reliant on fluctuating renewable generation, that battery storage is now part of the solution to ensuring grid demand and supply are matched. Battery storage may just be the next big thing.

Up until a few years ago, the uptake of battery storage in the UK was slow. Some experts believe that the growth of battery storage facilities within the UK has been hampered by a lack of formal regulations. Others believe that the initial slow uptake in the UK is simply due to the nature of the electricity market; nobody can confidently build a business case simply because nobody knows what changes will occur to the energy markets and policies. Perhaps the only certainty is that energy prices are likely to rise in the future. The grid-scale battery storage market in the US appears to have developed significantly quicker than the European market, although Europe is beginning to catch up. Famously, Tesla delivered and commissioned the 20MW/80MWh Mira Loma Battery Storage Facility in Nevada just 88 days after being awarded the contract. In Arizona, battery storage is now competing with gas ‘peaker’ plants to help to effectively balance the grid. The UK’s introduction to battery storage projects has grown almost exponentially in the last six years. In 2012, planning applications were submitted for 2MW of battery storage – by 2018, this figure had risen to 6,874MW. Companies exploring this technology in the UK include E.ON, Shell, AES, Mitsubishi, EDF Energy, Vattenfall and numerous others. There’s no sign that this growth will slow down any time soon; research by Navigant Research predicts that global storage capacity will see a 60 per cent compound annual growth rate through to 2020. There are two main drivers to

the installation of battery storage: operational benefits and financial benefits. The benefits for larger consumers, such as increased resilience and energy independence, are often overlooked. However, with each of the following benefits comes uncertainties and obstructions to the business cases for battery storage: • backup power – operators of data centres, telecommunications networks and high-precision manufacturing simply cannot afford to lose their electricity supply, because power is a critical part of their business. While battery storage is unlikely to be considered as a replacement for an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) and generator, it certainly presents an increased resilience to power failures. Whilst this may not present a robust business case in itself, it may be considered as an added advantage when installing a system; • avoiding distribution (DUoS) charges – large consumers often pay for electricity passed through the distribution network and consumed at their site, based on the time of day that electricity is used (represented by red, amber and green colour bands). The ‘red band’ represents the time of the highest demand and carries the highest charge. Intelligent planning and use of battery storage can see batteries charged during a ‘green band’ period and discharged during a ‘red band’ period to reduce the cost of electricity to the site – and savings can be significant; • avoiding transmission (TNUoS) charges – business users of electricity are charged based on their share of demand of the transmission period during peak periods. Charges are set based on usage during the Produced in Association with

MAY 2019 | ENERGY IN BUILDINGS & INDUSTRY | 25

SERIES 17 | MODULE 01 | BATTERIES & STORAGE

three highest half hourly periods of demand during the winter months (known as ‘Triads’). Although these dates are never known until the March/April after the winter, they typically fall between 16:30 and 18:00. Intelligent usage of battery storage can allow users to discharge their batteries during these times to ensure that they are awarded a lower tariff; • reduction in kVA requirements – businesses with large peak loads often must pay a significant premium for their kVA capacity. Introducing large-scale battery storage can enable users to take the majority of their electricity from the grid, and then use the batteries to deliver the additional energy to meet the peak load for a short period when required. This then reduces the requirement to purchase kVA capacity, which can represent a significant cost saving; • electric vehicle charging – the growth of the electric vehicle market is going to place a large demand on the grid. Charging on-site batteries at strategic times and then subsequently discharging these batteries into vehicle batteries as/ when required will enable electricity purchasers to avoid DUoS and TNUoS charges and can help to balance grid demand; • oversizing renewables – perhaps the most undersold advantage is that battery storage gives the ability to oversize renewable generation. For example, by oversizing a solar PV array to exploit the available space, the peak supply from solar will likely exceed on-site demand. However, storing the excess energy for use when the panels are not generating may yield enough financial savings to justify the increased capital expenditure. There are several in-front-of-themeter drivers for battery storage, including: • frequency response – the National Grid has an obligation to keep the frequency of the electricity grid at 50Hz, plus or minus 1 per cent. Traditionally this is managed by ensuring there is sufficient generation and demand held to manage all credible circumstances that may result in frequency

Conventional Batteries: Advantages

Disadvantages

Lithium-ion

High energy density Low standby losses High tolerance to cycling Flexible discharge time

Expensive, although costs are reducing

Nickel-Cadmium (NiCd)

High energy density Long life cycle Perform well in range of temperatures

Highly toxic

Lead-acid

Most developed/mature battery technology Low cost/performance ratio Short life cycle

Low energy density As they discharge higher power, usable capacity decreases Slow to charge Short usable life (3-4 years) Variable maintenance requirements

High Temperature Batteries: Similar to conventional batteries, but reactions only occur at high temperatures

Sodium Sulphur (NAS)

Early stages of development Long duration of energy storage High round trip efficiency High energy density

High cost

Sodium Nickel Chloride (NaNiCl)

Used in electric vehicles

Limited overcharge and discharge

Flow Batteries: Electrolytes are stored in tanks and are pumped through electrochemical cells which convert the chemical energy to electricity. Many organisations are exploring the use of flow batteries for grid-scale energy storage. The advantages are that flow batteries typically offer significantly longer lifespans (up to 20 years in some scenarios) and typically cost around 50 per cent less than lithium-ion equivalents.

Redox Flow Battery (RFB)

High level of discharge Long life span

Low energy density – until recently, too low for battery storage application, but this is improving

Others: Zinc-air batteries

Zinc-air batteries are another technology that is increasingly being used. Zinc is used for the electrolyte and air is used for the cathode. This is particularly competitive because zinc is widely abundant and cheap.

Table references: (Renewable Energy Association, 2016), (Patel, 2017)

variations. Firm Frequency Response (FFR) is where a battery storage operator provides a service to the National Grid to reduce or increase supply when instructed to do so, enabling almost instant balancing where required (as opposed to the tradition method of up/down scaling production at a set threshold). In late 2016, the National Grid held a particularly competitive Enhanced Frequency Response auction, which is often cited for causing an accelerated uptake in battery storage applications. While this boost seemed advantageous at face value, it caused several concerns across the industry regarding FFR market saturation. The prices that battery storage operators are paid for these services are widely predicted to decline with time, so FFR may not present a long-term business case

unless a price can be fixed for several years; • demand side response – battery storage can be used as a tool to enable organisations to participate in demand side response (DSR) projects. Under DSR contracts businesses are paid to reduce their demand or switch to on-site generation during peak periods. Battery storage gives a third option to DSR, which is to switch to battery storage instead of reducing consumption, which enables dayto-day operations to continue as normal and will bring the additional advantages of payments from the grid. • capacity market charges – the capacity market is designed to ensure sufficient reliable capacity is available by providing payments to encourage investment in new capacity or for existing capacity to

remain open. For capacity providers, monthly payments for the provision of capacity are made to capacity providers in line with their capacity agreements. Flexible and adaptable management of battery storage can be used to generate revenue. • ‘black start’ assistance – Another application for battery storage is to use the stored energy to support the National Grid in the event of a ‘black start.’ In this application, the stored energy is used to help reboot the grid in the event of a crash. Contracts for this service are worth tens of millions of pounds a year. There are several elements that make building a robust energy storage business case very challenging, and subsequently reduces the attractiveness of implementing battery storage solutions: • policy uncertainty – perhaps the

For details on how to obtain your Energy Institute CPD Certificate, see entry form and details on page 28 26 | ENERGY IN BUILDINGS & INDUSTRY | MAY 2019

SERIES 17 | MODULE 01 | BATTERIES & STORAGE

biggest uncertainty is that nobody knows what changes will be made to energy policy. This uncertainty is likely to continue until Ofgem finalises its ongoing charging review, which is not expected until 2021 or 2022 at the earliest. Significant changes are expected, although nobody can foresee these changes and this creates uncertainty; • charging structure uncertainties – with behind the meter action to reduce charges, there is no guarantee that the existing distribution and transmission charging structure (e.g. DUoS, TNUoS etc.) will continue in its current format until the investment of a battery storage scheme may have paid for itself with financial reward. Therefore, it is crucial that operators are proactive and can act upon opportunities as they arise; and • contract value fluctuations – If battery storage is used in front of the meter, changes to pricing paid for your services perhaps represents the largest threat. For example, if you provide DSR services or frequency balancing services, there’s no guarantee that your payments will remain at the level they are once the original contract has expired and has been re-tendered. Some experts argue that the large uptake in FFR services since 2016 will result in the saturation of the frequency response market – whereas others argue that this has already happened. These uncertainties however should not be the deciding factor when evaluating the potential to install a battery system. The uncertainties can be counteracted by innovation and adaptation. Where a financial saving/gain may disappear in the future, new markets and opportunities will inevitably emerge, and ensuring that the applications are variable will ensure that the risks can be managed. This is perhaps best explained by the fact that utilities providers are commonly self-funding battery storage solutions as they believe that storage is going to be a key part of the future of our energy grid. One of the greatest advantages of battery storage is that it is easy to site – you need land and a supply of electricity. In many of the drivers and

applications discussed above, there is a key factor that will determine the value of savings and payments: location. Some parts of the National Grid are under greater stress and require greater balancing management than others. Situating battery storage in a strategic location where the grid requires careful management is therefore likely to yield valuable contracts. Some experts believe that the largest contracts will eventually be made in balancing mechanisms at grid supply point level. Battery storage is becoming increasingly viable on a domestic scale, enabling homeowners to oversize solar PV arrays, store the chemical energy and use it during times when it is not generating to supply their domestic requirements. With domestic-scale batteries coming down in price (typically a domestic-sized battery costs in the region of £2,000-£8,000, depending on capacity), it is becoming increasingly affordable. Excess power can also be stored and sold to the grid to help balance supply/demand. This is becoming an attractive alternative to feed-in-tariff payments, which were scrapped from April 2019. Battery technology development is advancing at a fast pace. An article written five years ago will be out of date by now simply due to rapid improvements in technology.

