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It’s been a busy period for Vital Energi’s work-winning teams and the last three months have seen us win eight lots across seven frameworks with a combined value of over £3.5 billion.  This sees the total combined value of frameworks we sit on pass the £12.5 billion mark.

The frameworks we have been added to in December, January & February include:

• Procure Plus– Low and Zero Carbon Technologies £195m
• Procure Plus– Low and Zero Carbon Technologies £1.53bn
• Procurement for Housing Scotland EESSH2 Framework – £100m
• ETL – Energy Performance Contracting Framework – £500
• Go Neutral Smart Energy Framework Agreement – £160m
• Scotland Excel Energy Efficiency £800m
• Fusion 21 Decarbonisation Energy Efficiency Framework £250m
• Scottish Water Horizons £13.5m

Gemma Dyson, Proposals Manager explains, “We want to be able to help the widest range of organisations on their journey to net zero and this means we have to sit on a wide-range of frameworks to have access to bid on these projects. Frameworks also provide a vehicle for our clients to procure work quickly, as and when funding becomes available. The frameworks market has grown significantly in recent years and I think it’s a demonstration of the growth of the sector, and Vital Energi in particular, that we now sit on 28 frameworks and 11 dynamic purchasing systems.

“Whilst the value of the frameworks is impressive, the variety of technologies, sectors and specialisms we cover should be noted as it’s a great indicator of how we have grown our capabilities, knowledge and skills base over the last few years.”

The Mayor of Bedford Dave Hodgson and leader of the Liberal Democrats, Sir Ed Davey, MP were among a group who visited the Bedford Green Technology & Innovation Park project on 4^th of February to see how the site will be transformed from a former landfill site into a 21^st Century solar park.

The site at Elstow has undergone extensive remediation works to transform it into a green energy park with work now underway to install the council-owned solar farm which will generate over 4MW of zero carbon electricity for the grid.

Vital Energi are currently on site at the 30-hectare plot, installing the piles that will support the steel frames.  Once this work is complete, the installation of circa 8,000 panels will take place.

Scott Lutton, Vital Energi’s Operations Director – North & Scotland comments, “Playing a part in transforming this land from a former landfill site into a 21^st century zero-carbon energy park is extremely exciting and will make a significant contribution to Bedford Borough Council on their journey to net zero.  It is a great example of how to reclaim sites of this nature and turn them into something truly inspirational”.

The project will help the council meet their targets of becoming carbon neutral by 2030 and they were awarded more than £1.8m from the South East Midlands Enterprise Partnership (SEMLEP) Getting Building Fund towards the project.

Mayor Dave said “It was great to see the progress at the Bedford Green Technology & Innovation Park. This project will not just deliver green electricity but also encourage others to reduce carbon emissions and adopt innovative technologies”

Sir Ed added “I was delighted to be shown around the Park. I would like to congratulate Mayor Dave Hodgson and Bedford Borough on this hugely innovative project to deliver cheap, green, energy. The £2.3million from the Council along with £1.8million from the South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership (SEMLEP) show real investment in our future energy supply.”

Senior councillors have approved plans to invest £7.2 million extending the city’s flagship district heating network by 2500 metres so that more buildings can enjoy the benefits of reliable, affordable, and low carbon heating.

The £47 million Leeds PIPES network supplied 13,900 MWh of low carbon heat in 2021 and continues to grow. It is set to become one of the UK’s largest heat networks.

Five new extensions will see the Leeds PIPES district heating network expand into new areas of the city.

The council has identified at least nine sites that will be able to connect because of the approved extensions—potentially using another 11,600 MWh of sustainable heat every year.

By using heat and energy recovered from non-recyclable waste at the Recycling and Energy Recovery Facility (RERF) to provide hot water to buildings in the city, the network offers a reliable and significantly lower carbon alternative to traditional fossil fuel powered heating systems.

The scheme currently supplies heat recovered from the waste of approximately 10,700 Leeds households and helped cut the city’s carbon footprint by 2,000 tonnes in 2021.

Buildings and new developments located near the network can choose to connect at any time. Almost 2,000 homes, commercial and public buildings have already connected to the scheme.

The project has helped employ more than 430 people in the local low carbon sector including 36 apprentices.

Heating and powering buildings is responsible for around a quarter of the UK’s carbon emissions. In its Heat and Buildings Strategy published last year, the Government set out how low carbon heat networks will play an increasingly significant role as the country tackles climate change.

New regulations are expected to be introduced by 2025 which will give councils the power to require certain existing buildings and new developments to connect to networks in pre-defined zones. Leeds City Council is now working with government to test the methodology used to establish these zones.

