Vital Energi Migration Prototyping

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  • Vital Energi to Deliver £17m Energy Infrastructure Package at Nine Elms

    Vital Energi to Deliver £17m Energy Infrastructure Package at Nine Elms

    

    Vital Energi Set to Deliver £17m Energy Infrastructure Package for Nine Elms Park

    Vital Energi have won the £17m contract to deliver the primary energy infrastructure package for the Greystar and Henderson Park, Nine Elms Park plots B and D development which will be situated on the former Royal Mail centre.

    The 14-acre development, which lays between Battersea & Vauxhall, south of the River Thames, will create a total of 894 rental homes in plots B and D with the addition of high spec amenity areas and retail units at ground floor. Each block will be served via their own district heating, chilled and water services plant and the development will be future proofed to enable easy connection to a wider district heating network in the future.

    Not only are Greystar and Henderson Park, with their delivery partner Telford Homes, creating much-needed, high quality rental housing in London, they are doing it with sustainability at its heart. The overall Nine Elms Park development will deliver a vibrant community with a school, retail units and community facilities and at full build out will deliver almost 2,000 new homes where they are needed. This will be a fantastic addition to the Vauxhall, Nine Elms and Battersea Regeneration Area (known as VNEB) and London in general and we look forward to beginning work on this exciting new development.

    Rob Callaghan, Regional Director at Vital Energi

    New build
    Related Work

    Vital Energi awarded £6.8m M&E Package on Phase 2 of Royal Warwick Square

    Vital Energi awarded £6.8m M&E Package on Phase 2 of Royal Warwick Square

  • MEEF Funds Water Source Heat Pumps Supporting Southwark’s Green Recovery

    

    MEEF Funds Heat Pumps Supporting Southwark’s Green Energy Recovery

    The Mayor of London’s Energy Efficiency Fund (‘MEEF’), managed by Amber Fund Management Limited (‘Amber’), has provided £7 million to the London Borough of Southwark (‘Southwark’) to support a highly innovative project to provide low carbon heat to over two thousand homes in the borough. The MEEF finance provides for the installation of Water Source Heat Pumps (‘WSHP’), a renewable and energy efficient technology, to replace existing gas boilers in three housing estates within the borough.

    The project will extract heat from water that occurs naturally below ground using ‘open loop’ supplied Water Source Heat Pumps to increase the temperature and this heat is then fed into a heat network which supplies the heat direct to homes.

    When completed, the WSHP technology will become the primary heat source for the heat networks on the Consort, Newington and Wyndham housing estates supplying low carbon heat to 2,175 homes with no additional costs passed on to the residents. The project will save 1,774 tonnes of CO2e /annum, the equivalent of taking over 1,600 cars off the road, and it is expected to reduce energy usage by over 34% compared to the existing heating systems while also creating 3.4MW of renewable energy. The heat pumps will also make a positive contribution to local air quality by replacing the existing gas boilers, which emit harmful NOx and particulate matter.

    Southwark has procured Vital Energi a district energy specialist, to design, construct and operate the scheme. The project will support up to 45 new jobs with Vital Energi ensuring a number of these roles will be filled by apprentices from within the Borough.

    The scheme supports Southwark and the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, in their efforts to tackle the climate emergency. Low carbon district energy projects like this will have an important role to play in the Mayor’s ambitions to make London a zero-carbon city and support the capital’s green recovery.

    Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy, Shirley Rodrigues said: “Energy used to heat and power homes is responsible for around one third of the capital’s greenhouse gases, so low carbon heating solutions like this project have a crucial role in tackling the climate emergency and making London a zero carbon city by 2030. This is a fantastic example of how we can combine low carbon heat sources and heat networks to supply homes with green and affordable heat. The project also supports the Mayor’s ambition for a green and prosperous recovery, creating the jobs and skills of the future for Londoners and supporting the industries that are crucial to meeting our city’s climate targets.”

    We’re delighted to be introducing this innovative new technology to help improve local air quality and provide reliable, cost effective heating for the people living on our estates. Working with Vital Energi and with finance from the Mayor’s Fund, this decarbonised heating system takes us another step towards carbon neutrality and promises benefits for many local families.