Different types of batteries have different operational and maintenance requirements. Some of the considerations that need to be accounted for are discussed below, but the exact requirements vary depending on the battery technology used and the application: • cyclic use – different types of batteries will degrade in different ways based on the operation cycles that they use. It is important that the operation is optimised for the type of battery technology installed to ensure the system lasts and that the user benefits from the advantages that type of storage can bring. • degradation – as battery technology is used, its capacity tends to reduce. The effects of this can be reduced and managed over time with appropriate maintenance schedules, for example by replacing older cells in a modular system. It is important that this is effectively and proactively managed and appropriate replacement schedules are implemented; • other costs – these might include land rent, grid connection charges, replacement of other equipment (e.g. inverters), maintenance agreements, contract management and insurance; and • end of life costs – at the end of life of a battery storage system, there is a large cost associated with decommissioning, recycling and/ or replacement that needs to be

Planning applications submitted for battery storage projects in MW

accounted for. Recycling opportunities are available. For example, organisations such as Powervault are creating domestic-sized (up to 7.9kWh) ‘second life’ battery storage from recycled electric vehicle battery technology.

Useful Links • Ofgem - www.ofgem.gov.uk • Energy Institute – www.energyinst.org • Committee on Climate Change www.theccc.org.uk

Further reading • EMR Settlement Limited. (2018). Capacity Market. From EMR Settlement Limited: https://www.emrsettlement.co.uk/aboutemr/capacity-market/ • Enerknol Research. (2018, July 17). Battery Storage Catching up to Natural Gas as a Peaking Resource. Visual Primer Series , p. 1. • Limejump. (2018, November 28). TRIAD • Season 2018 – February 2019: What they are and what to do. From Limejump: https://limejump.com/triads-limejumpalerts-and-model/ • Manghani, R. a. (2018, April). Global Energy Storage: 2017 Year in Review and 2018-2022 Outlook. GTM Research , p. 5. • National Grid. (2019). Frequency response services. From nationalgrideso: https:// www.nationalgrideso.com/balancingservices/frequency-response-services • Neiger, C. (2011, January 25). When Was the First Battery Invented? From How Stuff Works: https://science.howstuffworks.com/ innovation/inventions/when-was-the-firstbattery-invented.htm# companies-involved-in-new-sector.htm • Parsi, N. (2017, December). Taking Charge. PM Network , p. 60. • Patel, S. (2017, May). Battery Storage Goes Mainstream. Power , p. 29. • Renewable Energy Association. (2016). Energy Storage in the UK An Overview. London: Renewable Energy Association. • Stark. (2017, March 1). Quick guide to DUoS and TNUoS electricity bill charges. From Stark: https://www.stark.co.uk/ resources/news/quick-guide-to-duos-andtnuos/ • Steel, A. (2017, February 2). Energy Storage Market Outlook 2017: State of Play. From Renewable Energy World: https:// www.renewableenergyworld.com/articles/ print/volume-20/issue-1/features/storage/ energy-storage-market-outlook-2017-stateof-play.html

For details on how to obtain your Energy Institute CPD Certificate, see entry form and details on page 28 MAY 2019 | ENERGY IN BUILDINGS & INDUSTRY | 27

SERIES 17 | MODULE 01 | MAY 2019

ENTRY FORM BATTERIES & STORAGE Please mark your answers on the sheet below by placing a cross in the box next to the correct answer. Only mark one box for each question. You may find it helpful to mark the answers in pencil first before filling in the final answers in ink. Once you have completed the answer sheet in ink, return it to the address below. Photocopies are acceptable.

QUESTIONS 1. Which type of organisation is increasingly appearing willing to fund battery storage on their customers’ behalf? n The National Grid n Utilities providers n Transmission network operators n Distribution network operators 2. When has grid-scale battery storage begun to expand towards mainstream use? n Within the last 20 years n Within the last 10 years n Within the last 2 years n Within the last 12 months 3. What reasons have been cited for the slow uptake of battery storage in the UK? (Select all that apply) n A lack of formal regulation n Policy uncertainty n Nature of the electricity market n Ability to connect to the grid 4. How fast did Tesla deliver the Mira Loma Battery Storage Facility (Nevada) following the award of the contract? n 88 days n 6 months n 9 months n 12 months 5. How many MW of battery storage applications were made in the UK in 2018? n 2MW n 1,653MW n 5,992MW n 6,874MW 6. What are the two main drivers for installing battery storage? n Operational benefits n Effective use of land

n Financial benefits n Political benefits 7. Which of the following is an advantage of battery storage? (Select all that apply) n It allows you to avoid TNUoS and DUoS charges n It allows you to oversize renewables n It allows you to purchase a smaller kVA capacity n It allows you to provide balancing services to the National Grid 8. When are Ofgem expected to finalise their charging review and potentially provide more certainly on policy? n 2019-20 n 2020-21 n 2021-22 n 2022-23 9. Why do some experts believe that battery storage is a worthwhile investment despite uncertainties? (Select all that apply) n It is believed that energy storage will become a key part of the energy grid n The price of land is increasing n Uncertainties can be counteracted by active adaptation n The price of batteries has bottomed out 10.Why is location so important when negotiating in front of the meter battery storage contracts? n Electricity costs more in different parts of the country n In some parts of the grid balancing mechanisms are in greater demand n Transmission losses vary in different locations n Some parts of the country have greater renewable energy generation than others.

Please complete your details below in block capitals Name.......................................................................................................................................................................... (Mr. Mrs, Ms)..................................... Business..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Business Address.................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ .................................................................................................................................. Post Code ...............................................................................................

How to obtain a CPD accreditation from the Energy Institute Energy in Buildings and Industry and the Energy Institute are delighted to have teamed up to bring you this Continuing Professional Development initiative. This is the first module in the seventeenth series and focuses on batteries and energy storage. It is accompanied by a set of multiple-choice questions. To qualify for a CPD certificate readers must submit at least eight of the ten sets of questions from this series of modules to EiBI for the Energy Institute to mark. Anyone achieving at least eight out of ten correct answers on eight separate articles qualifies for an Energy Institute CPD certificate. This can be obtained, on successful completion of the course and notification by the Energy Institute, free of charge for both Energy Institute members and non-members. The articles, written by a qualified member of the Energy Institute, will appeal to those new to energy management and those with more experience of the subject. Modules from the past 16 series can be obtained free of charge. Send your request to editor@eibi.co.uk. Alternatively, they can be downloaded from the EiBI website: www.eibi.co.uk

SERIES 16

SERIES 17

MAY 2018 - APR 2019

MAY 2019 - APR 2020

1 BEMS 2 Refrigeration 3 LED Technology 4 District Heating 5 Air Conditioning 6 Behaviour Change 7 Thermal Imaging 8 Solar Thermal 9 Smart Buildings 10 Biomass Boilers

1 Batteries & Storage 2 Energy as a Service* 3 Water Management* 4 Demand Side Response* 5 Drives & Motors* 6 Blockchain Technology* 7 Compressed Air* 8 Energy Purchasing* 9 Space Heating* 10 Data Centre Management*

* ONLY available to download from the website after publication date

The Energy Institute (EI) is the professional body for the energy industry, developing and sharing knowledge, skills and good practice towards a safe, secure and sustainable energy system. The EI supports energy managers by offering membership and professional registrations including Chartered Energy Manager, as well as workshops, events, training and networking opportunities across the UK and overseas. It also produces a number of freely available knowledge resources such as its online Energy Matrix and energy management guide.

email address.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Tel No...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Completed answers should be mailed to: The Education Department, Energy in Buildings & Industry, P.O. Box 825, GUILDFORD, GU4 8WQ. Or scan and e-mail to editor@eibi.co.uk. All modules will then be supplied to the Energy Institute for marking

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Terms: in submitting your completed answers you are indicating consent to EiBI’s holding and processing the personal data you have provided to us, in accordance with legal bases set out under data protection law. Further to this, EiBI will share your details with the Energy Institute (EI) with whom this CPD series is run in contractual partnership. The EI will process your details for the purposes of marking your answers and issuing your CPD certificate. Your details will be kept securely at all times and in a manner complaint with all relevant data protection laws. For full details on the EI’s privacy policy please visit www.energyinst.org/privacy. • To hear more from the EI subscribe to our mailing list: visit https://myprofile. energyinst.org/EmailPreferences/Subscribe

28 | ENERGY IN BUILDINGS & INDUSTRY | MAY 2019

VIEW FROM THE TOP

Jamie Tranter is business development manager at Clearwater Technology

A round-the-clock challenge

Compliance is a round-the-clock job but someone has to do it. Jamie Tranter explains how businesses can remove the stress associated with controlling the risks

taying on top of compliance is an ongoing challenge for businesses across all sectors. On top of the everyday challenges that feel more vital to the business such as maintaining profitability, sourcing and retaining the right talent and growing your market share, managing compliance is the inconvenient yet very necessary job that has to be taken care of. Being compliant safeguards the health and safety of both your employees and visitors to your sites. Business leaders will pass the responsibility of compliance onto building or facility managers but being accountable for keeping up with every piece of compliance and regulation is a challenging job for one person to master. Factors such as updates to regulations, changing production processes and the push towards more sustainable means of operations are all current contributors to the challenge of keeping up with compliance. While helpful guidelines are made available to assist businesses in keeping compliance in check, the fact is that often, factors that compromise compliance can be hard to detect. While managers of buildings and facilities are without doubt the experts in their own organisations, they can’t always be expected to demonstrate expertise in every area of compliance. When it comes to running a compliant business, risk assessments are the key. Following official assessment guidelines, building and facility managers must undertake regular risk assessments because staying compliant is a continual process. It’s easy to imagine the task of measuring compliance when it's in the form of a vehicle MOT or a check-up from the doctor. It's an annual touchpoint that ensures everything is as it should be. The reality is that the managers and owners of buildings and facilities have a responsibility to protect those working around and within them. For instance, Legionella bacteria emitted from an ‘out of control’ cooling towers can travel several

Tranter: 'compliance is a challenging job for one person to master'

‘Factors that compromise compliance are hard to detect ’ miles in the breeze, potentially affecting the wider neighbouring communities as well as you and your workers.