Mike Cooke, Managing Director (North & Scotland) of Vital Energi, said:

“As a result of visionary investment and working collaboratively with partners, Leeds PIPES has very quickly established itself as one of the UK’s major heat networks.

“As the network continues to grow it becomes more efficient and accessible to potential connections, enabling the transition from fossil fuels to deliver more carbon savings and contribute to a cleaner, greener Leeds.”

A report to executive board with recommendations approved by councillors can be read online.

Peel NRE’s low carbon district heat network Mersey Heat has been awarded more than £6.2m in Government funding to investigate expanding the network to include Liverpool’s Three Graces buildings and surrounding properties at Pier Head.

The grant totalling £6,266,000 from the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) was made official recently in partnership with Triple Point Heat Networks Investment Management.

It will also help to fund one of two 3MW low-carbon heat pumps, the first of which will be water source heat pump at Peel NRE’s energy centre at Great Howard Street.

This new funding also enables Mersey Heat to undertake further feasibility studies to extend the network to the Pier Head and to be able to offer low carbon heat to the Grade I listed Royal Liver Building, the Grade II listed Cunard and Port of Liverpool buildings in partnership with the buildings’ owners.

The Grade II listed George’s Dock Building and the Museum of Liverpool which opened in 2011 will also be included in the designs for the heat network extension.

More than 2.5km of pipework for the 4.1km network has already been installed and when complete, Mersey Heat will provide low carbon heat and hot water to up to 9,000 homes and 4 million sq ft of commercial space at Peel L&P’s £5bn Liverpool Waters development and nearby buildings.

Apartments at the newly converted Tobacco Warehouse at Stanley Dock are already receiving heat from the network soon to be followed by The Titanic Hotel and Southern Warehouse and Liverpool Waters’ Princes Parade.

Construction work for Peel NRE’s energy centre to serve Mersey Heat is expected to start on site early 2022, housing low-carbon technology 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 capable of holding 260 cubic metres of hot water. Heat only gas boilers with up to a combined capacity of 40MW will act as a back up and for use during times of peak demand.

Marking another step forward in the government’s Clean Growth Strategy, the funding for Mersey Heat will come from the £320m Heat Networks Investment Project (HNIP) fund.

Jonathan Burley, Commercial Director at Peel NRE, part of Peel L&P, said: “Mersey Heat supports national and local targets to achieve net zero and we’re pleased to receive further funding to help roll-out the network on a larger scale.

“The addition of large historical buildings like the Three Graces would make a high-profile impact on reducing Liverpool’s carbon footprint and we look forward to working with the buildings’ owners and our district heat network specialists Ener-Vate to progress these designs and hopefully connect some of Liverpool’s most prestigious properties to our low carbon network.”

Ken Hunnisett, Project Director, Triple Point Heat Networks Investment Management commented: “We were delighted to offer funding to Peel NRE at the beginning of the HNIP journey and it’s a real pleasure to have been able to support its expansion some two years later.

“One of the benefits of heat networks is that they are able to extend and further decarbonise over time, and Mersey Heat is testament to that. It’s been a joy to work with Mersey Heat, Peel, Enervate and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and provide some of the funding to accelerate the team’s plans to decarbonise the area’s buildings – old and new – using heat pumps to draw renewable energy from the City’s iconic waterways.”

In September, Peel NRE confirmed plans to develop the next phase of the Mersey Heat network to link the existing infrastructure at Princes Parade at Liverpool Waters to Stanley Dock and the new energy centre.

Vital Energi is constructing the Mersey Heat on Peel NRE’s behalf.

Mike Cooke, Vital Energi’s Managing Director – North & Scotland added: “Both Liverpool City Council and Peel NRE have a firm commitment to achieving net zero and the announcement of this funding is important as it will enable them to take large strides to achieving this.  By collaborating with Vital Energi to embrace water source heat pumps, which are a renewable technology, and expanding the network to bring low-carbon heat and hot water to more customers, we can drastically reduce emissions and create a truly sustainable development which contributes to a cleaner, greener Liverpool.”

More information about Peel NRE’s work on district heat networks here.

The 3.75km district heating extension in Barking and Dagenham is not only helping to decarbonise the borough but is also bringing employment and training opportunities for local young people who want to join the “Green Workforce”.

Our most recent appointment sees Barking and Dagenham College student, Priscilla Boateng, join us on placement as a Trainee Site Manager. The placement is part of a social value agreement between Vital Energi and B&D Energy, (wholly owned by Barking and Dagenham Council), which will see us invest in local people and the local economy whilst delivering the project.

