BSEE-JAN22-PG06 News & Quote_Layout 1 14/12/2021 12:43 Page 6
BSEE
Energy Assets wins grant to digitise underground utility asset data
E
nergy Assets Networks and Pipelines (EAN & P) has won grant funding from the Government’s Geospatial Commission to digitise their underground power and gas assets.
EAN & P are one of two
organisations operating in Greater London to have received funding, which is being distributed and managed by the Greater London Authority (GLA).
The funding will enable EAN & P to vectorize and digitally share the position of their electricity cables and gas pipes across London’s boroughs. This data will help speed up residential and commercial development, reduce the risk of accidental pipe and cable strikes, and minimise the disruption to communities and traffic caused by new or emergency infrastructure works.
The geospatial survey and data capture project will create a highly accurate digital map of the
companies’ underground utility assets across the capital and will feed into the National Underground Asset Register (NUAR) being built by the Geospatial Commission for the UK.
“As an independent distribution network operator and an independent gas transporter, we work closely with contractors building out residential and commercial developments,” said Andrew Collin, EAP’s network manager.
“One of the biggest challenges our customers face is identifying the precise location of existing infrastructure, so this new digitized and shared asset register will provide
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the detail they need to plan and install utility networks much more efficiently. This resource will also help minimise the disruption to
communities caused by emergency repair work or the laying of additional infrastructure by pinpointing existing pipes and cables within a range of a few centimetres.”
New CIBSE guidance: electrification for Net Zero N
ew guidance on the design and operation of building electrical services that focus on the electrification of buildings in the drive to Net Zero carbon has been published by the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE).
The UK's drive to reach Net Zero carbon emissions by 2050 is seeing a shift in buildings to electric heating and increasing demand for electric vehicle charging points. Greater electrification of building services will have significant implications for the design and operation of buildings and their building services because electricity is much more expensive than fossil fuels at the point of use. Without well-considered design, this could result in big increases in energy bills and issues with grid capacity. CIBSE Technical Memorandum 67 Electrification of buildings for net zero has been written to provide guidance for all engineers involved in the design and
operation of building electrical services that focus on the drive to Net Zero carbon. The document outlines best practice and the emergence of new technologies, systems and protocols to facilitate effective and safe design and operation of buildings.
The guidance includes advice on overarching strategies and performance metrics; connection to and interaction with the network; new opportunities and challenges in operation; and electrical storage and generation systems. It also includes design guidance including strategies for reducing demand; plant sizing for low energy buildings; and demand flexibility in order to respond to respond to the needs of the electricity grid.
Julie Godefroy, head of sustainability at CIBSE said: "The electrification of buildings is a key step on the road to a zero-carbon future. CIBSE TM67 provides timely guidance for all engineers involved in the design and operation of building electrical services". She added:
Prefabricated modular systems specialist relocates to stateoftheart Preston factory
commercial heating and hot water solutions provider Baxi Commercial Solutions, has relocated to a larger, purpose- built state-of-the-art factory at Baxi’s Preston manufacturing site. The move is part of a strategic growth plan, with the increased capacity and cutting-edge facilities enabling projects of any size to be designed and delivered by the PPS
P
ackaged Plant Solutions (PPS), a specialist in prefabricated modular systems and part of
team to meet all customer needs anywhere in the UK.
PPS became part of the Baxi Commercial Solutions family in 2017, joining the Remeha, Andrews Water Heaters, Potterton Commercial and Heatrae Sadia brands. With decades of experience and proven expertise in delivering offsite-fabricated packaged plant solutions, PPS specialises in producing bespoke energy centres, tailor made plant rooms, prefabricated skids for boilers and/or combined heat and power (CHP) units, and pre-assembled modules with heat interface units (HIU) in utility cupboards.
The service extends from initial concept to final delivery, with the systems transported to site in modular units for plug-and-play installation, ready to commission with minimum inconvenience to the client. The benefits of using flexible, scalable, highly efficient prefabricated solutions are well established. They include time, labour and cost savings compared with conventional on-site builds, greater quality control and asset
management, improved health and safety, simplified installation, and reduced risk for stakeholders.
6 BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER JANUARY 2022
“I’m delighted to announce that operations have been fully up and running at our new modern manufacturing site since the start of October,” said Mark Field, national sales manager at PPS.
“The extra space and additional capacity we now have is just fantastic, allowing us to provide a complete range of offsite, prefabricated services to meet all project requirements,” he continued. “And with demand high for these comprehensive solutions, it’s onwards and upwards for PPS.”
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Chief executive of the Energy and Utilities Alliance (EUA), has called for a clamp down on energy suppliers who are blocking measures to tackle fuel the following poverty. Mike Foster, wrote to Ofgem chief executive Jonathan Brearley... “It is outrageous that some energy suppliers are erecting barriers to prevent the fuel poor getting cheaper bills. The gas networks are obliged to provide free connections to the fuel poor, providing other parties could install the gas central heating systems. Schemes like The Warm Homes Fund do just that. But both rely on the energy supplier to fit the meter and agree the tariff. It seems they don’t want to, or are making it difficult for the new customer to sign up to the protected price cap, despite them being in fuel poverty.” “Legally, Ofgem have confirmed energy suppliers have to fit a meter when requested. Failure to do so can and should result in a penalty. Morally, if someone is connecting to gas for the first time, under recognised fuel poor alleviation schemes, then surely the supplier can see the argument for signing them up to the protected price cap tariff.”
“Recent evaluations of first time central heating schemes has shown huge financial savings for consumers, as well as providing huge benefits to the quality of life, including addressing mental health problems.”
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NEWS & QUOTES Quote, unquote
Jayne Harrold, environmental tax leader at PwC, said the following in response to proposals on the treatment of aggregate removed during construction works...
“Borrow pits are widely used on very large infrastructure and construction projects to reduce the transport of aggregate through local communities. The proposed removal of the aggregates levy exclusion for the use of these borrow pits will not add significant tax burden as aggregates levy is £2 per tonne, but it will result in significant new compliance and administration burdens for those affected.
“Aggregates levy is a very complex tax. The proposed consultation on simplification by replacement of some exemptions with a single exemption for unavoidable by-products of construction projects will hopefully ease administration and interpretation and result in fewer disputes with taxpayers.”
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Mark Bouldin, clean air expert, Johnson Controls UK&I commented as follows on the prevalence of technology in the emergence of the Omicron variant and the resurgence of COVID-19... “The new Omnicron variant is causing concern worldwide as masks have made their return to the UK and the booster vaccination programme is set to get fully underway to try and tackle transmissions. But there is another measure that is equally as important to help safeguard the public: proper ventilation to improve indoor air quality. “To ensure our workplaces, schools, and hospitals are healthy and safe for everyone, clean air must be taken seriously. Thankfully, technologies exist that can capture 99.7% of airborne pathogens, ensuring the air people breathe is safe. But even just ensuring clean air is being filtered in from the outside can be enough. We spend 90% of our time indoors, yet indoor air is sometimes five times more polluted than outdoor air. And that doesn’t just affect the transmission of Covid-19. Poor air quality can also mean increased CO2 levels, particulate matter, and VOCs, all of which are proven to impact our health and productivity. “Air quality needs to be put firmly on the agenda. Only then, can we create safe places for everyone to thrive so that we can resume to normality while keeping those around us safe.”
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