BUILDING SCHOOLS FOR THE FUTURE
TOO CLEAN AND COOL FOR S
A
school made from straw and an intelligent device that learns and manages that school’s energy requirements sounds like a cross between a fairytale and science fiction film. But it will soon be the reality according to two UK clean technology firms that believe this will be the blueprint for every single one of the UK’s 60,000 schools. Bristol-based ModCell and
PassivController – the handheld controller that operates PassivEnergy
PassivSystems of Newbury were two of 19 innovative UK companies selected to participate in the Clean & Cool Mission 2010. Clean & Cool Mission is a collaboration between the Technology Strategy Board, UK Trade & Investment, Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe, BP Alternative Energy, Arup, Polecat, Volans, Enterprise UK and the Cleantech Group to find the top fast growing Clean & Cool companies in the UK. The selected companies travelled to San Francisco in February this year to participate in a range of activities designed to open up their businesses to the US market. This included meeting investors, partners and media but ModCell and PassivSystems also used the mission to formulate a joint strategy to address an issue closer to
home - providing the UK with zero carbon schools. PassivEnergy is the energy management system developed by PassivSystems, a firm intent on delivering a revolution to homes and businesses around the world. Established in 2008, PassivSystems reunites a successful team of entrepreneurs, technologists and designers from the telecoms, internet and energy industries. The company aims to bring the business models and thinking from those sectors to address one of the planet’s most pressing issues, how to manage our energy more efficiently and effectively. PassivEnergy works using sensors and actuators that connect to a building’s heating, hot water and electrical appliances and the user manages them via a web-enabled device The system will learn about a school’s working day and where pupils are and automatically adjust and control heating requirements and energy consumption accordingly. Its zone control means that energy preferences can be set based on the use of a building’s rooms and its innovative ‘Adaptive Occupancy Control’ function further optimises energy use by allowing occupants to change the state of the building or room with a flick of the switch. PassivEnergy also addresses the issue of electrical appliances on Standby – an unnecessary drain on energy for buildings
with a large volume of electrical appliances. PassivEnergy can detect when a product has gone into standby mode and completely cut the power if it knows that the room is now no longer in use. It can even cut the power to other associated equipment, so if a TV is put onto standby, PassivEnergy will cut the power to the DVD player too.
ModCell is one of the first products to
make large-scale, carbon-negative building a commercial reality. The ModCell® system utilises the excellent thermal insulation qualities of straw bale and hemp construction to form prefabricated panels, made in a local Flying Factory™. This allows super- insulated, high-performance, low energy ‘passive’ buildings to be built using renewable, locally sourced, carbon sequestering materials. This innovative, offsite-manufactured wall and roof cladding system can be quickly and efficiently installed, creating buildings with thermal performance up to three times higher than the current building regulations require. This super- insulated system, combined with airtight details, means that buildings constructed using ModCell® panels meet the demanding PassivHaus specification. As a result, ModCell® buildings can have zero heat requirements, saving money and CO2
emissions. ModCell was initially designed for use
Top of the class in school kitchen ventilation
W
eatherite Building Services has recently installed a new kitchen ventilation system at Moor Hall
School Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands. As part of its ‘Improvement to Schools Kitchens’ programme, Birmingham City Council are upgrading all of their school kitchens to ensure they comply with current health and safety requirements. Weatherite Building Services were
awarded the contract by Urban Design, Birmingham City Council’s multi- disciplined construction consultancy.
This
is the most recent of several similar installations that Weatherite has carried out on behalf of Urban Design under the ‘Improvement to Schools Kitchens’ initiative.
WBS designed supplied and installed a self supported ‘extract only’ island kitchen canopy with service spine, along with all the extract ductwork and a roof mounted fan. Using their vast experience and to minimise disruption and ensure completion within the timeframe, WBS specified a fully contained, self supporting system.
“Having worked with Weatherite Building Services on several projects previously we knew that they would not only design the best solution for the
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project,” comments Sean McMulkin of Urban Design, “but also develop the most time and cost effective method of completing the installation.”
WBS also undertook all the associated electrical work, modifications to gas pipework and building work that had to be undertaken.
WBS has over 38 years experience in all aspects of building service including heating, ventilation, air conditioning, commercial kitchen ventilation/extraction, data centre/IT cooling, boiler house refurbishment/replacement and all aspects of M & E services. WBS offers its customers a complete building services solution-from one single source including total project management and full design, installation and commissioning activities. Email:
rboswell@weatherite-holdings.com Tel: 0121 665 2266
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