Regularly assess cooling towers Across many industries – and especially in food and beverage – cooling towers are essential in to the production process. However, if these vital pieces of plant equipment are not regularly assessed in accordance with official Legionella regulations that ensure the safe control of Legionella risk, dangers are posed to both the facility worker and people living and working in neighbouring properties. Hostile elements such as scale or corrosion in a poorly maintained cooling tower can result in the growth of Legionella bacteria which can quickly spread throughout the water system, creating a potentially fatal risk to anyone who breathes in the Legionella bacteria

contaminated aerosol (water spray). Contracting deadly Legionnaires’ disease can be as simple as inhaling an airborne water droplet of water that has become contaminated with Legionella bacteria. When it comes to Legionella risk assessment, different elements of the entire water system – beyond cooling towers – need to be assessed on individual cycles. For example, cold water tanks are evident in every building but only need to be assessed on an annual basis whereas hot water heaters (calorifiers) must be monitored monthly. Then infrequently used outlets such as taps and shower heads must be flushed on a weekly basis to ensure that there is no opportunity for Legionella bacteria to breed in stagnant water that has built up between uses. This is just a snapshot from an extensive list of requirements that must take place at different intervals and remember, these are only reference Legionella compliance. When you think about each of the different areas of compliances and regulations that your business must adhere, the importance of keeping it consistent becomes clear. While the challenge of maintaining compliance may seem overwhelming, businesses can move beyond the challenge and find peace of mind by investing in the right expertise. This could in the form of internal personnel trained to be the experts on specific pieces of compliance or this could be in the form of external consultants who have extensive experience and expertise in assessment and remedial action. By investing in training such as City & Guilds accredited courses that will bring your nominated internal experts up to speed with compliance, or by enlisting the right consultants and working with either to develop a set of policies and procedures your business can remove the stress of consistent compliance. In doing so, you will be safeguarding your workers, your customers, your brand reputation and your bottom line.  MAY 2019 | ENERGY IN BUILDINGS & INDUSTRY | 29

Energy in Universities For further information on Elcomponent Ltd visit www.eibi.co.uk/enquiries and enter ENQUIRY No. 134

The complexities of higher education Universities have high expectations when it comes to meter reading systems and there are complex drivers influencing energy consumption, explains Bill Gysin

anaging energy in a university environment is not an easy task. In fact it is a major challenge. Having worked closely with dozens of universities and colleges of all shapes and sizes over the last twenty years designing, installing and supporting automatic meter reading systems, submetering systems and associated software, we know that the challenges start with design and installation. While some universities comprise a single modern (or even brand new) campus, most do not, and many incorporate listed buildings and sensitive areas that require a flexible and sympathetic approach to hardware retrofit. For similar reasons, access to data networking options is often severely limited. Building occupancy tends to be continuous as summer schools and a myriad of additional symposia and special projects fill the between-term gaps that would ordinarily provide a generous window for installation work and supply shutdowns. Many of those difficulties can be avoided or minimised by lowering the system specification, but the

Universities tend to be ahead of the curve in terms of the demands made on their EM systems

sector’s expectations are high, so this is a poor solution on all levels. Increasingly, the requirements include real-time or near-time data with ever-shorter read intervals to be available across a multitude of platforms to an ever-growing and more demanding set of users. That means that the old standby of a GPRS connected day-plus-one half hour meter or data logger just won’t do, even if they do significantly simplify the installation process. Which brings us to the performance of the package once it has been successfully installed, tested, and commissioned. As

front end software for meter-based systems has developed, universities have been at the vanguard in the drive towards a wider-reaching userinterface to include a less expert but nevertheless motivated and attentive audience across all levels of the enterprise. Dashboards that could be readily configured to show energy and carbon performance at different points within the organisation became essential, as did the ability to showcase league tables and inter-departmental ‘competitions’ for energy efficiency. This was more of a challenge than it first appears because HE Dashboards can be configured to show energy and carbon performance across the university

30 | ENERGY IN BUILDINGS & INDUSTRY | MAY 2019

Bill Gysin is chairman of Elcomponent Ltd

establishments are not factories functioning on the relatively simple basis of energy and raw materials in, widgets out. Neither are they ‘standard’ commercial buildings where degree days and to a much lesser degree occupancy take the place of widgets as the primary drivers for the normalisation of consumption data. The drivers influencing consumption can be complex, often requiring multiple regression and CUSUM calculations to be made, but such complexity must be managed if the credibility of initiatives such as energy league tables between buildings is to be maintained. Of course, even if universities tend to be ahead of the curve in terms of the demands made on their EM systems and software, they are far from unique. Turnkey system providers such as Elcomponent who supply and install everything from the meters and data loggers through the networking hardware and web-interfacing to the software itself, have seen their customers demanding and expecting more bang for their energy management buck. It’s not all about new techniques and features though. It’s still an incontrovertible fact that there is a lot of highly effective energy management that can be done with a half-hour bar chart and a mk1 eyeball, and it would be a serious mistake to lose sight of that foundation fact. However, foundations are but a part of any edifice and features such as unlimited user logins, multiple access levels, complex normalisation, automated report creation, and distribution and configurable dashboards have become the more visible elements of the construction. At present, the output data (charts, reports, alarms etc) are primarily based on measured data as they have to be if the aforementioned accuracy and therefore credibility is to be achieved. However, the development of AI techniques to allow the modelling of consumption and behaviour based on the analysis of sector metadata rather than individual meter readings and other measurements is being much discussed and researched. 

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eibi.co.uk/enquiries Enter 13

Energy in Universities For further information on Dublin City University visit www.eibi.co.uk/enquiries and enter ENQUIRY No. 135

Richard Kelly is the estates manager for Dublin City University

Four degrees of management Richard Kelly explains the strategy behind Dublin City University’s success in cutting over a third off its energy use despite an ever-expanding campus

ublin City University (DCU) is a young, dynamic and ambitious university. Since admitting its first students in 1980, it has grown in both student numbers and size, and following incorporation in 2016 now has five campuses and over 80 buildings on the north side of Dublin, delivering programmes to over 17,000 students, and in the process, using a significant amount of energy. DCU began its energy conservation programme in 2003. From the initial conception of e3, the University Energy Bureau, through to ISO 50001 Certification, it has taken a strategic approach to energy conservation enjoying cumulative savings of over €10M over that time, a 35.3 per cent energy performance improvement; bettering the national public services target ahead of time; and with significant projects in planning to really drive this strategic, ambitious and aggressive plan, DCU is positioning itself well to achieve its 2030 goals and beyond. The key features of how DCU manage energy are the combination of a structured, motivated, forward thinking, strategic and innovative utilities management plan. It combines the crucial operational elements needed to manage energy on a daily basis, while ensuring the strategic side focuses on sustaining consumption, cost and carbon into the future, and through the use of government support ensures quality delivery of these goals with economic prowess. This all-encompassing approach has culminated in the selection of an exemplar campus with plans to drive it towards carbon neutrality over the next decade. It’s a brave and bold vision, which will take DCU to the next level in sustainability and conservation management. A four-stage approach was devised to align utilities planning across all campuses, it included:

32 | ENERGY IN BUILDINGS & INDUSTRY | MAY 2019

Dublin City University has achieved a 35.3 per cent energy performance improvement

• the implementation (and full independent certification) of the DCU energy management system; • the implementation of a multi-campus energy and water conservation strategy; • formalisation and structuring of all energy operations; and • setting up three energy management teams to manage the overall process; the estates office energy management team (EO EMT), the university energy management team (U EMT), and the senior energy management team (S EMT). Recent grant-funded projects include LED retrofits of the multistorey car park, the sports complex and the John & Aileen O’Reilly Library, which have delivered verified energy savings of 3GWh Primary Energy Savings. Boiler replacements on the recently acquired All Hallows’ Campus

have exceeded expectations and delivered a 59 per cent over improvement, with primary savings of nearly 1.8GWh. These projects also included technical services consultancy, and financial donations to local charities and fuel poor housing; community support being a key part of our mission and values within the estates energy team.

Trials of heat pumps on campus The DCU energy management team is also trialling and installing a number of heat pump types on the All Hallows’ Campus as part of its decarbonisation of heat strategy. A number of studies have commenced to trial and research the option of adapting the existing heating system within the Aula Maxima, which was designed originally for operation with a flow temperature of 70oC. If successful this will enable a scaled replicable solution to de-

carbonise heat on the campus. Roof insulation, together with secondary glazing is now complete, while a study into the exact operation of the convector heaters is underway, together with an air leakage space test. The plan is to initially carry out a medium fabric retrofit, remedial space sealing and the connection of a geothermal heat pump; extracting heat from the ground water and the underlying bedrock for use in the existing heating system. This heat pump will use energy from the ground to heat the space during the night, using zero carbon (certificate of origin), low-cost electricity with the unit heating the space at night as opposed to daytime, and with de-stratification measures to ensure low temperature dissipation during the day. A zero-carbon, low-cost solution which, if successful, can be replicated across the entire campus. With targets already surpassed, the energy team is now setting its sights on a 40 per cent energy performance improvement by 2020 despite the increasing development across all of the campuses. And in addition to the target energy utilisation index outlining this 35 per cent improvement, the team also measures performance per staff/student with indicators improving from 2,810kWh in 2016 to 2,700kWh in 2018, with an aggressive target of 2,500kWh set for 2020. Plans for 2019 and 2020 include the installation of air and ground source heat pumps across a number of locations, LED retrofits utilising government community grants, implementation of the no- and low-cost building management system measures across the newly acquired campuses, the completion of a campus residences large scale solar feasibility study and continued industry collaboration for living laboratory demonstrator projects on demand side management, lighting-as-a-service contracting, and non-refrigerant heat pumps possibilities. 

