ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS Going green in Lancashire
A pivotal residenal development featuring 250 properes with photovoltaic (PV) solar panels, has completed in Nelson and Colne, Lancashire.
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elivered by social housing provider Together Housing Association, with supply chain partners Avonside
Group and structural engineers Howard Ward Associates (HWA), the scheme is the result of a pioneering three-year project, partly funded by European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), to help revolutionise the sector’s usage of renewable energy.
The £2million project sees 170 of Together Housing’s homes in Colne and 80 properties in Nelson fitted with solar panels, as well as on-site battery storage units which fill with solar energy during the day, storing power for use whenever it is needed. There is also scope for any excess energy generated by the systems to be sold back to energy suppliers, effectively creating a small-scale energy provider.
The solar panels were delivered by Avonside Renewables, a division of national building envelope contractor Avonside Group. Avonside Group appointed Nottingham-based HWA in 2019, to provide structural surveys and assess the different types of properties; determining which were suitable and had the capacity for solar panels and battery systems.
As well as work on-site, HWA produced desktop studies which provided the groundwork for moving the project on to completion. The project marks a significant step towards converting England’s homes to renewable energy sources, and to the UK’s target of becoming a net zero country by 2050. At the time that the works were carried, it was the largest deployment of solar and battery storage in the UK, for any social housing provider.
Residents of the properties have reported substantial cost savings during the first few months since the solar panels and battery storage units were installed and can expect to save as much as £300 per year on their energy bills.
BSEE
Once the success of this landmark project has been assessed, there is the potential to roll it out to 20,000 of Together Housing’s 37,000+ homes across the country, providing a huge reduction in its carbon footprint. Giles Ward, director at HWA, said: “This was an important, energy- efficient project which the team and I are really pleased to have been a part of. We have worked on numerous PV schemes since the sector was in its infancy and it is one of our specialisms as a firm. “As one of the largest projects of its kind in social housing, we were proud to impart our expertise to help determine the feasibility of the properties.
“It was a pleasure to work with Avonside Group, which has worked with many businesses and organisations in multi sectors, to reduce carbon emissions.”
Etienne Hilaire, branch manager at Avonside Group, said: “Solar and storage systems offer social housing providers the opportunity to open up many cost-saving and energy- reducing benefits to both their tenants and their business. “This was a substantial project for Together Housing and it’s fantastic what has been delivered. We have already seen the positive impact this is having, with tenants in Colne and Nelson reporting a reduction in their energy bills, thus helping to combat fuel poverty.
“The potential to roll this project out to similar housing schemes around the UK could have an incredible impact on our energy consumption on a national scale.”
hwaconsulting.co.uk About Howard Ward Associates
Howard Ward Associates (HWA) is an established construction engineering consultancy serving clients across the UK from its headquarters in Nottingham. Founded in 1977, structural and civil engineering were the foundations of the business and today they continue to form the core of the company’s expertise. HWA has developed and grown to provide a range of complementary services including geotechnical, environmental, flood risk and highways consultancy as part of an end-to-end service from pre- acquisition to project completion.
“Our philosophy focuses on the positive difference that excellent engineering can make to a project. Working closely with our clients every step of the way, we are proud to deliver a personal, bespoke service with attention to detail at its heart. Our Directors and the staff they lead are committed to delivering efficient and cost-effective engineering solutions as part of an integrated design process. From pre-acquisition due diligence and planning application support through to construction design, alongside specialist reporting and investigatory services, we work hard to understand our clients’ needs and tailor our service to suit.”
“We believe that good engineering can be fundamental to the positive outcome of a project and we do our utmost to deliver tangible benefits in cost and/or time. Equally valuable to our clients is our collaborative approach with fellow professionals in ensuring that all aims are met. Fully accredited to ISO9001, we use state-of-the-art systems and software for structural modelling and analysis, Building Information Modelling (BIM) process management, design coordination, drawing production and document management, and are continually investing in our staff, systems and resources to provide ongoing excellence.”
Read the latest at:
www.bsee.co.uk BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER FEBRUARY 2021 9
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The project
marks a significant step towards converng England’s homes to renewable energy sources, and to the UK’s target of becoming a net zero country by 2050.
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