London Gatwick has partnered with specialist renewable energy provider Vital Energi to advance its ambitious £250m decarbonisation programme, which will see the airport switch to zero carbon heating and improve energy efficiency. The project will work to help London Gatwick achieve net zero for its own emissions by 2030. The
Cardiff-based fabricator Dudley’s Aluminium is playing a key role in the construction of the University of South Wales’ new Computing, Engineering and Technology building at its Pontypridd campus. The firm is partnering once again with BAM Construction on the Calon building, a state-of-the-art facility that will deliver modern teaching, research,
Through this strategic alliance, Hydnum Steel will supply Kingspan with green steel as Kingspan continues to take strides to decarbonise its operations, products and supply chain via its Planet Passionate environmental sustainability programme. Kingspan Group and Hydnum Steel are excited to announce their collaboration on a green steel initiative aimed
Speedy Hire, the UK’s leading provider of tools, equipment, and plant hire services, has unveiled the industry’s most advanced Carbon Reporting Tool – a transformative step in helping construction companies reach their decarbonisation goals faster and more efficiently. Developed as part of Speedy Hire’s wider strategy to enable customers to
COMPLETE construction partner Stepnell has secured a place on the latest NHS Shared Business Services framework agreement, supporting with the long-term decarbonisation strategy of healthcare estates nationwide. The new £500m Decarbonisation of Estates framework is designed to help the NHS achieve its ambition of becoming the world’s first net zero national
OptimiseAI’s ‘Predict’ Platform Cuts Building Energy Usage by 15%, using only a Meter Reading OptimiseAI, an innovator in AI-driven energy management, today launches their Predict function: designed to be an accessible tool for any level of building owner, landlord or asset manager to optimise energy use, save money, and future-proof
A scheme that includes a new 3 million tonne per annum (Mtpa) electric arc furnace at Port Talbot steelworks has gained planning consent following a detailed planning process, including environmental impact assessments (EIA). In September 2023, the UK government and Tata Steel UK Limited (Tata Steel) announced a £1.25 billion
The future of decarbonised home heating is upon us and is already being rolled out across the UK with some of the country’s largest housebuilders – with the latest housing development benefiting from the solution ‘going live’ in recent weeks. The Community Heat Hub (CHH), one of GTC’s Future Homes
Major contractor Bouygues UK, which is building zone 1 of Llanelli’s Pentre Awel development known as ‘Canolfan’, has worked with sub-contractors and its supply chain during the course of the 24-month build to achieve net zero on the construction project. This includes over 90% reduction on direct emissions of all
MEPC has announced the completion of its £40 million Nebula development at Milton Park, Oxfordshire, the UK’s largest single ownership innovation community. Comprising seven sustainable research and development (R&D) workspaces totalling nearly 80,000 sq ft, Nebula’s design and build focused on environmentally conscious materials, such as incorporating glue-laminated (glulam) structural
London Gatwick has partnered with specialist renewable energy provider Vital Energi to advance its ambitious £250m decarbonisation programme, which will see the airport switch to zero carbon heating and improve energy efficiency. The project will work to help London Gatwick achieve net zero for its own emissions by 2030. The airport will eliminate natural gas reliance and generate its own energy, boosting energy resilience. Vital Energi will support London Gatwick in a five-year contract that will see heat decarbonised in around 50 airport buildings, including the North and South terminals, engineering facilities and office space. Energy specialists Vital Energi, known for delivering innovative decarbonisation solutions at scale, will spearhead the transformation. They will support improving energy efficiency in buildings, deliver zero carbon heat solutions such as heat pumps and heat infrastructure across the airport. Cedric Laurier, Chief Technical Officer, London Gatwick said: “The whole aviation sector must work together to decarbonise our industry by 2050. At London Gatwick, we are playing our part by committing to decarbonising greenhouse gas emissions under the airport’s control by 2030. Our vision is to be the airport for everyone, whatever your journey, and as we continue to grow, we must do it sustainably. Our work with Vital Energi will play a critical role in this and will mean we are the first major UK airport to generate heat on site. Mike Cooke, Managing Director, Vital Energi said: “Vital Energi is proud to partner with London Gatwick on this landmark decarbonisation programme and we commend its bold approach to decarbonisation and resilience. Our comprehensive expertise in renewable technologies and in-house team of over 100 design engineers will support the airport to achieve its ambitious target of net zero by 2030 by removing gas from across the whole site and installing heat pumps and other decarbonisation measures. “In every Vital Energi project, we build in operational resilience, ensuring there is always a backup to maintain functional continuity.