Building services


Third party funding for energy efficiency improvements


Institutions with older campuses often perform poorly on energy performance assessments, leaving owners and occupiers at the whim of turbulent energy prices and little spare capital to make vital improvements. Jon Edgar, bid director at contractor Forrest, discusses the refurbishment options available to hard-pressed universities


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MPLEMENTING on-site generation technologies such as biomass boilers, CHP generators or solar panels are key


ways that universities can reduce their energy bills. On a smaller scale, solutions such as efficient LED lighting can be easily included as part of planned building refurbishments, and offer significant long- term savings on energy overheads. There’s also the ‘beautiful basics’ of insulation and energy efficient glazing. Through proper assessments that


demonstrate the benefit of alternative energy reduction and generation measures, universities can fund these improvements through third parties. In fact, a whole new market for funding has opened up that the public sector and housing associations have tapped into but universities are only now beginning to exploit.


On-site generation Private sector interest is established in


24 highereducationestates


the larger-scale innovations in on-site generation, like biomass and CHP. Using its links with the private sector funding market, a specialist contractor can advise on what type of investments can be made into on- site generation. Here, the third party funds the installation of the system and the university then buys the energy it produces. The energy is usually cheaper and future-


proofed compared to the established utilities providers. More importantly, private investment intervention in energy solutions allow universities to divert their own money into making the campus environment more appealing to students – whether better teaching, research, recreational or accommodation improvements. Specialist contractors, with funding


partners, can also assess and model the impact of any new energy reduction measures will have on energy performance. The savings can then be mapped against current and future projections of energy


prices to calculate how much they will offset against these. In most cases, third party funding can be secured if the proposal can deliver a payback period within eight years. Capital improvements and energy reduction must therefore work together in tandem to achieve the end goal – a better learning environment for students, and improved efficiency on running costs. Working in partnership with a specialist


contractor is a way to ensure this, but even more vital is a commitment to a long-term investment plan that maximises the opportunity to complement the university’s investment with private sector funding. As more and more institutions are taking the plunge and investing in improving facilities, it is likely that those who are slower to do so are likely to fall behind in the competition to attract students.


www.forrest.co.uk


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