    Cllr Kieron Williams , Cabinet Member for Housing Management

    Pete Radford, Investment Director, Amber Infrastructure, said: “This is MEEF’s first investment in Water Source Heat pumps. With the recent extension of the RHI we hope to support further innovative heat pump projects which contribute towards the much required decarbonisation of heat.”

    Rob Callaghan, Vital Energi, said: “We are proud to be part of such an important project in helping Southwark, London and the UK Government towards our collective goal of a greener, low carbon future. With district heating being technology agnostic, we are able to upgrade the central energy production technology to low carbon sources, in this case Water Source Heat Pumps and with that, using the heat network we can decarbonise 2,175 connected homes.”

    Urban networks
  • A green future for Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

    A green future for Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

    

    Vital Energi shapes a green future for Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

    Vital Energi are working with Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to reduce their carbon footprint by 1,700 tonnes through the installation of a range of energy solutions which provide guaranteed savings in excess of £750,000 per year.

    Both Cheltenham General Hospital and Gloucestershire Royal Hospital will secure a sustainable future through the installation of renewable generation and energy conservation measures across their sites, whilst also benefitting from improved energy supply resilience.

    Vital Energi supported the Trust through their PSDS application, from which they obtained £13.7m of grant funding which will support the implementation of a range of low carbon energy generation systems at both hospitals, including 4MW of battery energy storage systems, 400kW of air source heat pumps and 380kW of solar PV systems.

    Vital Energi will also implement a range of Energy Conservation Measures (ECMs) across the two hospital estates, including full replacement of the BEMS systems, installation of voltage optimisation systems, replacement of high voltage transformers, replacement of forced-draught fan units with low-energy fan systems (EC Fans), and thermal insulation solutions.

    The integration of battery energy storage systems will include the installation of a local smart grid system at the hospitals, which will enable the Trust to operate both the new and existing energy systems to maximise carbon reduction whilst minimising impact on revenue costs and also enable to uptake of off-site low carbon generation systems.

    “We are delighted to be working with Vital Energi to deliver some key environmental upgrades to our hospitals. Climate change presents a profound and growing threat to people’s health and not only will these exciting projects deliver on carbon savings, but it will also help to contribute to a healthier community.”

    Deborah Lee, Chief Executive , Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

    Steve Black, Vital’s Account Director who developed and led the project, said:

    “Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is committed to reducing its carbon emissions, and we’re delighted to be working with the Trust teams in developing and delivering low and zero carbon energy solutions.

    “The installation of the innovative multi-technology low-carbon solutions implemented under the first round of PSDS funding is a major step in reducing energy related carbon emissions and also provides a platform on which the Trust can build to achieve its net zero carbon goals in line with government targets.”

    Vital Energi has been working with Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust since 2014 when they entered into an 18-year energy performance contract (EPC).

  • New Energy Platform to Revolutionise Metering & Billing of Heat Networks

    New Energy Platform to Revolutionise Metering & Billing of Heat Networks

    

    New Energy Platform Set to Revolutionise Metering and Billing of Heat Networks

    A new smart energy app and portal that gives heat network customers greater control of their energy consumption and spend has today been launched by Vital Energi, helping service operators at one pilot project to reduce debt by 12.5% in under 6 months.

    Named Glass, the software gives heat network users the visibility and control to better manage their energy and allows users to top-up or pay their bills anytime, anywhere. Additionally, heat network operators can access energy consumption and financial data via a dedicated portal that allows them to better serve customers and optimise network performance.

    Housing associations, local authorities, developers and other service managers can view data across multiple sites as well as individual properties. This can help identify and proactively support residents by providing energy saving and payment advice to reduce debt and ensure bills are paid on time.

    Operators and service managers will be able to send payment reminder alerts and notifications to residents through the app to help aid their financial management, and recent pilot schemes have shown Glass has helped improve revenue collection by up to 44% within weeks of being implemented.