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Angela Reid is a director of TÜV SÜD’s real estate environmental division

Optimising campus efficiency Angela Reid takes a look at how universities can prepare to meet the demands of the future not only on existing buildings but also on those now being prepared for construction

he business case for universities to move to more energy-efficient buildings is quite simply that money can be saved by occupying green buildings on campus, due to reductions in energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants. Improvements to occupant wellbeing, satisfaction and productivity have also been proven. To realise these benefits, energy efficiency and emissions reduction must be integrated into new buildings from the design phase. Utility cost savings in existing properties can be achieved with energy efficiency initiatives and other sustainability criteria. As government policies largely fall behind market factors in promoting energy efficiency, owners of existing properties often consider taking the voluntary certification route. There is a wide range of country-specific green building rating schemes, most notably BREEAM in the UK, which both product manufacturers and building developers can use to prove their green credentials. University campuses offer a unique opportunity to tackle sustainability and energy efficiency on a wider scale. They often allow institutions the ability to address the key principles of sustainability (social, environmental and economic issues) at a master planning and individual building level. They can also be defined as ‘mixed use’ as they often include residential and non-residential elements (learning facilities, office, retail, community etc) within a typically large-scale development. This is based on the concept of creating local communities or urban villages that reduce the need to travel. Such mixed-use developments allow the introduction of efficient central energy plant, which can be combined with a low carbon energy source to reduce site wide emissions an example of such fuels includes 34 | ENERGY IN BUILDINGS & INDUSTRY | MAY 2019

biomass and biomethane. This would typically be combined with a district heating scheme. The implementation of an energy management system (EMS), in line with the ISO 50001 standard, supports organisations to use energy more efficiently. The standard can help identify areas for improvement, and be supported by simulation studies to predict future performance. Such studies use 3D computer modelling and dynamic simulation modelling to deliver an accurate and reliable representation of a building or campus-wide energy consumption.

Develop realistic energy plans For new buildings, all this data can be used to develop realistic energy plans, incorporating variations such as different energy prices in model calculations and also take into account funding options, operating expenses and other costs. To revitalise existing buildings, energy efficiency considerations should focus on analysis, measurement and interpretation of all aspects of the project. An energy audit could

be used to assess the status quo of the building, covering process analysis, electro-technical system and consumers, heating systems, ventilation and air conditioning, as well as the condition of the building itself. The energy supply infrastructure and the energy demand of the main consumers within the building should also be measured, taking into account factors such as heat transmission, air distribution and potential re-use of waste heat during operation. For example university campuses using a central energy plant, combined with a district heating network, can make use of waste heat through the piping network. Campus energy demands also vary throughout the day and between facilities (residential to office), making the possibility of energy recovery more feasible. Such a scheme could allow heat to be rejected back into the district heating network, when an individual building is in cooling mode. This would allow domestic water-preheat which is required year-round regardless of the season. Reducing energy and operating costs for new buildings is an increasingly complex task

Similarly, IT teaching facilities that require cooling year-round can also reject heat back into the system, which reduces the work required by the central energy plant. Based on the findings in such an audit, energy-saving measures can be identified, including the savings potential for each proposed measure, as well as the costs and payback period of any required investment. To aid the decisionmaking process, the suggested energy efficiency measures should be divided up according to whether they require ‘no capital investment’, ‘minor capital investment’ or ‘major outlay’. The catalogue of measures should also be supported by feasibility studies that take annual operating and total costs into account, helping to achieve carbon and energy reduction in a cost-efficient manner. By integrating passive and active design elements for lighting, HVAC and other building processes, requirements for engineering services can be reduced by as much as 25 per cent, as well as reducing energy consumption and optimising efficiency in building operation. This also means that buildings will be future-proofed against rising utility costs and any new energy performance legislation. Reducing energy requirements and operating costs for new buildings is an increasingly complex task, and there is of course no ‘one size fits all’ approach. Investments in energy efficiency can be optimised through a solution that combines multiple engineering and design disciplines, such as architecture and renewable energy; as well as a sustainable approach to mechanical, engineering and plumbing (MEP) design. The correct implementation of energy efficiency measures therefore requires a strong degree of technical insight, to deliver multiple business benefits, including utility savings, added value to real estate assets, and the achievement of corporate social responsibility missions. 

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Energy in Universities For further information on EDF Energy visit www.eibi.co.uk/enquiries and enter ENQUIRY No. 137

Communicating energy data back to students and employees can highlight where their actions can make a difference

The people problem How do you equip energy managers to make lasting change? Steve Beer examines the particular challenges that universities face when it comes to energy saving

ith large campuses containing buildings for a variety of different uses, the energy manager’s job at a university is no simple feat. Add to this the scrutiny that is turned towards higher education centres for their green credentials – with league tables such as the People and Planet University League giving students an insight into the environmental performance of their institutions –the challenges facing universities are not to be sniffed at. To make the job harder, many institutions are not set up to monitor and track exactly what energy is being used, when and where. Many have no energy monitoring set up at all, or what they have is woefully inadequate: one educational organisation we have just started working with had only two monitoring meters across a large campus, leaving the energy manager in the dark about most of the portfolio. The old adage that you cannot manage what you cannot measure is certainly true in the case of energy consumption, but especially true

when it comes to tackling the distinctive energy-saving challenges faced by higher educational institutions. Universities around the UK vary in their energy management set-up, power requirements and building portfolio. But in all the universities we talk to, one thing remains the same: people pose a challenge.

Making behaviour change For most organisations – whether a city-centre office block or a manufacturing company – making behavioural change happen among their employees and building users is difficult. But for universities this difficulty is exacerbated. From students and academics to administrative teams, from catering companies and event space users, to cleaning staff, the range of stakeholders at each university is significant. While it might be true that sustainability is becoming increasingly important to prospective students – who in some cases are demanding to hear what universities are doing to improve their environmental

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credentials – there are also student groups who resist the efforts made by their universities to change. One university we worked with found that their decision to run a ‘Green Week’, in which energy saving through small behavioural changes was encouraged, caused a backlash among some students, whose consumption in fact increased over the week. Some campuses may have small groups of green champions among their staff and students, but as the above example shows, the widespread change can be negatively impacted by even just a small number of people who are not on board. The problem can often be that the organisation is trying to do too much, too soon, without taking the time to secure buy-in and the behavioural change that follows. Going back to basics, producing ‘switch me off’ stickers for appliances and light switches, for instance, can be a necessary first step. Importantly, the kind of realtime, granular energy monitoring data that is available – tracking live energy consumption down to an

Steve Beer is sector manager of energy solutions at EDF Energy

individual asset level – can now be easily visualised with tools like EDF Energy’s PowerNow, so that the data can be accessible and meaningful to a wide range of stakeholders. We’re recommending to a number of universities that they find ways of communicating this data back to their students and employees, showing where their actions make a difference. This might be putting up a screen in the main lobby of the university, or it might even involve creating a sense of competition between different student blocks or faculties. What’s important is demonstrating how small behavioural changes add up to something significant. In addition to the wide array of people that a university’s energy manager has to work with, their portfolio typically contains buildings of different ages and types, sometimes geographically spread out, and used for a variety of purposes. The task of setting building management policies and control systems to manage energy use in this portfolio is not an easy one. When they conduct an energy audit like our PowerReport service, some universities are surprised by the way building management systems have been set up. Many of the systems were set up years ago and no one has looked at the controls in detail since: heating can be coming on at odd times in facilities where builders worked through the night years ago, and no one has adjusted the system after they finished; lights can be on timers but can be coming on at weekends without anyone’s knowledge. Auditing energy consumption and tracking live usage data helps universities to address many of the challenges that arise from the people and buildings that come under their remit. There is a further step that can help unlock big energy savings. Once it is clear where and when energy is being used, universities’ energy managers can explore opportunities to adjust energy consumption patterns. Moving the time at which certain activities take place to avoid peak hours can make energy as much as 20 times less expensive. Again, simple changes can have big impacts. 

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Finding the Finance For further info visit www.eibi.co.uk/enquiries and enter ENQUIRY No. 143

Funding for street lighting Brent Council is set to save almost £1m a year on energy bills thanks to a street lighting upgrade rent Council in north-west London is set to save hundreds of thousands of pounds a year and significantly reduce its carbon footprint after investing in a street lighting replacement with the help of interest-free government funding from Salix Finance. The council has undertaken a major lighting upgrade programme, replacing 21,000 street lights across the town centre, main roads and residential streets with modern and energy efficient LEDs. A Central Management System (CMS) was also installed to control lighting remotely and allow for further savings. Thanks to the upgrades, Brent will save around £950,000 on its annual energy bills. The switch is also set to reduce the council’s greenhouse gas emissions, with expected annual carbon savings of over 3,800 tonnes. The new LED fittings will reduce the amount of energy used without compromising on lighting quality, while the smart CMS will enable lights to be optimised or dimmed when needed, maximising energy savings. As well as lower energy bills, the council will benefit from reduced maintenance costs due to the longer lifetime of the LEDs. Interest-free funding of £4.6m from Salix Finance was used to partfund the £6m project and will be repaid from energy savings. Once

repaid, the council will be able to reinvest further savings into other key services. Councillor Krupa Sheth, cabinet member for the environment at Brent Council said: “By 2030 we will have saved over £9m by installing 21,000 LED street lights in Brent, more than any other London borough. Our street lighting programme is an important part of our work to make Brent safer, cleaner and greener and I thank Salix for their hard work in making a brilliant success of this investment.” Lindy Frey, street lighting programme manager at Salix Finance said: “Salix is proud to have supported Brent Council with over £4.9m of interest-free finance towards their street lighting upgrade, enabling the council to accelerate the project while saving on interest costs from other forms of borrowing. “We have worked closely with the team over a number of years to deliver this successful programme, which is important for helping the council reduce their carbon footprint and lower energy bills. Salix has also worked in partnership with Brent Council since 2007 to support energy-saving upgrades in their schools and corporate buildings.” • For more information on Salix Finance visit: https://www. salixfinance.co.uk/ |3 eibi.co.uk/enquiries Enter 19

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Brook flowing through college to provide heat