Vital Energi’s Managing Director – Heat Networks, Ashley Walsh, commented: “We’ve been working hard to create a greener borough through the installation of an extensive district heating network, and thanks to the council’s giving back initiative, we’re delighted to welcome local college student Priscilla on board, who will be a great asset to the team.”

Trainee Site Manager, Priscilla Boateng said, “I’m really grateful for the fantastic opportunity that Barking and Dagenham Council and Vital Energi have provided me with. I’m looking forward to working on a large-scale project close to home that will have a positive impact on the entire community through the decarbonisation of the borough.”

Vital Energi will also be appointing an apprentice on the project as part of their commitment to hire 20 apprentices in 2021 and further support the growth of the green economy

Councillor Cameron Geddes, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Social Housing, said: “I’m pleased to see the expansion of B&D Energy’s district heating network is now well underway. This is another fantastic step in our journey to becoming the green capital of the capital and demonstrates our commitment to decarbonising the borough for the benefit of local people. Not only does this support our vision for a greener borough for all, but it will also mean residents can benefit all round from this excellent work.”

When completed, the £10m heat network will connect 15 different sites, over 8,000 homes and deliver 12,000 tonnes of carbon reduction per annum.*  The heat network will be powered by a new energy centre which will house two 1.5MWe combined heat and power engines and 27MW of backup gas boilers which will provide added resilience as well as contributing during peak demand.

Vital Energi have signed a five-year deal with the North West Cambridge Development, providing over 1,000 Eddington residents with a revolutionary way to manage their energy use.

The first phase of the North West Cambridge Development, Eddington, has over 1,100 homes and has been designed with exemplary sustainability specifications to help support a healthy, active and environmentally conscious community.

The North West Cambridge Development has signed up to Glass, keen to encourage online account management in order to reduce paper billing, in line with their sustainability goals. Glass, Vital Energi’s new smart energy app and online portal, allows Eddington residents to access their utility accounts in a way that is easy and convenient for them.

Vital recently developed and launched Glass to give heat network users the visibility and control to better manage their energy use and payments, and it allows users to top-up or pay their bills anytime, anywhere. Using the built-in weather forecast, customers can also predict their future spend.

Glass also provides housing associations, local authorities, developers and other service managers with access to energy consumption and financial data via a dedicated portal. This will allow the North West Cambridge Development to better serve Eddington residents, optimise network performance and effectively reduce debt.

Warren Forsyth, Operations Director at Eddington, said: “We are delighted to have started working with Vital on the heat and estate service charge billing for all Eddington customers.  This will help us further develop and streamline Eddington’s utility billing to the benefit of our customers.”

Vital Energi has been working closely with North West Cambridge Development over the last seven years after supplying, designing and installing their district heating network, and taking over the operation and maintenance of their energy centre.

The Eddington energy centre generates heating and hot water for the homes at Eddington distributed via a district heating network rather than individual gas boilers in each property. This means for efficient use of resources, providing greener, more environmentally friendly heating, hot water and energy, which is a vital part of the sustainability strategy for the North West Cambridge Development.

Click here for more information about Glass.

The energy conservation measures delivered through the Non-Domestic Energy Efficiency (NDEE) framework for Dundee City Council have completed the measurement and verification phase and we are delighted to announce that they have met their financial and environmental targets, delivering 1,625 tonnes of carbon reduction and £466,330 in energy savings in its first full year of performance.

The works saw improvements made to some of Dundee Council’s highest energy consuming buildings including the Dundee Ice Arena, St Johns RC High School, Lochee Swim & Leisure and Dundee International Sports Arena.  Vital Energi’s engineers installed a range of energy conservation measures which include Solar PV, lighting improvements and upgrades to the heating, ventilation and cooling system.  Vital Energi worked closely with the Council to ensure all works were completed on programme and minimised disruption on the day to day operations of buildings

In addition to the environmental benefits, Vital Energi were able to work with Dundee City Council to conduct a range of tours of the St Andrews Biomass Energy Centre for local youths and visit local primary schools to teach the children about the importance of reducing carbon emissions which ended in a tour of a working plant room.

The energy saving measures are now saving over 4.5 million kilowatt hours each year and contributing to a cleaner, greener Dundee.

State of the art civil engineering techniques have been employed by Vital Energi to install district heating pipework 5.5 metres below the surface of Great Howard Street in Liverpool.