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Cardiff-based fabricator Dudley’s Aluminium is playing a key role in the construction of the University of South Wales’ new Computing, Engineering and Technology building at its Pontypridd campus. The firm is partnering once again with BAM Construction on the Calon building, a state-of-the-art facility that will deliver modern teaching, research, and support space for STEM disciplines. Spanning 11,500m², the Calon building will house over 40 collaborative spaces, including specialist laboratories in electronics, engineering, hydraulics and robotics. It will also feature a flight simulator, virtual reality capabilities and exhibition areas, reinforcing the university’s commitment to advancing education in science and technology. Designed with environmental sustainability at its core, the project supports the university’s goal of achieving carbon net zero by 2040. As part of its contribution, Dudley’s Aluminium will supply and install Kawneer curtain walling, windows, and doors for Pontypridd campus, helping to realise the building’s contemporary and energy-efficient design. Colin Shorney, Managing Director at Dudley’s Aluminium, said: “We are thrilled to be taking on such an important role on this project. The Calon building will bring incredible opportunities for university students, and it’s wonderful to see such investment coming to the south Wales area. We’re delighted to be working with BAM Construction once again and continuing our successful relationship in completing innovative projects together.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Through this strategic alliance, Hydnum Steel will supply Kingspan with green steel as Kingspan continues to take strides to decarbonise its operations, products and supply chain via its Planet Passionate environmental sustainability programme. Kingspan Group and Hydnum Steel are excited to announce their collaboration on a green steel initiative aimed at decarbonising the construction sector and promoting sustainability in building materials. Hydnum Steel, based in Puertollano, Spain, is a pioneer of green steel in the Iberian Peninsula and Southern Europe. This collaboration will see Hydnum Steel supply Kingspan with green steel, reinforcing Kingspan’s commitment to reducing the environmental impact of building materials as part of its Planet Passionate environmental sustainability programme. The strategic alliance promotes the adoption of green steel as a key alternative when constructing buildings and reinforces the role of the steel industry in the transition towards climate neutrality. The construction sector, one of the sectors with the largest carbon footprint globally[1], faces the challenge of adopting innovative solutions that reduce emissions without compromising performance, efficiency or quality. In this context, the use of green steel becomes a fundamental pillar for achieving decarbonisation goals and progressing towards more sustainable and energy-efficient buildings. According to the signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), Hydnum Steel and Kingspan will also collaborate to guarantee the most efficient logistics and circular economy solutions with ferrous scrap, as part of its commitment to the environment and natural resource utilisation. Eva Maneiro, CEO of Hydnum Steel, expressed her excitement: “We are excited to collaborate with Kingspan, a company that, like us, wants to be a pioneer in industrial decarbonisation. For both of us, it’s not just about being part of the change, but leading it. We are proving that it is possible to reinvent the industry with a more human and planet-friendly approach.” Mark Broderick, Procurement Director at Kingspan, added: “Our collaboration with Hydnum Steel is an important step forward in our strategy of procuring green steel at scale as we continue to drive our overall emissions reductions via our Planet Passionate programme. We’re working at pace to reduce the carbon footprint of our supply chain and product portfolio, but also to help accelerate the pace of change in the steel industry which will be critical to enabling the longer-term decarbonisation of the built environment.” To discover more about Kingspan’s Planet Passionate programme, visit www.kingspan.com/planetpassionate [1] According to the World Green Building Council, the built environment and construction sector accounts for 38% of global carbon emissions and it has been estimated that globally we build the equivalent of a city the size of Paris every week. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Speedy Hire, the UK’s leading provider of tools, equipment, and plant hire services, has unveiled the industry’s most advanced Carbon Reporting Tool – a transformative step in helping construction companies reach their decarbonisation goals faster and more efficiently. Developed as part of Speedy Hire’s wider strategy to enable customers to achieve their sustainability goals, the Carbon Reporting Tool benchmarks the operational performance of thousands of products, providing customers with detailed emissions reporting and reduction strategies. It represents a major innovation for the hire sector and a critical tool in the construction industry’s transition to Net Zero by 2050. The construction sector is a major contributor to carbon emissions, particularly from the operational fuel use of plant and equipment. In response, Speedy Hire, who are recognised as a UK leader in sustainability, are enabling the move from assumption-based data