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Jenny continues, “Our aim is to build that connection with nature. Our children will develop so many valuable skills through engagement in our Nurture Farm  I’m proud to provide these opportunities, not just for our children at Tredegar Park Primary School, but children across Newport City Council. Our aim is to develop our school provision over the coming months and then look to extend enrichment opportunities outside of school hours. It would be great to see different organisations benefiting from this wonderful resource in the heart of Duffryn.”

A Hands-On Learning Experience

The Nurture Farm features goats, chickens, and vegetable beds which pupils will help to tend. The initiative enables children to take produce “from field to fork”, with some sold to raise funds for the school and surplus vegetables sent home to families. The space also includes outdoor classrooms, seating areas, games, and a firepit for group activities.

This initiative supports the school’s Edible Education programme, which teaches food sustainability and resilience at a time when resources are stretched by the cost-of-living crisis.

Richard Marchant, our Operations Manager explained: “What we hoped to achieve through the Duffryn project was a lasting legacy. With the introduction from Heydn Housing Association, we were able to work alongside some fantastic charities and community groups, including Tredegar Primary School. Coming back 18 months after the heat network was completed to see the children enjoying this space is a real privilege.

“What’s truly special is that the facilities will also be shared with children from other schools, ensuring the benefits extend across the wider community.”

Building on Previous Commitment

The project follows the school’s earlier outdoor improvements, also supported by us, which included play kitchens, activity stations and “Tinker Tables” designed to foster imagination, fine motor skills and social development, particularly important for younger pupils whose learning and wellbeing were impacted by the pandemic.

Mark Chircop of Heydn Housing Association commented: “Through our internal discussions with our Procurement department we were able to ensure that there was significant support available via community benefits, embedded within the contract. Several discussions were had, where we were able to provide several options based on our intelligence and community knowledge. From this, we were able to build a positive collaboration with Tredegar Park Primary and Vital, that enabled us to deliver something truly impactful.  This provision will support 430 children and the wider community, creating a positive, long-term legacy and it was great to welcome them back to Duffryn for the official opening.”

A Legacy Beyond Infrastructure

The Duffryn Heat Network Replacement Project saw us replace the original 1970s system with a modern, low-carbon network serving more than 1,000 homes and Tredegar Primary School. The Nurture Farm is part of the wider community benefits delivered through the scheme, demonstrating our long-term commitment to combining sustainable energy with meaningful social value.

Vital Energi has been awarded the design and build and operation and maintenance contracts for Notting Dale Heat Network by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, to develop a renewable heat network at the Lancaster West Estate in North Kensington, supporting the estate’s transition to carbon-neutrality by 2030.

The design and build contract involves the implementation of eight block substations and two heat supply energy centres, located at Camelford Walk on the roof of Kensington Leisure Centre, which will be taken from the initial design concept through to construction by Vital Energi. They will also design and install 1,000 metres of new district heating, which will serve renewable heating and hot water to hundreds of homes.

The installation of the heat network will help to prevent 1,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year. Currently, the entire network is fed from two gas boilers, one of which is the Camelford energy centre which will be stripped back to the brick to make way for the brand-new green energy centre which will be split across two levels. As part of the heat network system, the energy centre will house the new plant, including two 1MW electric boilers.

The energy centre will also have upgrades made to the external layer, co-designed with residents by award-winning architects Tonkin Liu, which will match the external of the 50m3 thermal store. The “Energy Tree” located at ground level will provide thermal energy storage to improve network operation. The installation of these renewable technologies will serve heating and low temperature hot water to over 750 properties on the development.

“Leaving a lasting impact on communities is high on the agenda for Vital Energi. To date we have employed a local resident on the project, funded several summer holiday activities for local people, and we aim to carry out a number of social value initiatives to educate local residents about the benefits of heat networks, and bring climate change awareness to the younger generation”, he added.

The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme has released details of the organisations who will receive almost £1billion in funding. We are delighted that eight of the projects we are delivering have been successful in Round 1 and will result in carbon reductions in excess of 20,000 tonnes per annum.  

Overall the PSDS has awarded a total of £977,283,766 in Phase 1 and Vital Energi are delivering projects worth in excess of 10% of the total funded. Further funding will be announced for Phase 2 of the PSDS.

We have supported several of our partners through the application process, representing the healthcare, local authority and education sectors.  These projects will be strong examples of how public sector bodies can decarbonise by adopting the latest technology.

Speaking about the Government’s approach to decarbonisation, Business and Energy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said: “We were the first major economy to put into law our target to end our contribution to climate change, and today we’re taking steps to be the first major economy to have its own low carbon industrial sector.

While reaching our climate targets will require extensive change across our economy, we must do so in a way that protects jobs, creates new industries and attracts inward investment – without pushing emissions and business abroad.”

Ahead of COP26, the UK is showing the world how we can cut emissions, create jobs and unleash private investment and economic growth. Today’s strategy builds on this winning formula as we transition low carbon and renewable energy sources, while supporting the competitiveness of Britain’s industrial base.”

Backed by more than £1 billion investment, today’s plans will make a considerable dent in the amount of carbon emissions emitting from our economy and put us on the path to eliminate our contribution to climate change by 2050.”

Vital Energi are happy to support public sector organisations on their decarbonisation journey.  If you would like to discuss your project, please email [email protected]

Vital Energi is helping Wandsworth Council take steps to meet their target of net zero by 2043, by switching gas boilers to air source heat pumps at Holmleigh Court, which will provide low carbon heating and hot water to residents across 39 properties.

This is the first of many renewable retrofit projects the council will be implementing to help create a greener Borough, and Vital Energi will be taking their original RIBA stage 2 designs through to stage 5.