Using an innovative method, Vital Energi dug a 6 metre deep launch and receiver pit at either side of the key commuter route and then used a specialist hydraulic machine to bore the 32 metres between the two.  This allowed pipework for Peel NRE’s Mersey Heat district heating network to be installed without closing the road and avoiding significant disruption for the people of Liverpool.

Vital Energi’s Managing Director – Heat Networks, Ashley Walsh commented, “Due to the depth of the excavations an installation like this would normally close the road completely for approximately 15 weeks, which would have been disruptive for commuters and the people of Liverpool as it’s one of the main arteries into the city.  By utilising an innovative “pipejacking” method, we have managed to deliver a quality installation and keep the traffic moving, which was one of the core goals for us, Peel NRE and Liverpool City Council.”

This section of pipework is important as it will feed the Mersey Heat network from a new energy centre which gained planning permission last month, providing low-carbon heat and hot water for up to 9,000 homes and 4 million square foot of commercial space at Peel L&P’s £5bn Liverpool Waters development.

We opened our training academy to educate and train the green workforce of the future…

…so were delighted to welcome staff from the 107-year-old Duncan McInnes Ltd for a four day session designed to give them an introduction to district heating network design and installation.

The training programme saw them cover essential areas such as materials and equipment used, correct design, handling and storage of materials and correct welding techniques.

“We enjoy working with organisations such as Duncan McInnes Ltd who demonstrate a passion and pride in their work and a commitment to improving their skills. The company has a 100+ year history and it is fantastic to see them still striving to learn the newest skills and techniques. We are pleased that our Training Academy is playing a role in delivering these essential skills.”

Duncan McInnes, Operations Manager at Duncan McInnes Ltd, said:

“From initial discussions on District Heating networks, right the way through to undertaking training at Vital Energi’s state of the art training facility, we have been highly impressed by the professionalism and attention to detail shown by all at Vital Energi.”

“District Heating networks are becoming increasingly important in the drive toward a cleaner, greener future both locally and nationally, and we are delighted to have been asked to undertake training within the new, purpose built training academy at Vital Energi HQ in order to understand the processes behind the design and installation of the network system.”

The four-day course encompassed classroom and workshop-based training, as well as a day on a live Vital Energi project to give the trainees a well-rounded experience of district heating.

International Women in Engineering Day, which falls on Wednesday 23^rd June, raises the profile of women that work within engineering, celebrating the fantastic work they do, and highlighting the exciting career opportunities available.

We want to inspire and encourage more women to join the industry, so we chatted to female industry experts about how the world of engineering has changed, the opportunities for women and what you can expect if you follow in their footsteps. Find out what Ella Stokes (Group HR Manager for Vital Energi), Laura Rusholme MSc MCIOB (Head of Estates Projects for University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust), and Rachael Mills from SE2 consultancy, had to say!

Do you think now is a good time for women to join the engineering industry? And can you give some examples of why?

Ella – Never mind ‘should they join?’ and ‘is now the right time?’, this industry needs women, so my answer is (and always has been) yes, yes yes! We should always be open-minded and willing to enter into this challenging and diverse industry. There was always a hidden stigma that this is not our domain, but the world has changed and finally opened its eyes.  We have amazing skills, passion, confidence, empathy and ability to achieve the results required to succeed like anyone and everyone.
Laura – Now is a great time for women to join construction and engineering industries. You’ll find a diverse and creative environment, where no two days are the same. But there aren’t enough women considering roles in engineering, which is contributing to the overall skills shortage, so there isn’t a better time to join.
Rachael – My question is, when is it not a good time for women to join the engineering industry – or any other industry for that matter?  Women should see the opportunities in all sectors, depending on their personal skills and ambitions – and different sectors should make sure women are welcomed.  In some cases, this will mean a societal shift, but so much has already been achieved.  It requires women to stand up and follow their dreams – and for the door to be flung wide open to them.

What do you consider your biggest achievements in the industry?

Laura – As a chartered construction project manager, I have led a number of multi-disciplined projects. My biggest achievement has been as a client-side project manager delivering a combined heat and power with district heating facility project, of which Vital were our Contractor. I quickly built relationships with Vital and Trust colleagues, working collaboratively to successfully deliver this project.
Rachael – I’m a people person, so my biggest achievements is when there is collaboration, when we work together to create something bigger than the parts – when there’s a net sum gain.  The District Heating Divas is an example of that – it’s an informal networking group for women working in every aspect of heat networks.  It’s all done freely and is the most supportive group I’ve ever been involved with, especially while we’ve all variously been locked down over the last year or so.  We each use the groups as much or as little as we want to, for everything from making business contacts and asking technical questions, to mentoring and personal development.
Ella – My biggest achievement is the development and growth of the people around me, not only directly linked with me but within the business and industry as a whole. I came into this industry during my placement year at university, when Vital had less than 25 people – 19 years on, I’m still going strong with this amazing company which now has over 525 employees. I feel incredibly proud to be part of this growth and success. We don’t hold back; we push to make a difference, and I love the values and all of our desires to succeed!