Lighting controls help university make savings The Dyson School of Design Engineering at Imperial College in London, has increased its energy efficiency after having a comprehensive new easy-to-use BEG lighting controls system installed which the maintenance team can control themselves via their smartphones. BEG Lighting Controls were selected by ICL to provide a user-friendly system which could be maintained by their own maintenance department and meet the lighting control standards required by the research university. The lighting controls manufacturer worked with mechanical and electrical consultants, Buro Happold, who were tasked to oversee the project and ensure that the system achieved the best solution for ICL. ICL’s main criteria was that the project had to result in energy cost savings for the University for the various areas of the Dyson School department and take advantage of any natural daylight. This included the teaching rooms, laboratories, offices, corridors, stairwells, toilets and store rooms. BEG Lighting Controls and Buro Happold worked on the layout of the lighting as well as the level of light and type of control required for these areas. Tom Greenrod, specification director at BEG Lighting Controls, said: “The design brief from Imperial College meant we had to carefully specify lighting controls products for each

area which differed greatly from room to room so this was by no means a ‘one size fits all’ solution. It was imperative that the lighting was mostly switched on in the offices and teaching rooms during working hours and that it could be controlled to reduce lighting levels when the natural daylight was brighter. For the laboratories, we used DALI photocells instead of occupancy sensors. “Areas such as the corridors, stairwell, toilets and store rooms did not need to be fully lit and lighting only needed to be switched on once our occupancy sensors sensed there was a person or persons in the room. It is in these areas, naturally, that the most energy consumption could be saved so it was vitally important we selected the right products for these areas. Due to the extensive range of BEG DALI Broadcast Occupancy Sensors we have available, we were able to offer a suitable sensor for all sections of the building.” The luminaires selected on the project were DALI dimmable and daylight harvesting was to be achieved mainly for the light fittings adjacent to the windows. For these areas, the BEG DAA4G Occupancy Sensor was chosen as this sensor could be programmed so that the window luminaires were dimmed by 25 per cent to the main room.  ONLINE ENQUIRY 138

An alumnus of Robinson College Cambridge has returned to develop a unique way of harnessing water from a brook running through the College gardens to heat the whole College. Mark Hewitt, who studied Architecture at Robinson College in the 1980s, is the CEO of ICAX, a leading cleantech delivery and innovation company providing renewable heating and cooling for buildings and infrastructure. “Every year students call alumni to keep them in touch with College news and ask if there are ways we can support the College,” said Hewitt. “During the call a couple of summers ago it occurred to me that I could look at the heating system, and see if we could introduce heat pumps for heating and take out some of the gas usage. My room in College was over Bin Brook, so I guess I was wondering whether this might be a useful source of energy that we could harness.” This led to the development of a 300kW system that extracts heat from the water in Bin Brook, a tributary of the River Cam, to support the main boiler system. It is estimated that the cost will be recouped in six years and it will deliver around £1.4m of revenue to the College over the next 20 years. The College’s facilities manager, Bill McKim, stated: “To achieve this ICAX designed and built a weir to pull water out of the brook. The water then passes through the equipment and back into the stream.”  ONLINE ENQUIRY 139

Innovative control solution provided for biomass boiler at Coventry University Using the Contemporary Controls’ BASgatewayLX Modbus to BACnet Gateway, Coventry University was able to implement an innovative energy solution. The university installed a Hoval biomass pellet boiler at its Engineering, Environment and Computer Building to supplement a conventional boiler. University plant engineers

recognised that this biomass heating system needed to be integrated with the existing campus-wide energy management system and communicate effectively. Control of the energy devices that are found in the plant rooms of buildings throughout the campus is key to obtaining optimum efficiency. Modbus remains a popular network interface,

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particularly for boiler controls, but these devices lack an interface to area-wide networks such as BACnet. The BASgatewayLX Modbus to BACnet Gateway (BASGLX) provided the integration between the Modbus TCP biomass boiler and the university BACnet network. A total of 118 system points were monitored. The virtual routing feature in the BASgatewayLX

allowed each connected Modbus device to appear as an individual BACnet compliant device. All that was needed is a device profile for each Modbus type device, which for this application was provided by the Contemporary Controls UK technical support team.  ONLINE ENQUIRY 140

Dr Michelle AghaHossein is BSRIA Soft Landings operational lead

Performance Gap For further information on BSRIA Soft Landings visit www.eibi.co.uk/enquiries and enter ENQUIRY No. 141

From briefing to handover Dr Michelle Agha-Hossein believes that the construction industry must drive forward real change in the delivery of buildings that can provide successful and healthy environments for end users

any organisations are now aware of the ‘performance gap’ issue in new and refurbished buildings. With the growing awareness and demand for sustainability and wellbeing, buildings no longer have the luxury of simply being ‘less inefficient’. They must now be environmentally friendly, socially responsible and financially attractive throughout their life cycle, and also support end users’ wellbeing. It is therefore essential for the construction industry, and building owners in particular, to drive real transformation and disrupt the ‘business as usual’ mentality. Delivering projects on-time and on-budget should no longer be considered as the only indicators of success. In new build and refurbishment projects, it is important to focus on operational outcomes during design, construction, commissioning and in-use activities. The main objectives should be to meet the client’s expectations, prevent environmental degradation caused by the building’s fabric and facilities and create a comfortable and healthy indoor environment for the end users. Soft Landings came to life, and has evolved, to help project teams to achieve their objectives, close the performance gap and, in short, deliver better buildings in a more collaborative working environment. Soft Landings is a building delivery approach that runs through a project from inception and briefing to completion and beyond to ensure the client’s expectations and the end users’ needs are met when the building is in operation. The principles of Soft Landings are enabled through the implementation of six Phases of activities. The Soft Landings Framework published by BSRIA (BG 54/2018) requires the facilities manager and the end users’ representative to be involved in the project from the inception and briefing phase

Post Occupancy Evaluations can provide valuable data on building performance

onwards to share their knowledge and experience. Consequently, this helps to set the project’s success criteria and inform better design, construction and commissioning of building services and system operations. Taking a BusinessFocused Maintenance (BFM) approach can help the project team to identify which assets are crucial in achieving the end users’ needs as well as meeting business targets. This is used to set success criteria in terms of availability, accessibility and manageability of those assets. BSRIA TG 19/2019 provides more information on how Soft Landings and BFM can work together. The reality checking workshops required by the Soft Landings Framework help the project team to focus more on the operational outcome of any decisions that they make, identify potential risks early in the process and find solutions. The Soft Landings Framework

strongly suggests the facilities manager to attend the site when the plant and other key equipment are being installed during the construction phase and also when they are being tested during the commissioning process. These site visits would provide the facilities manager with insights into the building services being installed and how to access them during operation of the building.

Training and documents The Soft Landings Framework also demands the project team to provide the facilities manager and maintenance operatives with sufficient training and the necessary documents, such as a comprehensive operation and maintenance (O&M) manual and a specific building user guide (see BG 1/2007 for examples), at the pre-handover phase. In a Soft Landings project, the project team do not disband at In-depth continuous monitoring of factors such as temperature and lighting levels can help maintain a healthy environment

Practical Completion. An appointed Soft Landings aftercare team will stay engaged with the project till sometime after occupancy (normally up to three years after occupancy) to monitor and assess the performance of the building against the set success criteria. As part of the Soft Landings Framework requirements, post occupancy evaluation (POE) studies should be carried out 12 months and then 36 months after occupancy to evaluate the performance of the building in terms of energy use, indoor environmental quality (IEQ) and occupant satisfaction. The POE should ideally be carried out by an independent third-party organisation. Lessons learned should be captured and disseminated to the project team and, where possible, to the wider industry. The monitoring and evaluation methods and tools employed in POE should be decided early in the process. BSRIA BG 63/2015 provides more information on POE. The following provides some examples: • energy-related data can be collected using sub-meters or BMS and analysed using methods such as CIBSE TM22; • occupant surveys provide qualitative data to inform building design and facilities management about the perceived satisfaction of end users within buildings. These would normally include perceptions of comfort, wellbeing and functionality of the space, and effectiveness of controls and facilities management; and • IEQ can be evaluated through snapshots or via more in-depth continuous monitoring over a defined period of time. Monitoring some of the IEQ factors, such as temperature and lighting levels, not only helps the facilities manager to maintain a healthy indoor environment for the end users but also can help to identify areas for improving energy efficiency. There are a number of instruments/ tools available to help with IEQ monitoring.  MAY 2019 | ENERGY IN BUILDINGS & INDUSTRY | 3 9

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Pipe insulation helps new school keep costs under control A 21st Century school has been constructed in Glossop, Derbyshire, to provide a new, single-site secondary school and sixth form. Kingspan Kooltherm Pipe Insulation from local manufacturers, Kingspan Industrial Insulation, was specified to help ensure it is both comfortable and low cost to run. As the original school was costly to repair and maintain, the decision was made to demolish and construct a new site that would combine three Glossop and Hadfield schools. The new site was delivered by main contractors, Henry Brothers, with the capacity for 1,000 11-16-year olds and 200 sixth formers, and the potential for further expansion. Overseen by M&E Contractors, William Bailey, 7,000m of Kingspan Kooltherm Pipe Insulation was installed by delivery partners, Gill Insulation. The pipe insulation was used in concealed areas such as in the ceiling voids, on droppers and within low-level boxings, in addition to the plant room and boiler room. With industry leading thermal conductivities as low as 0.025 W/m·K, Kingspan Kooltherm Pipe Insulation provided a slim-line solution for reducing heat transmission from the pipework. This gave the installers more room to work when fitting the product in tight areas and ONLINE ENQUIRY 112 allowed the clean, high quality aesthetic of the internal spaces to be maintained.

Lighting control contributes to high BREEAM rating Abtec Building Technologies has provided the control system for the main and emergency lighting systems at a new Siemens facility in Lincoln, rated by BREEAM as ‘Very Good’. The HYDRA integrated building energy management system (BEMS) from Abtec provides the foundation for the solution, ensuring comfortable lighting levels for staff and the testing of emergency lighting in line with the highest safety standards. Moreover, Siemens is achieving energy savings of up to 60 per cent when compared with a traditional installation, delivering an almost immediate return on its investment. While the lighting was supplied by another company, Abtec’s remit was to provide the necessary controls, for both the main and emergency lighting provisions, and deliver system integration to the central battery system in the warehouse. A further task was to provide a solution for the office block, which takes up around one-third of the new site at Lincoln. Again, the objective was to provide the controls for main and emergency lighting. Daylight, presence and manual dimming control were among client requirements in the office block.