to actual performance metrics – setting a new standard for carbon transparency and accountability. Matthew Pygott, Head of Net Zero at Speedy Hire, said:“At Speedy Hire, we recognise the critical role we play in supporting the construction industry’s transition to Net Zero. We are seeing increasing demand for carbon quantification in tenders and contract performance. With our Carbon Reporting Tool, we provide customers with the insights needed to make more sustainable choices, reducing both carbon emissions and costs.” The tool has already been adopted by leading infrastructure and construction businesses. One of the first to trial it was Amey, a key client of Speedy Hire. Sam Taylor, Environment & Sustainability Business Partner at Amey, commented:“Speedy’s newly developed tool promises to give us greater visibility of our carbon emissions through plant and tool use and will help us drive behaviours to improve this. For example, live tracking of uptake of ‘eco’ products as an alternative to standard offerings, and the level of resolution of this data promises to help us review decisions made at an account and depot level and therefore drive behaviours with regards to plant and tool hire across the sector.” As the first UK & Ireland hire company to implement a PAS2080:2023 carbon management system, this tool will enable our customers to baseline, assess, and optimise their construction carbon footprint, aligning with their decarbonisation goals. Speedy Hire’s tool is designed to work seamlessly with its broader carbon management ecosystem. It will be independently audited under the company’s existing contract with sustainability consultancy Auditel. As part of its ‘Decade to Deliver’ strategy, Speedy Hire aims to ensure that 70% of its core fleet consists of eco-products by 2027, while driving eco-revenue and progressing towards its Scope 3 carbon reduction targets by 2030. With the launch of the Carbon Reporting Tool, Speedy Hire continues to demonstrate its position as a market leader in sustainable hire solutions. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
COMPLETE construction partner Stepnell has secured a place on the latest NHS Shared Business Services framework agreement, supporting with the long-term decarbonisation strategy of healthcare estates nationwide. The new £500m Decarbonisation of Estates framework is designed to help the NHS achieve its ambition of becoming the world’s first net zero national health service, reaching net zero by 2040 for the emissions the NHS controls directly. Stepnell has secured its place on both Lot 1, Decarbonisation of Non-Domestic/ Public Buildings, and Lot 2, Decarbonisation of Domestic Properties. Stepnell will be supporting the NHS and other public sector authorities, including local government and housing associations, as a complete construction partner. Through competition and direct award, it will deliver comprehensive decarbonisation works including enhancing existing buildings thermal performance and improve energy efficiencies through lighting efficiencies and renewable technologies, which include air source heat pumps and photovoltaic panels. Christian White, senior pre-construction manager and framework lead at Stepnell, said: “The NHS SBS framework award is reflective of our established expertise delivering on multi-million projects to enhance energy performance and decarbonisation on estates across the healthcare sector. “With expanding capabilities in undertaking decarbonisation schemes, including retrofitting through our partnership with our specialist renewables & decarbonation business Step Energy, we are well placed to deliver decarbonisation projects for the NHS and other public sector authorities to meet relevant sustainability targets.” The framework agreement has been designed via extensive consultation with the public sector and Greener NHS leads. It enables estates managers to create greater value by combining decarbonisation works with their backlog investment works to create cleaner, greener and more attractive estates. Anjub Ali, senior category manager at NHS SBS said: “With the announcement of over £1bn for public sector decarbonisation in the Autumn Budget 2024, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has confirmed funding for the next wave of the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme. “The new Decarbonisation of Estates Framework Agreement will support the delivery of the NHS’s ambition in ‘Delivering a Net Zero Health Service’ and respond to the profound and growing threat to health posed by climate change.” To find out more about Stepnell, visit www.stepnell.co.uk, or join in the conversation at @Stepnellltd. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