    Since 27th November of this year, the Government’s new Heat Metering & Billing Regulations has ensured that energy customers only pay for what they consume. Glass will give users and operators the ability to view real time consumption data and support operators in achieving compliance.

    Glass has been successfully trialled across four projects being delivered by Vital Energi, and it is currently working with residential rental company UNCLE to support over 200 properties as part of a £100million build-to-rent development at Wembley.

    From early next year, Glass will support 137 homes to manage and reduce their energy use at Peel L&P’s Liverpool Waters as part of a £5 billion regeneration project to transform the city’s northern docks. The project will provide heat both for homes and commercial space connected to Peel L&P’s Mersey Heat district heat network, with the potential for 9,000 homes to benefit from the software over the coming years.

    For more information about Glass, please click here.

    Ian Whitelock, Chief Executive Officer at Vital Energi, said: “Glass integrates our comprehensive district heating expertise and understanding into one user-friendly platform. We’ve already received strong initial feedback from our pilot projects and we’re confident that the app’s functionality is significantly greater than any similar tool in the market. We recognise that, more than ever, people need the ability to manage their energy use effectively, in a manner that is easy to understand and simple to use. For residents who use a pay-as-you-go and credit billing energy supply, the ability to review and pay bills instantly from home using a smart device or online portal is something we’re really proud of. The platform also delivers significant benefits to heat network operators, by providing greater data visibility that improves energy efficiency and reduces debt risk. Glass can be easily retrofitted to properties using our new vPort solution which makes previously difficult data, visible and accessible using modern communication.

    Ian Whitelock, Chief Executive Officer

    Further education
  • Vital Join the Ground Source Heat Pump Association

    Vital Join the Ground Source Heat Pump Association

    

    Vital Join the Ground Source Heat Pump Association

    We are pleased to announce our new membership of the Ground Source Heat Pump Association (GSHPA).

    The GSHPA was formed to drive forward quality, durability and customer outcomes in the industry by improving standards and the delivery of a technical compulsory professional development programme. Its aim is to provide the strongest possible sector support for the ground-source and water-source community, end-to-end, supply-chain to end-user.

    We took the decision to join the GSHPA as we believe these technologies will be a strong contributor to the UK’s carbon reduction journey and we expect they will continue to play an important role in legislation and regulations such as Building Regulations, Standard Assessment Procedure, Future Homes Standard and the GLA’s London Plan.

    As a company, we have been involved in promoting heat pumps in the UK market in ways ranging from advising the Government on overcoming the hurdles heat pump technology faced to undertaking feasibility studies to demonstrate their technical and commercial viability.  Most recently we are working to deliver the UK’s largest water source heat pump scheme at Queen’s Quay in Clydebank.

    We are looking forward to the year ahead, indeed, to the decade, when, in continuing to increase our levels of activity, working on behalf of our membership, and for the wider heat pump industry, we will promote and offer the only currently available and proven technology to decarbonise heating and cooling in the built environment

    Bean Beanland , GSHPA Chairman

    If you’d like to learn more about the GSHPA and the work they do then please click here: https://www.gshp.org.uk/

    Government estate
  • NHS Tayside’s Energy Scheme Sees Further Growth

    NHS Tayside’s Energy Scheme Sees Further Growth

    

    NHS Tayside’s Energy Scheme Sees Further Growth

    NHS Tayside’s 4MWe CHP energy scheme will see further growth with the connection of the refurbished Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and the new Children’s Theatre Suite (CTS) at Ninewells Hospital.

    The project will see us supply, install, commission, and set to work additional steam and CHP generated low temperature hot water pipework to enable the upgraded facilities to connect to the existing energy scheme that we installed in 2017. Additionally, we will be supplying and installing two 600kW plate heat exchangers into the new NICU/CTS plant room which will ensure the heat source water reaching the facilities is at the correct temperature, and installing a new 750 litre expansion vessel in the existing energy centre to manage the increase in energy demand.