At the facility, the IP-based network communicates with a two-wire bus system (KNX) for local control, and subsequently with a DALI system. Key to this is the Siemens Gamma N141 DALI/KNX gateway, which enables communication with DALI devices over KNX. A TridiumJACE 8000 controller and server platform ‘hosts’ the Hydra graphics and facilitates the scheduling of the emergency lighting tests and timeclock functions on the system.

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Motors provide performance benefits According to Eren Dalli of Gravit Elevator Machines based in Istanbul, the selection of specially designed, permanent magnet motors from Lafert for two panoramic lifts in a residential tower in Ankara, Turkey, has delivered significant performance, installation and operational benefits. "They provide smooth, low-noise running, simplified installation, and reduced energy consumption." The smooth and quiet characteristics result from the motors stepless operation, which eliminates the need for speed reducing gearboxes, and from the fact the motors are TENV (Totally Enclosed NonVentilated) units without fans which eliminates windage noise. Being compact, self-contained drive units, the Lafert purposedesigned, permanent magnet lift motors are installed directly within the lift shafts. This avoids the need for a machine room which is normally required for the traditional and extremely inefficient motor/gearbox systems together with their inherent high maintenance/ lubrication demands plus potential fluid leaks and consequent contamination and associated fire risks. A further significant advantage is that, depending upon lift load, these gearless motors can provide energy savings of between 45 and 70 per cent. In addition to the operational running cost savings and the engineering benefits, the avoidance of a machine room enhances the building’s earning potential by freeing space.

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Ben Harrison is managing partner of Mypower

No feed-in tariff? No problem The abolition of the Government’s feed-in tariffs (FiTS) for new renewable energy schemes is not automatically the bad news it may appear. Ben Harrison explains why there is cause for optimism

he order book of solar power company, Mypower, shows the use of commercial-scale roof-top solar power is booming and will continue to flourish after the FiTS ends. Although FiTS have supported the development of renewable energy since 2010, Mypower believes their removal will boost the commercial sector’s adoption of solar power, helping companies to significantly reduce both their operational costs and their environmental impact. The advantages of using solar power to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and achieve sustainability policies are well known, but the significant financial rewards on offer from commercial-scale roof-top PV systems may come as a surprise. Commercial-scale solar energy has been successfully competing with ‘conventional’ forms of energy on the open market for some time and provides a company with a ROI of around 15 per cent. On-site generated solar power is at least 60 per cent cheaper than National Grid supplied electricity, costing 4-6p/ kilowatt hour (kWh) compared to a minimum of 14p/kWh respectively. The other, often overlooked, advantage is solar power’s ability to transform the normally ‘dead’ roof space of a building into an income generator with no long-term inconvenience to the building user – in fact, once installed, staff hardly know the PV system is there! How has this quiet revolution come about? Through a culmination of technological advances, economies of scale and a happy dovetailing of man (or company) and nature. Solar PV systems are 50 per cent more efficient and twothirds cheaper than 10 years ago: a 50kW system costing £130,000 in 2009 now costs under £40,000. The ending of FiTS is worrying for the domestic market but on the commercial side, the sheer size of solar PV schemes coupled with the fact that the solar power 42 | ENERGY IN BUILDINGS & INDUSTRY | MAY 2019

Solar power can transform the normally dead roof space of a building into an income generator

is made during the day when most companies’ energy demand is greatest, creates an entirely different economic situation. The result is a payback time that could be as short as 5-6 years for a company investing in solar PV.

Stable demand for solar Mypower has designed and installed solar PV systems for many companies in the industry, manufacturing and commercial sectors and for agricultural and farming operations. The company believes that removing the FiTS will create a stable and market driven demand for solar PV systems within the corporate sector. The company confident that the future is bright for solar power at the commercial end of the scale because the economics add up even without FiTS. Companies can also receive a Solar PV systems are 50 per cent more efficient and two thirds cheaper than 10 years ago

payment for the spare power they sell to the National Grid 5-10 per cent larger than was offered by the Government scheme. Plus ending Feed-In Tariffs removes reliance on Government policy creating more certainty which companies like – government thinking and certainty don’t always go hand-in-hand. Plant and machinery hire company, Rocket Rentals in Gloucestershire, enjoyed benefits on two fronts after installing their solar PV system: excellent financial savings plus winning a major plant hire contract for a sustainable homes development thanks to enhanced green credentials. With 70 per cent of the generated solar electricity used on site, the 115 solar panels will produce savings and an income of £175,000 over their estimated 25-year lifespan. Effectively, this means Rocket

Rentals has forward-bought their electricity at 4.5 pence per unit compared to the current price of 14-15 pence per unit from a mainstream energy supplier. They also have the added benefit of cushioning themselves from any future electricity price rises for that proportion of electricity supplied by the solar PV system. Simon Tomblin, managing director of Rocket Rentals, sees the many benefits: “As we have expanded the business, our power demand, and therefore energy bills, have increased. As solar offers cheaper electricity, a good return on investment plus the marketing benefits of being a “green” plant hire company, it was not a difficult decision to incorporate a solar PV system into a new commercial workshop when we outgrew the original building. It will also really help us to obtain our ISO 14001 accreditation.” The elephant in the room is climate change and the UK’s target to reduce by 2050 carbon dioxide emissions by 80 per cent compared to 1990 levels. The alarmingly short deadline of just 12 years to bring emissions under control, announced recently by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, has shot the issue to the top of the environmental agenda. Most of the public sector, along with a growing number of businesses, now insist upon recognisable green credentials before potential clients can even tender for new contracts. The business opportunities offered by the circular economy are also attracting attention (a mere $1 trillion opportunity, according to the World Economic Forum), and companies surely can’t close the loop more effectively than generating and using their own electricity on-site. With solar power offering the double whammy of significantly reducing energy bills and embedding sustainability into a company’s operations, what’s not to like? 

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Green & Renewable Energy For further information on Ørsted Customer Solutions UK visit www.eibi.co.uk/enquiries and enter ENQUIRY No. 144

A world running on green energy Organisations can enhance their reputation, boost their bottom line and energy resilience by turning to green energy. Ashley Phillips explains where to start

s the largest energy users, businesses are crucial to our greener energy future and the move to renewable energy is one that many leading businesses have already made. Doing so has delivered benefits to their reputation, their bottom line and their resilience. Climate Group report that RE100 businesses, who have committed to 100 per cent renewable power within ambitious individual timescales, have the commercial edge on their peers across every sector. The formation of the RE100 has also ensured that the green agenda is given the visibility it deserves and that investment in renewable development therefore continues apace. However, while this is extremely positive, much more needs to be done to accelerate the global green energy transformation. It will be vital to get every UK business onboard. Adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) constitute the most pressing economic, social and environmental challenges that the world needs to solve. Each of the SDGs is important in isolation, yet inextricably linked to every other. SDG 7 aims to ensure access to clean and affordable energy for all. The wording of goal 7 reminds us that energy is central to nearly every major opportunity and challenge that the world faces. Any energy professional will be likely to agree with this statement. They already understand that energy is central to every industrial process and essential for the lighting and heating of our public buildings and workplaces. Our vision at Ørsted is to create a world that runs entirely on green energy. In 2018, 75 per cent of our

44 | ENERGY IN BUILDINGS & INDUSTRY | MAY 2019

Be sure to promote your sustainability credentials to encourage others to follow suit

energy generation was green, and we’re on target to achieve 99 per cent by 2025. By then, we aim to have installed enough offshore wind capacity to provide power

for 30m people. The offshore wind farms we have installed, together with those under construction, will also create 180,000 job years in their lifetimes, demonstrating

Water supplier sources power from offshore wind Northumbrian Water supplies 2.7m customers in the north east with both water and sewerage services, and 1.8m customers in the south east with water services. The business has a clearly defined sustainability strategy, building upon its existing solar, hydro, gas-to-grid and advanced anaerobic digestion power generation. On 1 March 2019, Northumbrian Water began sourcing 30 per cent of its renewable electricity directly from the Race Bank offshore wind farm, off the coast of Norfolk. This power purchase agreement (PPA) is the first of its kind in the UK. It means that the company will source approximately 100 GWh a year for 10 years from Race Bank. It represents the kind of long-term green partnership that will hopefully characterise a better energy future here in the UK. For Northumbrian Water, it’s an opportunity to ensure price certainty through an energy management strategy that aligns perfectly with its sustainability goals. Under the agreement, Ørsted will also provide an innovative balancing service of the wind output so that the electricity can be delivered to Northumbrian Water under their existing supply agreement. The end result is one which will appeal to businesses across all sectors: reduced operating costs without commercial compromise.

Ashley Phillips, Managing Director, Ørsted Customer Solutions UK

how investment in green also supports SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth. It’s an ethos we know resonates with businesses across the UK, which is why it’s so important that they are offered low cost, low risk ways to source energy from 100 per cent renewable sources. For some, this might mean knowing that their energy is supported by Renewable Energy Guarantee of Origin (REGO) certificates. For others, the time may be right to look for longer term solutions, like a corporate PPA (see box below). When it comes to building resilience and ensuring your business remains competitive, the message is simple: think green. Make your action ambitious and measurable – and be sure to promote your sustainability credentials to encourage other businesses to follow suit. You’ll feel the benefits in terms of customer loyalty, talent retention, and profitability; 88 per cent of RE100 business cited economic reasons for joining the initiative. If your business is already making responsible electricity choices and would like to take its sustainability efforts to the next step, it might also be time to review your gas supply. Biogas is the ideal green gas option in environmental terms, but the market is less mature than renewable power and supply comes at a premium. This might prevent it from being a viable choice for some businesses. For those who need a lower cost option, carbon neutral gas provides a budget-friendly, greener solution. It’s important to choose a supplier who can provide certificates of origin. This will enable you to report near-zero emissions from your gas consumption. At Ørsted, we’ve selected a range of carbon reduction projects that we believe align with the business interests and values of our customers. It means that our customers’ decision to move to a carbon offset gas supply truly resonates with their own customers, employees and stakeholders. In keeping with the intention behind the SDGs, it also means that businesses can make choices which have positive social and environmental impacts. 