OptimiseAI’s ‘Predict’ Platform Cuts Building Energy Usage by 15%, using only a Meter Reading OptimiseAI, an innovator in AI-driven energy management, today launches their Predict function: designed to be an accessible tool for any level of building owner, landlord or asset manager to optimise energy use, save money, and future-proof new or historic buildings. The Predict tool is the first of its kind to draw on decades of research, data and human expertise, fused with artificial intelligence. All Predict needs to create a comprehensive view of any building’s energy usage, is a meter reading, a postcode and basic building information, like the number of floors. Predict can then create a digital twin of your building, which gives you visual insights into how your building most likely saves energy, and when. This allows users to have a rapid, real-time view of their portfolios and identify where the biggest savings can be made quickly and efficiently. After being provided with this minimal information, Predict can provide a building or asset manager with energy reduction insights in under half an hour. Buildings account for 28% of global energy-related CO₂ emissions (37% when including construction), which is more than the entire transportation sector, responsible for just over 21% of global CO₂ emissions. If all buildings had smart meters and then utilised the analysis via Predict, buildings could see an average of 15% emissions reduction – with minimal capital cost incurred. For the UK alone (where 66% of buildings have smart meters), using the Predict tool could save 6.7MtCOe per year. The drive for smart meters adoption is crucial to achieving long term energy efficiency goals. If all buildings across the globe were to install smart meters and utilise the Predict function to manager their energy usage, it could deliver 1.5 Gt CO₂e savings per year, equivalent to the entire annual emissions of Japan. Speaking on its potential, Nick Tune, Co-Founder of Optimise AI, said: “The data is clear—energy inefficiency is a massive yet solvable contributor to climate change. Current Building Management Systems are not fit for purpose: only 10% of buildings have them, and even then they don’t give effective results to help buildings reduce energy and carbon emissions. “ The world cannot afford to wait for deep retrofits or expensive building replacements. With Predict, we’re giving asset owners and building managers an immediate, cost-effective tool to cut carbon, reduce energy costs, and stay ahead of tightening regulations. “The potential of the technology is here, ready to be harnessed. With it, we’re offering a path to energy savings and reduced global carbon footprint that is accessible and easy to use: ready now, and for everyone. “ Energy prices are at record heights across the world. According to Government data, the UK has among the most expensive electricity in Europe. Smart energy planning will be essential to keeping buildings efficient and keeping costs down. 90% of UK buildings lack a Building Management System to help them understand, monitor and adapt their energy use. Even those who do, research suggests that asset managers find these systems overly complex or difficult to use. Predict’s user-friendly interface is hardware agnostic and can be used with minimal input data – it works across fragmented systems and integrates seamlessly with existing smart meters. By analysing historical and projected consumption, and drawing on years of human research and expertise, Predict can suggest the best energy tariffs, identify inefficiencies, project how much energy could be saved with certain interventions, saving both emissions and money. Net Zero regulations for buildings are expected to become increasingly relevant in the coming years. Addressing energy efficiency in existing buildings was a key component of the Climate Change Committee’s Seventh Carbon Budget, as part of the UK’s strategy to reduce emissions by 87% compared to 1990 levels by 2040. This means UK businesses and landlords will need to ensure their properties meet new standards, and integrate smart energy usage into their future plans. Through its digital twin technology, Predict can provide any level of building owner and asset manager a contextual understanding of their building’s energy usage. This allows them to save money, reduce emissions and begin to future-proof their buildings against upcoming Net Zero regulations. This is especially useful for the UK’s historic building stock. The first of its kind to utilise and fuse AI and decades of human-led research, Predict can provide insights into how to reduce building emissions in listed buildings in the least invasive way possible. Professor Yacine Rezgui, Co-Founder of Optimise AI, added: “Energy audits are outdated and expensive, yet 90% of UK buildings still lack a Building Management System. Predict changes that—offering a sophisticated AI-driven solution that provides immediate insights and long-term savings. This is how we make net zero achievable at scale.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A scheme that includes a new 3 million tonne per annum (Mtpa) electric arc furnace at Port Talbot steelworks has gained planning consent following a detailed planning process, including environmental impact assessments (EIA). In September 2023, the UK government and Tata Steel UK Limited (Tata Steel) announced a £1.25 billion joint investment in the development of electric arc furnace-based steelmaking at Port Talbot to replace the coal-fired blast furnaces that have been in operation for more than 50 years. The proposals reflect Tata Steel’s long-term commitment to the production of ‘green’, low-carbon steel at Port Talbot, securing the future of steelmaking in the region and making a significant contribution to the achievement of ambitious Welsh and UK government net zero policies. Data provided in the environmental statement (RSK, 2024) indicate that greenhouse gas emissions avoided with the electric arc furnace compared with the continuation of traditional steelmaking methods are equivalent to nearly 2% of UK and 23% of Wales emissions (2027 equivalent). RSK Environment Director Rob Edwards, who led the EIA process, said: “Environmental impact assessments are required to support