ENERGY IN EDUCATION


Designed for special needs students


Highfurlong School has installed ventilation systems from GILBERTS BLACKPOOL in a £6 million extension designed to accommodate an increasing number of special needs pupils in Blackpool. This two-storey extension project was initiated in response to the school’s rising capacity, which has grown threefold over the past five years. Building services consultants Beech


Jackson chose diffusers from Gilberts Blackpool to ventilate the internal space, selected to minimise their operating impact on the children and avoid potential triggers such as draughts or noise.


As a result, high induction multi-nozzle (Series MN) diffusers are the predominant means of supplying fresh air into the classrooms and specialist subject suites, complemented by linear slot diffusers (GSLS) and perforated face diffusers (Series PG) with transfer grilles (Series NV) to maintain compliant air movement. Key features of Gilberts’ MN diffusers


are the operational quietness, smoothness of entrainment of high volumes of fresh air and directional adjustability: each of the nozzles within each diffuser can be individually rotated. Beech Jackson specified the inclusion of cord operated dampers on the plenum spigot to further ensure an ideal learning environment, enabling teaching staff to control the diffuser depending on individual requirements throughout the day. ▄ gilbertsblackpool.com


Lighting system upgrade at St Andrews


The Building Asset360 solution from TRIDONIC UK has played a role in upgrading the lighting system at St Andrews University. Faced with the need to enhance lighting quality while reducing energy consumption, the university collaborated with Tridonic to implement a modern lighting solution that meets compliance targets. The project involved replacing


outdated fluorescent lamps with energy-efficient solutions, utilising Tridonic’s suite of drivers, LED boards, and emergency lighting ranges. This upgrade aimed to increase lux levels in the recently refurbished main library, ensuring a better working environment for students and staff while reducing the


University's energy use. By treating lighting fixtures as assets, the Building Asset360 approach provided valuable data on performance and health, allowing for more effective management throughout the lighting systems’ lifecycle. The integration of this advanced system not only improved illumination but also streamlined maintenance processes, contributing to reduced operational costs and lower carbon emissions. Tridonic says that Building Asset360


serves as a model to optimise a lighting investment, offering complete transparency of performance not just for the present but for the entire life cycle of lighting assets. ▄ www.tridonic.com


Efficiency measures set to halve


University's scope 1 and 2 emissions energy use across the estate. The plan also outlines an ambition to install a 0.74 MW rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) array, which will generate more than 675,000kWh electricity each year. All of the zero- carbon energy generated on site will be consumed across the University’s campuses. Funding for the scheme will be provided


With the aim of delivering a carbon management plan to halve scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030, the University of Kent has partnered with SIEMENS Smart Infrastructure to upgrade key areas ripe for improvement. The strategy sets out a roadmap to reduce carbon emissions across its Canterbury and Medway campuses – home to over 19,000 students. The first major step towards the


reduction of energy consumption on campus will see the installation of LED lighting in all buildings and upgrades to all building management system controllers, as well as space optimisation and an updated metering system to maximise


EIBI | FEBRUARY 2025


by Siemens Financial Services through a flexible financing package, allowing the University to begin repayment only once the upgrades to the estate have been delivered. ▄ www.siemens.com


Heat pumps for Welsh secondary school


Equipment from MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC has been specified for a recent installation at a secondary school in Ruthin, where funding from the Welsh government facilitated the replacement of gas boilers with air source heat pumps. Three existing gas boilers were removed and replaced by two 43kW CAHV-P air source heat pumps. To minimise noise pollution, the heat pumps were installed within an acoustic enclosure, ensuring a quieter environment for students. Significant modifications were necessary in the plant room to accommodate the new equipment,


including reinforcing the floor with a steel frame to support a new 800-litre buffer tank. This tank acts as a thermal reservoir, improving the heat pumps’ performance. Additionally, the school installed solar


photovoltaic panels, increasing its renewable energy capacity to approximately 100kW across three arrays. The energy harnessed from these solar panels is used to power the air source heat pump and other electrical devices such as LED lighting. “With the air source heat pumps and the


solar panel system we’ve installed, the school is expected to save between £17,000 and £19,000 annually, along with reducing its carbon footprint by 28 tonnes,” says Ben Musgrave, director of JM Renewable Solutions, the company responsible for the installation. ▄ les.mitsubishielectric.co.uk


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