ENERGY
The often overlooked issue of utility connections can cause major headaches for leisure operators. The Energy Desk’s Noah Andrie talks us through the secrets of hooking up to the right power supply
T
he power socket is a vital commodity that the 21st century is at risk of failing to appre- ciate. When we plug in and switch on, we
take for granted that we have power in constant flow at our fin- gertips. This isn’t our fault; we've had decades of undisrupted power supplies – with the excep- tion of the occasional blackout. However, there's a world of com- plexity behind the effortlessness of simply turning on a light switch. The business end of all utility sup-
plies is the point of connection. Any new development will of course require a power supply, and its type will vary depending on the size of the building and the amount of equipment in it. A small-scale development may be able to merely connect to the existing power network, which is quite a simple proc- ess. But if you’re commissioning an epic new-build leisure complex, you’re inevitably dealing with multiple con- nections, redesigned infrastructure, reinforced cabling, pipeline upgrades
built, for example, it will obviously come with a very time-sensitive build schedule. It is an unfortu- nate fact that the arrangement of utility connections ranks among the most common causes of delay in construction projects. Last year, the National Federation of Builders (NFB) reported that 55 per cent of con- tractors reported problems with electricity connections. Though this is a slight improvement on the 64 per cent reported in 2008, there's a long way to go before
Don't take your power supply for granted – it's important to get the right supplier at the right cost
and complex legal agreements. Not quite such a simple process. So why would we need to bother ourselves with such convoluted and complex details? That’s a good ques- tion when you assume that the utility connections industry is on the ball. However, the reality is rather different. When a new leisure facility is being
the industry is at the top of its game. Utilities regulator OFGEM has attempted to set this issue to rights by encouraging increased competi- tion in the connections industry, while also imposing fines on companies that don’t meet statutory timescales and standards. In spite of this, the indus- try in general is failing to keep up the pace. There remains a high level of dissatisfaction and, as a result, by December 2013 network operators will be answerable to a test of compe- tence or face investigation.
CASE STUDY Client: Chardon Management Ltd Project: Holiday Inn Southend
In spring 2012 The Energy Desk was approached by Chardon Management Ltd, which was operat- ing the new four-star Holiday Inn Southend. The Energy Desk was introduced to Holiday Inn Southend at the later stages of the project and worked in partnership with Chardon Management
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to secure new connec- tions for the hotel. In order to over-
come these challenges, The Energy Desk was appointed to work alongside Chardon Management to oversee the sourcing and instal- lation of utility meters as well as reviewing electricity and gas con-
tracts to get the best price going forwards. This resulted in reduc- ing delays and securing good sustainable energy prices. The Energy Desk also installed a web-based energy management tool at no extra cost, allow- ing Chardon to monitor, manage and minimise energy consumption.
Read Leisure Management online
leisuremanagement.co.uk/digital
The Holiday Inn Southend ISSUE 1 2013 © cybertrek 2013
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