planning applications for major infrastructure projects, ensuring that local councils, communities and consultees understand possible environmental impacts and proposed measures to mitigate these before approving the plans. RSK Environment has coordinated the EIA work as the environmental lead for Tata Steel, working closely with the Tata Steel team, planning consultant Turley, architects Lawray, and Temple Group and JBA Consulting, both of which contributed EIA technical chapters. “Approval of the planning application is the culmination of more than three years of work from the project team. At its peak, more than 20 specialists from across the business were working on-site at any one time – this has resulted in the submission of more than 250 documents in support of the application, highlighting the scale, complexity and level of detail involved in a planning application and EIA of this nature.” As part of the EIA, a wide range of information was gathered from site surveys and assessments covering matters such as ground conditions, habitats and species, traffic and noise levels, air emissions, views of the site and population and demographic data. Rob explained: “The EIA team was required to coordinate and present this huge volume of information in the form needed to support the planning application. This involved liaising extensively with Tata Steel, the wider planning team and the local council to identify where mitigation or amendments to the scheme were necessary to overcome identified environmental concerns.” RSK Group businesses involved in delivering the environmental assessments for the project included Stephenson Halliday (landscape and visual design), RSK Acoustics (noise and vibration), RSK Biocensus (biodiversity), RSK Geosciences (land, soil and groundwater), WRc (peat assessments), Headland Archaeology (cultural heritage), SCP (transport and access), EB7 (lighting assessment) and ADAS (tree surveys). CJ Associates, Ian Farmer Associates and RSK Ordnance Management supported the completion of the ground investigation. Rob added: “Because of the scale of the planning application boundary – well over 100 hectares – the area covered by the proposed development cannot readily be described as a single ‘site’. It includes land with a wide range of different characteristics, including agricultural land, brownfield land and the existing structures of the steelworks. The EIA needed to reflect this and describe the environmental effects across all parts of the site; these were not always the same across all areas. The relationship with the historic steelworks also added complexity, with the electric arc furnace proposals needing to be considered against the context of those activities and their associated environmental impacts. “In addition to the greenhouse gas savings, the project will also result in significant reductions of air emissions, as well as reduced road traffic and remediation of previously developed parts of the steelworks. RSK is proud to be associated with a project that delivers so many environmental benefits, while securing the future of steelmaking in Port Talbot and Wales”. The planning proposals allow for green infrastructure and re-landscaping of the surrounding site to deliver ‘biodiversity net benefit’ in line with Welsh national planning policy. This will involve a range of ecological enhancements and landscaping measures focused on the southern end of the site, which is generally the most visible to the public. This will include new areas of wetland, scrub and grassland. Rob said: “In advising Tata Steel on how it may address all environmental questions raised in the assessments, particular focus was given to biodiversity enhancements. This is reflective of the fact that the steelworks comprise a very large area of land with a wide range of opportunities for enhancement and linkage with other habitats in the local area, particularly the Margam Moors site of special scientific interest to the south”. Rajesh Nair, CEO of Tata Steel UK, said: “We are very pleased to have secured approval to build sustainable steelmaking facilities in Port Talbot. This £1.25 billion investment is the most significant investment made in the UK steel industry in decades. The facility will secure high-quality steel production, preserve thousands of jobs and safeguard steelmaking in Port Talbot for generations to come.” Natalie Young, Head of Legal – Property at Tata Steel UK, added: “You cannot overstate the importance of robust and credible EIAs in such complex submissions, and having the expertise of RSK was critical in the success of the application.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The future of decarbonised home heating is upon us and is already being rolled out across the UK with some of the country’s largest housebuilders – with the latest housing development benefiting from the solution ‘going live’ in recent weeks. The Community Heat Hub (CHH), one of GTC’s Future Homes Standard-compliant heat network solutions, is now delivering low-carbon heat at The Gateway in Bexhill, Sussex, a vibrant housing development being delivered by Vistry Group, the UK’s leading provider of affordable mixed-tenure homes. GTC has been the chosen utility partner for housebuilders and developers across the UK for almost 30 years, delivering pioneering multi-utility infrastructure solutions to all types of new-build developments. The Community Heat Hub is one of GTC’s low carbon heat network solutions that answers the Future Homes