Will Darby is managing director of Carlo Gavazzi UK

Green & Renewable Energy For further information on Carlo Gavazzi UK visit www.eibi.co.uk/enquiries and enter ENQUIRY No. 145

Charge of the sunlight brigade A comprehensive metering strategy is fundamental to the successful operation of solar power and battery storage systems for commercial applications, says Will Darby

p to 12GW of battery storage could be deployed in the UK by the end of 2021, according to the All Party Parliamentary Group on Energy Storage in a report funded by the Renewable Energy Association. It is a significant increase on the 450MW of installed battery capacity in 2018. The continuing reduction in the cost of lithium-ion batteries is leading to a growth in both domestic and commercial battery storage applications. A domestic application for battery storage will typically harness the sun’s energy during the day for use in a home at night. Commercial battery storage systems work in a similar way just on a larger scale, although not all commercial battery storage systems incorporate a solar array. However, because commercial battery systems can store significantly more power, they can offer commercial users many more power supply options such as load shifting and income-generating options in addition to energy storage. Varying weather conditions on a typical day in the UK will cause the rate of solar electricity generation to fluctuate. Battery storage can help create a controlled output and a smooth generation profile, removing power spikes by storing the peak energy in the battery. A business can reduce its electricity costs by charging the battery when energy is cheap, either from the solar array during the day when the sun is shining or at night from the grid when tariffs are low. A business can then draw on this store of energy when the cost of electricity is expensive. Organisations can also sell energy stored in the battery to the grid at times when the grid is under strain. Under a frequency response contract a business is paid

A business can reduce its electricity costs by charging the battery when energy is cheap from solar PV panels

to draw electricity from the grid at times when demand is low at night but when supply is high because the wind is blowing strongly, for example. Or, energy stored in the battery can be used to supply electricity to the grid at times of peak demand, when called upon to do so by the network provider.

Growth in electric vehicles Alongside the growth in domestic and commercial battery storage systems there is also the growth in electric vehicles. There are now smart electric vehicle charging points that can vary the charge rate of the vehicle’s battery in response to the available power. This will allow electric vehicles connected to a solar array to be effectively charged for free by the sun whenever excess solar power is readily available. An essential part of the success of any battery storage installation is measuring and metering the power. In response to the upsurge

‘An essential part of the success of battery storage is measuring and metering’ of interest in battery power, Carlo Gavazzi is receiving a corresponding upsurge of interest in its metering and earth leakage products. Solar photovoltaic panels, for example, generate direct current (DC). An inverter is needed to convert the DC to alternating current (AC) for use in most applications. Meters are required to record the kWh generated, the kWh used in the home or business and the kWh exported to the grid. The batteries in a solar PV storage system work like any rechargeable battery: they charge using direct current (DC) from the photovoltaic panels and

discharge DC when energy is required. Generally this DC has to be converted to AC by an inverter for use in the home. A meter is required to measure export/import so the system knows when to charge/discharge the battery in order to increase self-sufficiency. There are two main ways of linking battery storage into a solar PV system, according to the Building Research Establishment: • DC coupled: the batteries are installed on the same side of the inverter as the solar PV panels; they charge from the panels, and their DC is converted to AC only when it’s used; and • AC coupled: the batteries are installed on the grid-side, where the solar PV’s DC has already been converted to AC. A separate inverter converts the AC back to DC for storing in the battery. When the battery discharges, the same separate inverter converts the DC back to AC. An AC-coupled system is more appropriate when adding battery storage to an existing solar PV system. In this type of retrofit application, the installer will need to verify that the new equipment being installed is compatible with the existing equipment. New projects tend to be DCcoupled. They are most common when installing the solar and the battery (or batteries) simultaneously – this enables the solar system and the battery to share one inverter to convert the DC power to AC electricity, rather than necessitating the installation of two separate inverters for both the solar array and the battery. In order to optimise the performance of any battery system it is important to understand how the system is functioning at any particular point in time; the old adage - you cannot manage what you cannot measure - is as true for battery storage systems as it is for any other power source.  MAY 2019 | ENERGY IN BUILDINGS & INDUSTRY | 45

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Fuel cell micro CHP unit added to range

Speed up device commissioning time Carlo Gavazzi’s OptoProg is a batterypowered device that is used to configure the WM20, WM30, WM40, WM50, and ET112, ET330, ET340 range of energy analysers via an optical port. This can speed up the commissioning process dramatically when the installation conditions are challenging. The embedded Bluetooth 4.0 communication allows the user to connect a smartphone (via UCS Mobile Android APP) or a PC (via UCS Desktop software) to the meter, allowing easy configuration and the display of the meter values. There is no need to for an additional power supply as the rechargeable battery guarantees up to

one month’s operation. OptoProg allows users to easily set up parameters, view variables numerically or as charts and carry out tasks such as meter diagnostics. Using the OptoProg, the user can operate safely with no need for electrical connections between the power analyser and the smartphone or PC. Designed for commercial and industrial applications where conditions may be difficult and/or with limited available space, or applications where hard-wired devices may not be suitable.

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Range of options for gas-fired boilers ATAG Commercial says the XL Series range of highly efficient gas-fired boilers not only boasts impressive levels of performance, high quality and reliable engineering – it is also complemented by an extensive selection of modular installation and cascade options. With options for wall-mounted in-line, free standing in-line and back-to-back arrangements, the ATAG XL boiler can be fitted in a wide range of modular installations. Indeed, modular installations from two to eight boilers are possible, simply by combining together the appropriately sized components required to connect either two or three units. Furthermore, XL boilers are equipped with connections for flue gas and air inlet (parallel tubes), allowing for both open and room sealed arrangements. An open system cascade sees the boilers’ combustion air taken from the ventilated plant room via a separate air filter, with the flue discharge connected together via a cascade header. Alternatively, a room sealed system cascade utilises combustion air divided into the boilers by a cascade header system. In this instance, the flue discharge is connected together into its own cascade header. A cascade arrangement of eight boilers results in a combined total output of 960kW. Each XL Series commercial boiler also incorporates an extremely efficient and durable stainless steel heat exchanger. Its specially designed hydraulic chambers and smooth tubes ensure water turbulence is optimised for maximum heat transfer, while maintaining ONLINE ENQUIRY 103 the lowest possible pressure drop. 46 | ENERGY IN BUILDINGS & INDUSTRY | MAY 2019

Viessmann has added a fuel cell micro combined heat and power (mCHP) boiler to its product range. Under the new, stricter EU energy labelling scale, which comes into force in October 2019, Vitovalor PT2 will have the highest possible Energy-related Product (ErP) rating of A+++. This corresponds to an annual seasonal efficiency of up to 192 per cent, making it a serious alternative to heat pump systems. Not only is the Vitovalor easier than a heat pump to add to an existing heating system, claims Viessmann, it has a 40,000kWh heat load demand, double that of an air source heat pump, and generates electricity as well as heat. It can generate enough electricity to cover the basic demands of an average household, save up to 40 per cent of household energy consumption and reduce CO2 emissions by up to 30 per cent compared to separate heat and power generation. Darren McMahon, Viessmann marketing director, commented: “This is Viessmann’s third fuel cell product in less than five years, reflecting the investment by Viessmann in this technology. Over 2,000 units were installed in Europe last year.” Now with fully-integrated hydraulics and a footprint of just 0.72m2, the new Vitovalor comes in pre-assembled modules that are easy to install. The unit includes a 220litre integrated stainless steel hot water cylinder that replaces its predecessor’s 45-litre cylinder. This makes it more suitable for larger properties. The new Vitovalor is now available in four heating outputs – 11, 19, 25 and 30kW. The Vitovalor PT2 is equipped with Viessmann’s brand new E3 control platform, which provides faster and more reliable communications between the end-user, installer and Viessmann. The system is quicker to assemble thanks to fewer flue and pipe connections. ONLINE ENQUIRY 102

Heat pump delivers 'best in class heating' Toshiba’s new ESTÍA monobloc air-to-water heat pump enables ultra-fast installation on site, and delivers best-in-class heating performance in low ambient air temperatures down to minus 20oC. As part of Toshiba’s pioneering ESTÍA range, the new monobloc heat pump contains all hydraulic components within a compact, self-contained outdoor enclosure. It requires no refrigerant pipework connections, and can be quickly and easily installed by non-F-Gas registered technicians, reducing time on site and cutting installation costs. Available in two models, 17kW and 21kW, it provides direct production of domestic sanitary hot water at up to 60oC, heating in outdoor temperatures as low as -20oC and cooling in the warmer summer months. The unit is ideal for large heating and cooling applications, and can control up to four connected ESTÍA units. The supplied large-screen remote control is designed to be easy and intuitive to use for both installers and end users, and can be configured to measure room air temperature or heating system water temperature. It is compatible with all standard communication protocols such as JBUS and MODBUS. Installers can choose a setpoint for constant hot water temperature, or, for optimum energy efficiency, use the built-in heating auto-curve control to automatically set the target hot water temperature based on outdoor ambient conditions. This latter function can deliver further energy savings and cut power bills for end users, subject to variable hot water temperatures. Better temperature control is the result of a wider range of compressor frequencies, thanks to Toshiba’s latest inverter drive system, which is based on a new vector-controlled Intelligent Power Drive Unit (IPDU). The unit’s overall performance is rated at A+ energy class in space heating, with a seasonal part-load heating efficiency of up to 144 ONLINE ENQUIRY 104 per cent.

