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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.

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.”

Vistry Group, the London Borough of Waltham Forest’s development partner for the Hepworth Place scheme in Walthamstow, has partnered with Vital Energi to deliver a long-term, sustainable energy solution for residents of the new development. Vistry Group is one of the UK’s leading providers of affordable mixed-tenure homes.

Set within the historic grounds of Walthamstow Town Hall and Fellowship Square, Hepworth Place will benefit from a 25-year Energy Services Company (ESCo) contract with Vital Energi, covering 433 homes, with 50 per cent being affordable in partnership with One Housing Group. The Fellowship Square development also includes commercial units, ensuring energy efficiency, cost savings, and a seamless customer experience for all residents.

Providing an energy system that is both sustainable and future-proof, Vital Energi will ensure that residents’ heating and hot water needs will be met through an advanced district heating system powered primarily by efficient air source heat pumps (ASHPs).

Vital Energi are working with NHS Forth Valley on a multi technology energy project across their estate to improve energy efficiency, reduce carbon emissions and support the delivery of the Board’s net-zero targets.

This work will include the installation of more thermally efficient glazing, roof mounted solar, insulation, LED lighting, BMS infrastructure and electric boilers.

Financial savings from these improvements are expecting to be around £59k each year and utilises a blend of energy conservation measures which are tailored to the Board’s shortlisted buildings. Lifetime carbon savings are anticipated as 1,595 tonnes of carbon dioxide and the scope developed in this phase creates a pathway for further carbon reduction solutions to be implemented in the future.

Kieran Walsh, Vital Energi’s Operations Manager (North & Scotland) said, “We have seen, from previous projects with the NHS that there is scope to provide innovation to the way Health Board’s generate and consume energy, reducing both their carbon footprint and energy bills. NHS Forth Valley is taking a significant step towards their net zero goals by harnessing a mixture of technologies that capitalise on energy and carbon reduction opportunities across their estate and we are delighted to be assisting them on their journey.”

Almost £2m of funding from the Green Public Sector Estate Decarbonisation Scheme* (GPSEDS) will be used to improve the energy efficiency across the 13 sites which represents over 12,000m² of building space.

This supports efforts to reduce maintenance and energy costs and contribute to the delivery of targets set out in NHS Scotland’s Climate Emergency & Sustainability Strategy.

Mr Derek Jarvie, NHS Forth Valley’s Head of Climate Change & Sustainability, said:

“Increasing the energy efficiency of local healthcare facilities across Forth Valley is a key priority as this will not only cut energy bills and generate income but will also help reduce carbon emissions.

“This work is just one of a wide range of initiatives underway to reduce waste, use more environmentally friendly products and deliver greener, more sustainable services in our efforts to achieve net zero emissions by 2040.

“The project will see Vital Energi install a range of energy conservation measures across thirteen of the Health Board’s buildings including the Airth Health Centre, Camelon Health Centre, Falkirk Community Hospital (Westfield Medical Practice and Woodlands Resource Centre), Slamannan Health Centre, Bannockburn Health Centre, Dunblane Health Centre, Orchard House Health Centre, Stirling Health and Care Village (Livilands Resource Centre), St Ninians Health Centre, Clackmannan Health Centre and Tullibody Health Centre.

“The works will also see improvements to greenspace around Stenhousemuir Health Centre funded by the contractor. This will support the health and wellbeing of staff on-site and people in the local community, as well as encouraging greater biodiversity.”

Vital Energi are working with York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to reduce the carbon footprint of York Teaching Hospital through the implementation of low-carbon energy solutions, helping the Trust work towards their goal of net zero by 2040.

As well as installing two 200kW air source heat pumps which will allow for zero carbon on-site energy generation, Vital Energi are helping the hospital site become more energy efficient through upgrades to the building fabric of the 3-storey Ward Block Building, which houses ward and clinical areas.

The existing fabric of the Ward Block Building, which was constructed in the 1970s, has poor thermal insulation properties and experiences significant heat loss through both the building fabric and glazing units, which results in higher energy consumption.

The building fabric upgrades have recently been implemented on the west elevation of the building, which has the greatest single external surface of the estate, totalling 2,520m2. The solution will reduce heat loss from the building, resulting in reduced heating bills and lower carbon emissions, as well as significantly improving the external aesthetics of the building, and patients and staff will benefit from increased natural light and improved ventilation.

With vast experience of working within a hospital environment, the Vital Energi team are working alongside hospital staff to ensure clinical services will be maintained during the fabric works and to also ensure optimal internal temperatures and air quality conditions will be maintained at all times.

Vital Energi’s Account Director, Steve Black, said:

“This is our second project at York Teaching Hospital, and we’re proud to be helping them make further strides towards their target of net zero emissions by 2040 through the installation of a range of energy solutions. The upgrades to the external façade and the windows of the ward block are almost complete, and not only has the energy efficiency of the building increased significantly, the upgrades have created a strong visual impact.”

The project received grant funding from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS), which is administered by Salix Finance on behalf of the Government’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), formally part of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, to replace old gas (oil and coal) powered heating and hot water systems with low carbon systems whilst reducing the heat requirement through energy efficiency measures such as increased insulation.

DESNZ, York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and Vital Energi are delivering the project through the Carbon and Energy Fund Framework, which has been specifically created to fund complex energy infrastructure upgrades for public sector organisations.

This is second project Vital Energi will implement at York Teaching Hospital. Back in 2016, they designed and retrofitted the hospital’s existing energy centre, and installed a range of energy conservation measures, guaranteeing the Trust savings in excess of £12m in energy costs and over 45,000 tonnes of carbon over the course of the 15-year contract.