    We originally completed upgrades to the existing infrastructure at Ninewells Hospital which saw substantial enhancements to the energy centre. Additionally, we implemented a range of energy conservation measures at Perth Royal Infirmary and Stracathro Hospital to reduce emissions further, along with replacing over 22,000 light sources to new energy efficient LEDs across all three sites in the largest ever lighting upgrade to take place in fully operational hospitals. This is all guaranteed in an energy performance contract which will save the Health Board £2.6m per year in energy costs for a period of 25 years, with the first year of operation saving an additional £498k and second year saving an additional £337k

    The new pipework will be adopted by Vital as an integral part of the existing system which we have been providing operation and maintenance services for since its completion in 2017. By connecting the new facilities to the existing system, the capital costs are significantly reduced for the Health Board’s latest development as there is no need to purchase energy generation equipment

    John Runniff, Vital’s Account Development Manager

    The new facilities are part of a multi-phase project which will see the construction of a modern CTS comprising pre-assessment/waiting area, two operating theatres and a 10-bed ward; a refurbished NICU and the completion of the first phase of enhancement and resilience improvements to the existing high and low voltage electricity supply distribution systems.

    We are expected to finish our works on site by April 2020.

    Healthcare
  • Vital Supports Road to Heat Meter Regulation Compliance

    Vital Supports Road to Heat Meter Regulation Compliance

    

    Vital Supports Road to Heat Meter Regulation Compliance

    The revised Heat Network (Metering and Billing) Regulations came into force on the 27th November which affect organisations that manage properties which are supplied with heat from a communal source, via a hot water heating system. The regulations will place a burden on Housing Associations and Property Managers to ensure operators of eligible properties provide individual metering and billing for their occupants.

    The underlying principle of the regulations is that people are billed for what they actually consume. Individual billing provides greater visibility and control over their energy usage and costs.

    Failure to comply with the regulations puts the operator at risk of fines for non-compliance. The level of fine is set by an adjudicator and can be for up to 100% of the cost of installing the compliant solution.

    We can help and support operators to take the steps to understand their liabilities and develop solutions to achieve compliance.

    This will include;

    • Helping to define the classification of housing stock and the related liability
    • Carrying out detailed surveys and cost-effective assessments
    • Identifying technology solutions tailored to the client requirements
    • Full project and delivery management
    • Provide options for flexible financing solutions that remove the capex burden from the client organisation.

    The road to regulatory compliance is a two-stage process. After the 27th November Housing Associations, Property Managers and building operators will only have a year to review the classification of their housing stock and notify the OPSS (Office of Product and Safety Standards) by November 27th, 2021. This means that housing operators need to identify and determine whether their properties are classified as viable, exempt or open class, followed by completing the viability assessment tool for any properties within the “Open Class” group.

    The BEIS viability tool will determine whether additional works would be cost effective, If the tool determines the works are not cost effective the property will be classified as exempt. Otherwise the property will be classified as exempt.

    The second stage towards compliance will require the owner or operator of the heat system to install heat meters, heat cost allocators or smart technology in all properties classified as “Open Class” by September 1sth 2022.

    We can work with you to provide:

    • Stock Classification Evaluation Support
    • Survey Support
    • Cost Effective Evaluations
    • Technology Appraisals
    • AMR Solution Development
    • Full Project Scope
    • Procurement Guidance
    • Project Financing
    • Project Delivery
    • Meter Management

    Our soon to be launched smart app technology, Glass, can reduce installation costs, giving residents visibility of their consumption while ensuring housing operators can easily reconcile their finances and debt burden – it is designed to provide an affordable  and effective solution to the issue of compliance.

    Further education
  • Plans approved for Liverpool energy centre

    Plans approved for Liverpool energy centre

    

    Energy Centre Liverpool

    Plans for an energy centre in Liverpool with renewable technologies to help provide low carbon heat and hot water to residents and businesses have been approved by Liverpool City Council yesterday(16 February).

    The Peel NRE facility between Great Howard Street and Sherwood Street is expected to save around 4,200 tonnes of carbon per year, this will be achieved through the primary use of water source heat pumps and thermal stores to provide heat to Peel NRE’s Mersey Heat district heat network.

