Feature
Preparing For Post Lockdown Net Zero Carbon Challenges
Easter weekend led the way for the greenest weekend in the UK ever recorded, with 80%1
By Steve Wilkinson, Head of Commercial Projects, Cenergist of Britain’s power generated by
renewable technology. The last year of lockdown saw electricity demand plummet, but with the government now relaxing
restrictions, more businesses, leisure centres and shops have reopened. Of course, this is great for businesses, but what does it mean for the environment? And what changes can be made to minimise the long term impact of these demands?
Post Pandemic Problems Last summer, it was widely reported that emissions were
lowering because of the nationwide lockdown. These reports were confirmed in March when the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) announced that carbon emissions had fallen by 10.7%2
in 2020 compared to 2019. Now
that the nation is stepping out of lockdown, many fear that emissions will once again return to 2019 levels.
Of course, this does not have to be the case. Today, a number of organisations are committed to achieve net zero carbon emissions. From a facilities management perspective, there are multiple ways in which councils and businesses can implement sustainable processes that not only benefit the environment, but create optimum efficiency while remaining cost effective.
Much focus is often placed on the decarbonisation of electricity, but the challenges for many organisations lie in decarbonising heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, as well as water, within buildings. Fortunately, there are now a range of opportunities to decarbonise these areas effectively. These options include optimisation of existing systems, improved control, water control & efficiency technology and heat pumps.
Minimising Fossil Fuels In 2018, 89% of global CO2 emissions3 came from fossil fuels
and industry. Many facilities rely heavily on energy sources to provide gas and heating, but these non-renewable sources have a devastating impact on the environment.
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Consider how often temperature control is in effect in office buildings, stores, and leisure centres. Shops need to keep refrigerated and frozen items cool, gyms consistently push out cool air for those working out, and how often do you walk into a building only to be blasted by a hot gust of air coming from above vents? Alternatively, low carbon heat and cooling solutions, such as ground source heat pumps (GSHP) and air source heat pumps (ASHP) - where heat is extracted directly from the ground or ambient air, provide a clean way to heat and cool buildings, free of all carbon emissions on site.
A heat pump uses electricity to work its compressor and pump water through its circuits. They are also highly efficient at providing more heat energy than they use to perform the work needed. A well-designed GSHP installation can provide three or four kilowatts of heat for the consumption of one kilowatt of electricity, and an ASHP can deliver three times as much thermal energy as is used in electrical energy to drive the system.
Furthermore, heat pumps are much cheaper to run than direct electric heating systems, and because they can be fully automated, they require little maintenance.
Short Term Water Treatment
One of the primary water concerns that facilities managers will have had when returning to their buildings will have been the threat of legionella. Following a long period of shutdown, stagnant or standing water within a plumbing system is likely to increase the risk for growth and spread of Legionella and other biofilm- associated bacteria.
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