Work is already well underway on site, and is expected to be complete by the autumn.

Vital Energi have been awarded the £11.5m design and build contract at Imperial College London, where they will de-steam the energy centre, saving 2,400 tonnes of carbon a year and accelerating the College’s journey to net zero by 2040.

Imperial College London is home to over 20,000 students and members of staff across many campuses, and as well as upgrading equipment within the existing energy centre at the South Kensington campus, Vital Energi will be decarbonising multiple campus buildings, including the Central Library, Biochemistry, Engineering, City Guilds building, and the Sherfield Building, which is one of the largest on site.

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

To make the campus more sustainable, Vital Energi will be replacing three 12MW steam generation boilers with 3 new 10MW efficient boilers, which will serve as the main source of heat generation in the Energy Centre. From these a primary circuit of Medium Heat Temperature Hot Water (MTHW) will be installed to three main plate heat exchangers which will serve the entire campus, and then feed into the multiple buildings and faculty facilities. Vital will design and install the Medium Temperature Hot Water (MTHW) and Low Temperature Hot Water (LTHW) network which distributes water around the campus.

Once the energy centre is complete, it will serve heating and hot water to the whole campus.

Work has already commenced with an aim to be completed by winter 2023.

More than 15,000 electricity generating solar panels are being installed at a new city solar farm to help power the whole of New Cross Hospital and save 1,450 tonnes of carbon a year.

The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, and project partners, including Vital Energi who is delivering the project, had to overcome a number of challenges, including badgers, methane, and anti-social behaviour, to prepare the brownfield site, which is more than 40 acres – the size of 22 football pitches.

The panels, which will all be installed by October, are part of a multi-million-pound investment, provided by Salix Finance, a government-funded body, to help power the hospital for three quarters of the year – around 288 days of self-generated renewable energy.

The new solar farm will save the Trust around £15 – 20m over the next 20 years which equates to around £1m a year, money which will be put back into frontline healthcare.

Salix Finance provided the Trust with nearly £10 million in 2021 and it recently received a further £33 million to carry out green energy works as part of the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS).

Rob Gray, Project Manager from the CEF, said:

“A lot of work has happened to get the site ready for the solar panels. Firstly, we had issues with the methane venting system, which is in place to release the gases from the waste material buried under the ground. Following surveys and an Environmental Agency inspection, the local authority undertook gas venting works and an additional drainage network was installed, to ensure water escaped correctly from the site to reduce standing water and flooding.

“Further to the surveys and clearing the land of trees, we also had to protect the badger setts on site by creating exclusion zones within the project for the badgers to continue to inhabit. Once the land was cleared, we installed 24-hour security.”

The solar panels will power the air source heat pumps that are being installed at the hospital by Vital Energi, along with other energy efficiency measures including steam trap replacements, pipework insulation, LED lighting, window replacements, and controls updates.

Work has also begun on the underground cabling which will connect the hospital to the solar farm.

Helen Brindle, National Account Manager at Vital Energi explained the challenges of installing the one and a half miles of private wire from the solar site across the highway, a canal bridge and a busy road junction to the hospital.

“The underground cabling has to be dug through fields and the local highway from the solar farm to the hospital,” said Helen. “This will take around four months to complete and will ensure a brand new clean, green energy source for the hospital.”

Jake Helliwell, from Salix Finance’s NHS team, added:

“Stew and the team at The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust are particularly determined to carry out these works to improve the energy supply of the hospital, reducing their bills in the process and freeing up resources to improve patient care. This project is particularly ambitious and time-pressured but the whole team’s energy, knowledge and passion has been invaluable in overcoming various challenges with delivery. Working with them has been an absolute pleasure.”

Vital Energi is proud to announce its commitment as a Gold Patron of Blackburn & Darwen Youth Zone. This partnership highlights Vital Energi’s dedication to supporting local communities and helping young people unlock their potential in the Blackburn and Darwen area.

As a Gold Patron, Vital Energi will help fund the Blackburn & Darwen Youth Zone’s, enabling the organisation to continue offering vital services and programmes to young people, including free membership, free entry and a free hot meal for all 5,000 members.

Blackburn & Darwen Youth Zone provides a safe and inspiring environment for young people aged 5 to 19 (and up to 25 through the Youth Hub), focusing on three key pillars: skills and aspirations, cohesion, and health and well-being.

“We are delighted to become a Gold Patron of Blackburn & Darwen Youth Zone,” said Gary Fielding, Chairman at Vital Energi. “

“We believe in investing in the future, which means supporting our community’s young people. Through this partnership, we hope to help create opportunities and share how the renewable energy sector can support in providing education for the young people of Blackburn and Darwen.”

Blackburn & Darwen Youth Zone plays a crucial role in the local community. It offers a wide range of activities and personal development programmes that empower young people to lead healthier, more fulfilled lives. With Vital Energi’s support, the Youth Zone will continue to provide these valuable services.

Vital Energi’s Gold Patron status reflects its broader environmental, social, and governance strategy, which focuses on contributing to sustainable, positive change in its communities. This partnership with Blackburn & Darwen Youth Zone aligns perfectly with their goal of empowering the next generation.

Following on from the launch of our successful Net Zero Apprenticeship Programme in 2021, we are delighted to welcome our second intake of apprentices to the Vital Energi family.

This year we were joined by another 12 apprentices who are based throughout the UK, meaning that apprentices now make up 6% of Vital Energi’s workforce.

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.