FEATURE CAR PARK CONSTRUCTION
design – but that doesn’t apply to car parking facilities. So what we have done with our design and build contractors is to use BREEAM as the benchmark. We recognise that it doesn’t fi t in every instance. But the aspiration is to meet those levels.’
Of course, implementing such measures, including new, greener technology solutions, is often easier in new car park construction than retrofi tting existing facilities.
But while the move to lower carbon solutions may appear commendably green, the economics alone make a compelling business case for designing sustainability and energy effi ciency into new facilities. Reducing energy consumption and introducing renewable energy sources, such as solar photovoltaic panels or wind turbines, to structures means lower energy bills – and that refl ects in the bottom line.
The latest technologies can dramatically reduce electricity consumption for both new-build car parks and refurbished facilities
Getting energy-smart More energy-effi cient lighting solutions can be one important element of reducing running costs. Using the latest technologies can dramatically reduce electricity consumption for both new-build car parks and refurbished facilities. While the upfront costs of introducing this new technology may be more expensive than traditional lighting solutions, the resulting
electricity bills using energy effi cient lighting can be dramatically lower than with conventional systems. The payback can, therefore, be surprisingly rapid when it comes to retrofi tting, and installation costs are much lower still when part of new build specifi cations.
LED luminaires, for example, are now capable of producing equivalent lighting quality to traditional lamps – with signifi cantly reduced running costs. MHA Lighting is a manufacturer and lighting solutions provider for the commercial and industrial sector that installs bespoke or off-the-shelf energy-effi cient LED lighting systems. Its recent retrofi tting of Cambridge City Council’s Grand Arcade shopping centre car park, for example – replacing 220 150 Watt lamps with its LB 36 fi tting – is expected to achieve energy savings of 75 per cent. What’s more, maintenance costs are reduced, too, as the energy-effi cient lamps are specifi ed to run maintenance-free for their 60,000- hour lifetime (equivalent to seven years, running 24/7).
The amount of savings available will depend on individual car parks and their different lighting requirements. However, the potential saving can be considerable. ‘We’ve had situations where we’ve been able to save as much as 75 per cent on electricity,’ says Herring.
As well as reducing overall energy demands from lamps, state-of-the-art lighting systems can also combine with smart controls to manage how and when lighting is used, including monitors and sensors to switch lighting on or off, and in particular areas, as required. ‘Typically, these sort of measures have become standard for new-build car parks to use this technology to reduce energy demand for lighting,’ says Herring. ‘Pretty much everyone is replacing lamps or whole systems to get these savings. And now energy-effi ciency is part of the build, rather than a bolt-on option.’ Voltage optimisation is another relatively simple solution for reducing power usage. Installed as part of a car parking facility’s electricity supply system, this can reduce overall energy consumption by controlling and optimising power demand to meet the energy demands of all the electrical equipment in operation – from barriers and ticket
22 NOVEMBER 2012
www.britishparking.co.uk
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