Standard by reducing carbon emissions by 75-80% from day one, combing the two FHS notional specifications of heat pumps and heat networks in one future-proofed, net zero solution. Vistry contracted GTC to deliver heat via its innovative Community Heat Hub to The Gateway in Bexhill, alongside electric, fibre, water, and wastewater. Once fully built the scheme will provide 801 high-quality mixed-tenure new homes, a primary school, community centre and sports pavilion connected to the low carbon solution. GTC commissioned The Gateway Community Heat Hub in late February and first homeowners moved in on February 24th. This is the UK’s second Community Heat Hub to be commissioned since its launch, with more contracted across the country being delivered in the coming months. The Community Heat Hub at The Gateway is estimated to save around 850 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually in comparison to individual gas boilers in homes. John Marsh, Chief Operating Officer at GTC said: “Home decarbonisation is top of the agenda right now and The Gateway at Bexhill is a brilliant example of how low carbon heat can be delivered into new homes. The forthcoming end of gas means decarbonisation is no longer optional. Working with housebuilders, like Vistry, who want to showcase compliance and sustainability excellence is always a pleasure, and to be able to offer a solution that meets forthcoming Standards is credit to the skills and expertise of the GTC team.” Brendan Evans, Managing Director at Vistry Kent said: “Vistry is committed to delivering sustainable long-term communities that provide the mix of high-quality new homes that residents need. Collaborating with like-minded organisations like GTC is essential to help us deliver innovative solutions that meet important decarbonisation standards while helping to fulfil the UK’s chronic need for new housing.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Major contractor Bouygues UK, which is building zone 1 of Llanelli’s Pentre Awel development known as ‘Canolfan’, has worked with sub-contractors and its supply chain during the course of the 24-month build to achieve net zero on the construction project. This includes over 90% reduction on direct emissions of all fuels on the site as well as a 10% reduction in waste production, and energy and water consumption. Since the start of the project over 450 tonnes of carbon emissions have been saved thanks to this initiative. By implementing energy, waste and resource-saving initiatives, including adopting sustainably-certified hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) as a fuel, as well as sourcing recycled and green materials, the project has reached this pivotal milestone of being net zero. Due to the reduction in emissions from the use of HVO at Pentre Awel, Bouygues UK has made the commitment that all of its building sites across the UK will be powered by HVO. Its procured HVO fuel has received ISCC certification due to its traceable and deforestation-free supply chain. Partners include Green4Wales, Watson Fuels, New Era and CSS. The Canolfan Pentre Awel project team has worked tirelessly during the nearly two years on site, to put carbon reduction at the heart of the development. It has targeted 24 specific initiatives to help reduce emissions, waste and energy on the project. Early into the development, solar-powered site offices and cabins were installed on site, and when not powered by the sun, those buildings were run by a HVO-powered generator. The site’s CCTV cameras were also powered by solar. Such was the success of the HVO generator, that early into the project the whole site was converted to HVO. Other initiatives such as working closely with its supply chain to source recycled building materials has also contributed to the project’s wider net zero journey. Such materials include using reinforced bars for the buildings’ foundations that are comprised of 98% recycling content, while the structural steel contained 80% recycled content. When excavating to lay the foundations, soil from the surface of the site was also taken to a local recycling facility where the material was segregated, treated and reused – reducing the amount of waste going to landfill. The team have partnered with Gaia, a Carmarthenshire-based company that helps to identify, monitor and reduce power consumption, using AI and a range of sensors. To date, the energy savings from using GAIA are around 47.9%. The project also benefits from a carbon consultant who advises on identifying low carbon solutions throughout the construction phase and monitors carbon, waste, deliveries as well as upskilling of the workforce on climate and environmental topics. Canolfan Pentre Awel is an innovative, multi-million-pound development which will bring together life science and business innovation, community healthcare and modern leisure facilities at the 83-acre Delta Lakes site on the Llanelli coastline. It is part-funded by the Swansea Bay City Deal (£40million) and is the largest regeneration scheme in south west Wales. Peter Sharpe, Project Director at Pentre Awel, said of achieving net zero: “We are immensely proud of this achievement. As well as building a state of the art, top quality facility, as a project team we set our minds to reducing as much of our carbon emissions as possible. We set out a plan and I’m so pleased to say that we have achieved it. “This would not have happened had it not been for the determination and support of not only the Bouygues