What changes have you seen regarding women in engineering during your career?

Rachael – Well, there’s more of them for a start!  I’m always super impressed with the young, smart women I see joining the sector now.  They have purposefully chosen engineering and they’re setting about to make it work for them – and that sometimes means breaking boundaries and being outspoken.  Diversity can only be a good thing, regardless of the circumstances, and it’s something that engineering as a whole will benefit from.
Laura – The number of women in industry is still relatively low. Levelling the playing field is making sure that an environment is created where everyone feels comfortable and supported to take on any responsibility no matter your age, race or gender. Focussing on all workers with the same amount of respect. I have found, working with Vital on the CHP and DH project, that whilst equality, diversity and inclusion is something many organisations are having to put a lot of effort into cultivating, an inclusive and respectful attitude is innately Vital.

Who and what has inspired you during your time in the industry?

Rachael – Unsurprisingly, other women!  I am inspired by passionate people.  People who want things to work well.  People who try to look at problems from a different angle and then do something about it.  People who are willing to share their knowledge, expertise and time.  There’s lots of them out there – I feel very lucky!
Laura – I have spent the majority of my career working in construction and estates industries, and what continues to inspire me is the camaraderie between project teams. I attribute this largely to the fact that projects are complex and multi-disciplined, which drives the need for the team to respect one another so that everyone feels comfortable to speak up and voice their opinion, allowing all the different disciplines, diverse experiences and backgrounds to effectively work together openly and honestly to deliver safely.
Ella – The people! I have experienced many different walks of life, each with their own personality and traits; some have been compatible to mine, others have been different. However, each and every one of them has inspired and influenced me, showing and teaching me the type of person I aspire to be. The strong characters, from my Board of Directors, team members and colleagues all have differing opinions, which in turn have enhanced my resilience and improved my communication skills to allow me to work coherently and effectively with all. I love the fact that regardless of the differing views and opinions, we all have the same goals… we want to succeed! To do this, I have learnt we have to all work together, to compromise and be trusting of others and their judgements in paramount.

What do you think the value of events like Women In Engineering are?

Laura – They remind women and society as a whole that a career in a typically male-dominated industry is absolutely a career that they can pursue and succeed in. It is a time to reflect and celebrate how far women have come and be thankful for being born in a generation where opportunities for women to accomplish and achieve what they want from life are the greatest they have ever been, whilst acknowledging challenges women still face.
Rachael – It puts women in the spotlight and gives organisations an opportunity to shine a spotlight on what they’re doing and what still needs to be done – and it gives women a voice.  However, it shouldn’t just be one week – we need this embedding 365 days of the year!
Ella – It is a positive promotion of a driven and inspiring message. It shows that no matter what your skillset, gender, race, there are opportunities for everyone. The stigma of this industry being a male-dominant world needs to be eradicated. This should not just occur at this time, the message should start being communicated to all from a young age, with organisations encouraging and promoting women into our industry all year round!

What advice would you give to young women considering a career in engineering?

Laura – Go for it, it is a rewarding career. Society is changing and it is apparent that younger generations expect a lot more from their leaders. Organisations are certainly aware of this and are driven to ensure they are engendering a just culture, which is inclusive for all. We’ve already come a long way, if you decide this is a career for you, you could be part of a journey where hopefully one day, future generations of women would see it as the social norm to consider a career in construction and engineering industries.
Rachael – Do something that you love – something that interests and maybe even excites you.  And if that’s engineering, then go for it!  There’s lots of great, supportive networks out there – find others in your tribe to swap stories and get support from.  Many people will happily give their time to help you on your journey – sometimes you just need to ask
Ella – Take the plunge… It will be worth it! I am not going to lie, like anything in life, there will always be difficult and trying times that we have to face but by joining this world, you will be making positive active steps in making a difference. The rewards, desire to achieve and development of skills showing the younger generations (including our daughters and nieces don’t forget) what they can accomplish, will be amazing and guess what, you will be a part of that!

Whatever stage of your career you’re at, if you’re interested in taking a step into the world of engineering, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us by emailing [email protected].