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IT cooling market targeted for AC system

High efficiency storage water heaters

Mitsubishi Electric is expanding its offering in the IT cooling market with its new s-MEXT high precision air conditioning systems. The s-MEXT is a high precision air conditioner that connects directly to Mitsubishi Electric’s DX Mr Slim Power Inverter outdoor units to create a full inverter split system, designed according to the best quality standards and dedicated to the most reliable IT environments. It is also the company’s first packaged Computer Room Air Conditioning (CRAC) unit. “By using our Mr Slim Power Inverter system, our installers are already familiar with not only the system but with the installation process,” said Richard Venga, senior product manager at Mitsubishi Electric. “Therefore, the s-MEXT can be installed quickly and efficiently, without the need to go through time-intensive training. It also means that the Mitsubishi Electric quality is assured as we roll out our first three-diamonds certified IT cooling product. We are excited to be offering the market a product that is familiar, flexible and reliable.” The units are available in capacities from 6kW up to 42kW and are ideal for applications where high sensible cooling and close control of temperature and humidity are required, such as small and medium sized businesses (enterprise data centres) with on-premise IT cooling requirements. They are also available in both Upflow and Downflow variants. The units incorporate Mitsubishi Electric inverter technology and EC plug fans. Occupying a small physical footprint and with pipe runs up to 100m, this makes the s-MEXT a flexible solution for all IT Cooling needs.

Boiler and water heater manufacturer Lochinvar has launched a new range of stainless steel, gas-fired storage water heaters. Both models in the EcoSable range are fully condensing and have hot water recovery rates of 620 and 800 litres per hour, based on a temperature rise of 50oC. They each have a storage capacity of 186 litres. A key benefit of EcoSable water heaters is their ability to operate at temperatures up to 85oC and with water pressures of up to eight bar. The models are 92 per cent and 93 per cent efficient and ‘A’ rated under the testing methodology used to assess compliance with the latest Energy Related Products regulations (ErP). Both use a low NOx, pre-mix modulating gas burner, which closely matches output to demand, and a submerged combustion chamber with spiral flue that keeps the water heater in continuous condensing mode during hot water demand periods. EcoSable is the latest addition to Lochinvar’s range of direct gas-fired water heaters designed in line with the principle of low storage capacity and fast hot water recovery rates to provide a reliable and efficient supply of hot water. EcoSable models are suitable for installation in large domestic and small to medium-sized, commercial hot water demand applications. Many specifiers prefer stainless steel because of its longevity and ability to resist corrosion. The EcoSable storage vessel does not require cathodic protection and is covered by a five-year warranty against leakage. All other components are covered by a two-year warranty. For ease of operation, EcoSable comes with an LCD touchscreen display for user control of temperature settings and diagnostics.

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Air Conditioning

Boilers

'Industry first' for gas condensing boilers ELCO Heating Solutions has launched the new TRIGON XXL range of floor-standing gas condensing boilers. The new flagship model delivers up to 2MW from a single premix unit, claimed to be an industry first by ELCO. It is also compatible with natural gas or LPG and available in two variants, each offering powerful performance from a one-of-a-kind boiler design, as well as maximum BREEAM credits. The boiler offers a modular design that allows it to be disassembled into component parts to offer far greater flexibility when siting it in a commercial property where access is tight. The TRIGON XXL is suited to city centre commercial buildings, due to its low NOx emissions (<24mg/kWh), and ability to operate at a 30K delta T â&#x20AC;&#x201C; making it ideal for taller buildings. Low NOx emissions are achieved by utilising a unique heat exchanger geometry and a water-cooled cold flame burner. Combined with an optimised combustion system, plus a stainless steel heat exchanger to provide a reliable and robust lifetime

performance, the TRIGON XXL offers gross seasonal efficiencies of up to 95.9 per cent. Another major benefit of the TRIGON XXL boiler is its low water content design, which ensures it can respond rapidly to todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s complex heating systems, which often combine multiple heat sources. Its low water content also ensures the boiler has a small footprint. The TRIGON XXL is available in â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;ECOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;EVOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; variants, which combine to offer 19 different models. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;ECOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; models offer excellent efficiencies and reduced energy consumption, covering outputs from 650kW to 1,600kW. Topping the new range are the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;EVOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; models, which offer the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;best of bothâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; thanks to high power outputs alongside excellent efficiencies. The 2MW version also features an additional heat exchanger section to bolster power and performance, while keeping energy consumption and emissions to a minimum.

Air Movement Solutions

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Automation solution for HVAC pumping Armstrong Fluid Technology has released the Integrated Pumping System (IPS 4000), an automation solution for commercial HVAC pumping stations of up to eight pumps and 16 zones. The new IPS 4000 automates and optimises multi-pump installations in a range of different plant configurations. Providing sequences for variable-primary, secondary or tertiary pumping system applications, it delivers significant Parallel energy savings, using Armstrongâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s patented Sensorless Pump Control technology. Pre-configured to leverage the capabilities of Design in pumps) Envelope (the technology embedded Armstrong the new IPS 4000 offers fast and simple setup for the most cost-effective and efficient pump control results. Designed for control of multiple pumps in both heating and cooling HVAC applications, it is capable of maximising the performance profiles of up to eight variable speed pumps and up to 12 zones, and is suitable for both new installations and retrofit. The IPS 4000 integrates with Building Management Systems | ENERGY IN BUILDINGS & INDUSTRY | SEPTEMBER 2014 but can also provide highly effective stand-alone pump control where a BMS is not deployed. | ENERGY IN BUILDINGS & INDUSTRY | SEPTEMBER 2014 As the IPS 4000 is a pre-engineered, catalogue-based solution, customers can avoid both the programming work and the related cost associated with bespoke ONLINE ENQUIRY 108 control options. 48 | ENERGY ENERGY IN INBUILDINGS BUILDINGS&&INDUSTRY INDUSTRY| |MAY MAY2019 2019

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TALKING HEADS Martin Fahey

Martin Fahey is head of sustainability at Mitsubishi Electric Living Environment Systems UK

Decarbonise our energy grids A continued reliance on fossil fuels makes absolutely no sense if we are to hit our carbon reduction targets, believes Martin Fahey. Electricity will be the driver for change

he Chancellor recently accepted advice from the independent body, the Committee on Climate Change (CCC), to support low-carbon heating of UK homes with his pledge to advance the decarbonisation of our current natural gas distribution network and end fossil-fuel based heating in all new houses from 2025. This new Future Homes Standard will help make low carbon and renewable heating the norm in the residential market. The pledge by the Chancellor to leave the environment in a better condition than we found it, is laudable and ambitious. But what does this mean for the UK and the multiple people involved: homeowners, businesses, installers, house builders, building developers and contractors? According to the CCC, heating buildings in the UK accounted for 19 per cent of the UK’s overall emissions in 2017. The country needs to adopt a range of lower-carbon solutions to reduce the emissions from heating buildings. Currently, only around 4.5 per cent of heat in buildings comes from low-carbon sources, mostly biomass. Hydrogen is often touted as one of the fuels of the future, but few people realise that the creation of hydrogen is currently a very carbon-intensive process.

No sense to expand fossil fuel grid If we are to meet our targets for carbon reduction in the UK, it doesn’t make any sense to continue to expand a grid that is reliant on fossil fuels. The only grid we should be expanding is the electricity one and looking to use a greater array of renewable generation technologies to power this. As an island nation we should be deploying greater solutions that use tidal and wave energy. It’s promising to see we are currently constructing the world largest tidal energy plant. Wind power, is an example of where the UK excels as sixth in the world and the largest in Europe with 20.7GW of capacity, equivalent to powering 14.8m homes a year. One of the biggest concerns in moving 50 | ENERGY IN BUILDINGS & INDUSTRY | MAY 2019

Fahey: 'the only grid we should be expanding is the electricity one'

‘ We will all have electricity in our lives in the future’ to decarbonised grids is whether the existing infrastructure could cope with the new lowcarbon solutions. The existing electricity grid would need to be upgraded to handle all the demands placed on it, including the electrification of transport. Overall, the infrastructure as it stands will only support some further level of electrification. For a hydrogenbased system, existing power stations using gas would need to be converted into steam methane reforming facilities, continuing the need for fossil fuels to be used. In addition, as an odourless and colourless gas that has a near invisible flame, several chemicals would need to be added to the fuel to make it safe for use. This adds another process and complexity, likely adding to the cost of implementation and reducing the overall efficiency of the fuel. Then the grid itself needs to be able to convey hydrogen to where it is needed and devices at the point of use either need to be replaced or modified. Electricity will be the driver behind the move

to a low-carbon grid. The carbon intensity of electricity has more than halved since 2012 and is projected to fall by over 50 per cent again by 2030. Electricity can also be the power provider behind a technology that many users are looking to as the ideal alternative to gas-heating in homes. The CCC has determined that heat pumps are the leading low-carbon option for buildings not connected to the gas grid in its report UK housing: Fit for the future? It found that heat pumps can deliver 25-85t CO2 savings per home over a 60-year lifetime of that home. A heat pump can reduce carbon emissions by 90 per cent over the lifetime of a building, compared to one currently using gas as its main heating source. By installing low-carbon heating from the outset into new homes, the cost of connecting to the gas grid can be avoided. New homes will rightly require less energy to heat and existing homes will need to be improved to reduce the heat they need. This has to be the right approach; why generate and ultimately use and waste heat that you did not need to use?

Prioritise heat pump roll out The CCC report stated that the Government should prioritise the roll out of heat pumps to the 1m homes currently using highcarbon fossil fuels in off-gas areas where LPG or oil tanks are common. However, there is a fundamental lack of awareness of the benefits of heat pumps that could be resulting in their low uptake. There isn’t a single solution that is going to bring complete decarbonisation to the UK’s domestic heating infrastructure. An array of solutions, each contributing in part will be the way forward. For any of these solutions to succeed however, greater awareness of the benefits the technologies can bring is a must. We need to keep in mind the pace of change that is required and the availability of the fuels being suggested. We will all have electricity in our lives in the future, so, do we need to retain the need for fossil fuels for any longer than is absolutely necessary when there are viable alternatives out there? 

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