UK staff here at Pentre Awel, but also our amazing sub-contractors and supply chain partners who came with us on this net zero journey.” Phillipe Bernard, Chair and CEO of Bouygues UK, said: “I commend the project team’s efforts in significantly reducing carbon emissions at the Pentre Awel project. This achievement shows that sustainable construction can be achieved. “We are very proud that due to the success achieved with the use of HVO at Pentre Awel, we are now mandating the use of sustainably-certified HVO at all our sites across the UK.” Carmarthenshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Leisure, Culture and Tourism, Cllr Hazel Evans added: “The Council is deeply committed to tackling climate change, and we acknowledge that we are responsible for reducing our own greenhouse gas emissions and encouraging Carmarthenshire residents to be conscious of their own carbon footprint. It is encouraging to see that this Council development is tackling carbon emissions head on and leading by example for future developments to prioritise our environment. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the team at Bouygues UK for their commitment as we pass this monumental milestone.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
MEPC has announced the completion of its £40 million Nebula development at Milton Park, Oxfordshire, the UK’s largest single ownership innovation community. Comprising seven sustainable research and development (R&D) workspaces totalling nearly 80,000 sq ft, Nebula’s design and build focused on environmentally conscious materials, such as incorporating glue-laminated (glulam) structural timber beams in place of steel, in what is believed to be a UK-first for a R&D workspace. With construction delivered by Barnwood Limited, Nebula’s use of sustainably sourced and recyclable beams instead of steel has significantly reduced its carbon footprint. The innovative approach has contributed to an upfront embodied carbon saving of 686 tonnes of CO₂ throughout construction, the equivalent of 196 return flights to Hong Kong. Aimed at science, technology or advanced engineering companies, Nebula’s buildings have internal vaulted roof heights of 8m, providing flexibility for occupiers with requirements for large-scale scientific equipment or advanced engineering instruments. Following widespread interest from a wide variety of companies with R&D requirements, MEPC has revealed one of the R&D workspaces has been taken as a pre-let. The completion follows the announcement of a refreshed Local Development Order (LDO) at Milton Park. As the UK’s first data-driven, green-focused planning agreement,the LDO is expected to support thousands of new jobs and permit 4.2m sq ft of development. In the coming years, it will streamline planning decisions for its occupiers to just ten days, bringing forward new flexible laboratories, offices and amenities. It also follows last month’s announcement by the Government of plans to boost infrastructure and attract new investment into the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor, to attract up to £78bn into the economy by 2035 and realise its potential as a global centre for science and innovation. Commenting on the completion, Science Minister and Oxford-Cambridge Innovation Champion, Lord Vallance, said: “Modern, high-tech facilities are essential to taking full advantage of rapidly developing science and technology and in fulfilling our ambitions for the Oxford-Cambridge corridor to be an economic engine for the whole of the UK. “Nebula’s new development of large-scale innovation space will support a range of growing industries, helping businesses to get off the ground and progress, and in turn supporting this Government’s number one mission of economic growth.” Philip Campbell, commercial director at MEPC Milton Park, said: “Nebula’s completion follows on the heels of the Government’s Oxford to Cambridge announcement and plans to create a “Silicon Corridor” of growth. “Delivered through our streamlined ten-day planning LDO, Nebula has been driven by the project team’s collective ambition to create a new R&D development which seamlessly blends design and sustainability, creating an attractive work environment for future occupiers to innovate. “Following this significant milestone, we’re looking forward to opening the doors and showing new and prospective occupiers around this flagship project for Milton Park.” Nebula’s occupiers will benefit from MEPC’s £7m infrastructure investment to enhance Milton Park’s energy capacity, alongside electric charging provision for up to 32 vehicles. Alongside the development targeting BREEAM ‘Excellent’ and EPC A energy efficiency standards, surplus wood from the site was also intercepted and donated to RAW Workshop, an Oxfordshire-based social enterprise, where it was recycled into educational materials and new products, maximising Nebula’s environmental and social impact credentials. Working alongside Milton Park and Barnwood Limited as part of the project team are SRA Architects, ASA Landscape Architects, CBRE (leasing agents), Ridge & Partners LLP (BREEAM, cost management, M&E, principal design, project management), Stantec (civil and structural engineering), Mainer Associates (sustainability consultant), William Downie Associates (utilities) and Cundall (carbon consultant). For more information on Nebula, please visit: www.miltonpark.co.uk/availability/nebula-190-192-park-drive Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