The gas boilers in the energy centre will be replaced with air source heat pumps (ASHP) on the roof, generating clean green energy. ASHPs are one of the most effective technologies for reducing carbon. They absorb heat from the outside air, transfer it to a liquid and compress it to heat the temperature further.  The heat is then transferred from the liquid to water and distributed throughout the network to provide heat to the connected buildings.

The development will benefit from a new Low Temperature Heating Water network (LTHW), and Vital Energi’s  own bespoke Heat Interface Units (HIUs) will be installed within each property, along with heat meters and new Low Surface Temperature (LST) radiators across Holmleigh Court’s 39 properties.

The HIUs coupled with the LST radiators will allow for more effective and regulated use of heating, and the LTHW network will accommodate an eco-friendlier way to heat up or cool water.

This project is one of many partnerships that Vital Energi is now striving to acquire with local authorities. To aid them in achieving the government’s proposal of becoming fully net zero by 2050, Wandsworth Council are striving to reach new levels of sustainability and decarbonisation, and have partnered with Vital Energi who have comprehensive experience in delivering low carbon multi-technology projects across the UK.

“Wandsworth Council are committed to reducing its emissions and creating a greener, healthier environment in which residents live. Vital Energi is delighted to be helping them deliver their first renewable retrofit project, which will set the bar for sustainable developments across the borough,” said Gerry Davies, Vital Energi’s Regional Director for London and the South.

Vital Energi are working with speciality chemical manufacturer, Solenis, to reduce the carbon consumption at its Bradford site through a new 17-year partnership to upgrade and operate the site’s energy centre, futureproofing the site’s production capabilities.

Solenis is always looking for ways to run its sites more sustainably, enhancing growth while decreasing environmental impact.

Vital Energi will upgrade the existing combined heat and power (CHP) system and install two new efficient steam boilers. A new control system will be installed to ensure efficient and reliable energy generation.

Once the construction process is complete, Vital Energi will operate and maintain the energy centre under an Energy Services Agreement (ESA). This agreement is targeted to optimise availability and energy use guaranteeing the projected carbon and financial savings for the next 15 years and setting the foundations for further carbon reduction initiatives.

Key members from Solenis, Vital Energi and consultancy JRP Solutions, who supported Solenis, came together to mark the start of the ground works on site. They were joined by local councillor, Sarah Ferriby.

David Calder, Site Manager at Solenis added, “Entering into a partnership with Vital Energi is an important step for Solenis on our journey towards Net Zero and ongoing sustainability for the site.”

Children from St Joseph’s RC Primary School and Gascoigne Primary School got the opportunity to visit the Barking District Heating Network to learn more about global warming and the work being done to combat it at a series of educational events organised by Vital Energi.

The children were visited by Ashley Walsh, Vital Energi’s Managing Director of Heat Networks, who gave a talk about global warming, low carbon energy and how we can reduce emissions before the classes visited a construction site to see the district heating installation process.

Vital Energi and Ener-Vate joined 28 other local businesses to take part in Liverpool Waters 8th Dragon Boat Race on the River Mersey.  The joint team finished a heart-breaking 35-hundredths of a second behind first placed Everton in The Community, but the real winners were Claire House Children’s Hospice, after the event raised £35,000.

The event, which attracted 200 contestants, was sponsored by Anchor Group Services, with each team raising a minimum of £750 in sponsorship.   Teams were made up from  businesses across the Liverpool City Region, including tenants, partners and suppliers of Peel L&P’s Liverpool Waters.

Team competed in crews of between seven and 13 people, with each team taking part in three timed races of 260m before the knockout stages began.

Vital Energi are delighted to be installing a new, lower-carbon type of district heating pipework on the Ebbw Vale heat network in a UK first.

All district heating has a protective outer coating to ensure longevity once it is buried underground, but on a new product called isonext, the outer casing is made from waste and remains of vegetable oil, refining processes or used cooking oil which is collected from industrial companies and restaurants.

Vital Energi has partnered with Sandwell and West Birmingham (SWB) NHS Trust to deliver a decarbonisation solution which will reduce the carbon footprint of Sandwell General Hospital by over 2,000 tonnes a year, as part of the Trust’s journey towards achieving net zero carbon emissions.

The project includes the installation of a 1MW air and water source heat pump system, which will significantly reduce the hospital’s reliance on fossil fuels by providing low carbon heating and cooling into the hospital.

Over 1,000 light fittings across the hospital are being upgraded to energy-efficient LEDs, which not only reduces energy consumption but also enhances the environment for patients and staff by improving lighting quality and comfort.

Vital Energi is also improving the energy efficiency of the hospital buildings by upgrading building fabric, windows, roofs, and pipework insulation, which will help prevent heat loss, reduce draughts, and lower overall energy bills, contributing to more sustainable buildings.

As a result of these combined measures, Sandwell General Hospital is expected to reduce its carbon emissions by 2,000 tonnes each year, which is the equivalent to taking nearly 2,000 petrol cars off the road a year.

The project received grant funding from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS), which is administered by Salix on behalf of the Government’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ).

Steve Black, Account Director at Vital Energi, said:

“We are delighted to be working with Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust to deliver this innovative energy solution, which not only supports the Trust’s commitment to reaching net zero but also helps create a more sustainable healthcare environment, and a more comfortable environment for patients, staff, and visitors. By combining renewable technologies with comprehensive energy conservation measures, we are demonstrating the tangible benefits of decarbonisation in healthcare settings.”

This partnership highlights Vital Energi’s commitment to delivering innovative energy solutions that drive sustainability in the healthcare sector, helping organisations meet their environmental goals while improving operational efficiency.

The project will be delivered through the Carbon and Energy Fund Framework, which has been specifically created to fund complex energy infrastructure upgrades for public sector organisations.