CHP
‘Tower of Light’ to form the centrepiece of Manchester CHP project
A 40metre ‘tower of light’ sculptural chimney will form the centrepiece of a new combined heat and power plant to be built in in Manchester in 2018. Structural engineering experts Arup and Tonkin Liu Architects are jointly determining the design, which will combine façade and structure. The sculptural skin of the tower provides support to the five chimney flues, Arup tells UKPN, adding that the ‘shell lace structure’ of the design was inspired by the natural world.
Power plant chimney. The new plant supports the region’s shift to a more sustainable eco- nomic model. The new ‘Tower of Light’ addition to the
T
plant, will create an iconic feature, hiding what would otherwise be five flues. As part of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s bid to reduce its total CO2e emissions by 48% by 2020 from a 1990 baseline, focus is being placed on energy consumption. At present, the city is seeking ways to pro-
duce 1 TWh per year of electricity and 2-3 TWh per year of heat, locally, by 2020. District heating is one of the many forms of
energy sustainability being developed across cities globally. The system offers various benefits, by,
among others, reducing the regional and global carbon footprint, diversifying energy distribution, reducing fuel poverty, and
he Manchester City Centre has commissioned Arup and architects Tonkin Liu Architects to develop the shell of its new Combined Heat and
aligning with regeneration programmes. Manchester City Centre, as part of the
GMCA’s planning, has commissioned a new Combined Heat and Power plant (CHP), which will provide energy across a 2km network, encompassing a number of iconic buildings, including Manchester Town Hall and The Bridgewater Hall. As part of the project a 37-metre-tall ‘Tower
of Light’ was envisaged. The structure acts as a chimney and windshield for the CHP, but combines the façade and structure to create an iconic and functional artefact. Engineering consultancy Arup and architects Tonkin Liu Architects, were appointed to develop the dual sculptural skin of the tower and support for the five chimney flues within. A flue is a duct, pipe, or opening in a chimney for conveying exhaust gases from a fireplace, furnace, water heater, boiler, or generator to the outdoors. The consulting firm leveraged their exten-
sive collaboration in the development of ‘Shell Lace Structures’ that combine natural
“Manchester's city council has targeted a 48%
reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by
2020, with up to 3 TWh of its heating suppl ied
locally by that year. The new DH network will reduce
the city’s CO2 emissions by over 3500 tonnes per year and will operate for 30 years.”
JANUARY‐FEBRUARY 2018 UK POWER NEWS
world architecture with modern world materials. The method offers strength and stiffness at minimal material, by leveraging sea shell like geometries. The firm’s work together on similar, but functionally quite different structures, the Solar Gate in Hull and the Rain Bow Gate’ pavilion in Burnley. Will Arnold, Senior Structural Engineer Will
Arnold Senior Structural Engineer, Arup, told UKPN: “Evolving our thinking and learning on earlier shell projects built in this way, we are using digital design techniques to optimise the geometry of the tower, to minimise the thickness of steel required for the skin. “ The additional challenges posed by the
need to support five chimney flues over the height of a nine-storey building has made for an incredibly exciting project and we’re looking forward to starting fabrication in 2018.”
www.arup.com
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