    It includes plans for two 3MW water source heat pumps which would work on an ‘open loop’ system to take heat from water abstracted from the Leeds/Liverpool canal before pumping it back into the dock system.

    Two thermal stores capable of holding 260 cubic metres of hot water will also be installed alongside heat only gas boilers with a combined capacity of up to 40MW as a backup, and for use during times of peak demand.

    The energy centre will provide heat for up to 9,000 homes and 4 million sq ft of commercial space at Peel L&P’s Liverpool Waters development, it will also connect to other key developments in the area.  The project is part funded by the Merseyside Pension Fund.

    The Mersey Heat Network is a major part of Liverpool’s developing low-carbon infrastructure and Peel NRE receiving planning permission for this new facility is fantastic news. The energy centre will be instrumental, not only to the network’s immediate success connecting new developments, but also to its continued expansion. The project has been future proofed with the capability to connect to existing city centre buildings, so that it can meet the long-term decarbonisation goals of Liverpool.

    Mike Cooke , Vital Energi Managing Director, North & Scotland

    This new facility will use renewable technologies as the main energy source to generate heat for the Mersey Heat network and connect homes and offices to low carbon heat and hot water. We’re pleased to receive planning permission for the energy centre to help meet national and regional climate emergency targets and we will explore options to decarbonise the network further as and when new technology develops.

    Jonathan Burley, Peel NRE Commercial Director

  • Vital Welcome Two More Apprentices

    Vital Welcome Two More Apprentices

    

    Vital Welcome Two More Apprentices

    We have a long-standing commitment to supporting apprenticeships and we are delighted to continue this tradition with the appointment of two new recruits based in London

    Dylan Hodges will start his new role by joining the site team on the Royal Warwick Square project in Kensington, having previously worked in labouring and maintenance.

    Nathan Crick will be supporting our Mechanical Fit Out Supervisor working on the West End Gate project in Marylebone and is joining us straight from school and at 16 is our youngest ever apprenticeship recruit.

    Their involvement on these schemes will allow Dylan and Nathan to gain practical experience and knowledge of heat network projects, whilst studying Level 3 Plumbing at College.

    The apprentices of today are the skilled workforce and leaders of tomorrow and we’re delighted to give these two enthusiastic people an opportunity. We will now put them alongside some of the most experienced and knowledgeable people in the industry and ensure they get the support and experience they need to achieve their full attention

    James Guyatt, MEP Fit Out Manager, Vital Energi

    Further education
  • St Edward Awards Vital Additional M&E Work on Kensington Development

    St Edward Awards Vital Additional M&E Work on Kensington Development

    

    St Edward Awards Vital Additional M&E Work on Upcoming Kensington Development

    Our involvement with the energy scheme at Berkeley St Edward’s Royal Warwick Square has developed as we have been awarded the £8.9m contract to provide the complete mechanical and electrical infrastructure for two residential blocks and the leisure suite.

    The work will see us complete the entire shell and core build out for 127 apartments, leisure facilities including a gym and pool, and the double basement car park, and involves installation of the low temperature hot water, chilled water, boosted cold water and low voltage distribution systems from the basement plant rooms to each apartment. We will also be installing all domestic hot and cold water services and heating and cooling systems to each property, the leisure suite and communal areas.

    Each apartment will also benefit from the installation of their own heat interface unit (HIU) to distribute the heating and cooling supply to each property

    This is the second project we have worked on at Royal Warwick Square after we won the scheme to expand the existing energy centre to cater for additional demand from 6 new residential blocks, which has seen us install two boilers, a 210 kWe CHP engine and a new chilled plant room, along with low temperature hot water, chilled water and low voltage connections to the blocks. Our knowledge and experience of the site has put us in the best possible position to successfully deliver the comprehensive mechanical and electrical infrastructure for two of the blocks to ensure they are ready for client handover.

    Rob Callaghan, Regional Director for the South

    Royal Warwick Square is a collection of 1, 2 and 3 bedroom properties with private leisure facilities in the Royal Borough of Chelsea and Kensington.

    Work for the additional phase is expected to be complete by February 2021.

    Urban networks