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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.

On Thursday, 6th November, we partnered with CIBSE North-West to welcome specifiers, engineers, consultants, mechanical contractors, and university lecturers to our head office for the CIBSE-accredited CPD session: Introduction to Heat Networks and Heat Interface Units (HIUs).

The evening combined learning, great networking, and a behind-the-scenes look at the technical processes behind HIU manufacturing, testing, and operation. A huge thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to such an engaging event, and special recognition to Lance Colwyn, Glenn Harrison, and Ian Spencer for leading CPD session and the factory tour.

Why are CPD sessions important?

Events like these not only facilitate the sharing of knowledge and address the UK’s skills gap in building services engineering but also provide an excellent opportunity to connect with colleagues across the sector. Additionally, each attendee receives CPD credits, demonstrating active learning and professional development.

If you’d like us to deliver this CPD at your premises or at our state-of-the-art training facilities in Blackburn, please get in touch at: [email protected]

For more information on our CIBSE-accredited CPD session, please click here.

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 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.”

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.

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 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 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 working with York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust on a multi technology energy project which will see Bridlington Hospital on course to become one of the most sustainable NHS sites in the UK.

Vital Energi have installed air source heat pumps and solar PV systems to significantly reduce Bridlington Hospital’s carbon emissions. The energy efficiency of the hospital will be improved through the installation of energy conservation measures, including thermal insulation and modifying air handling units to reduce energy consumption. The energy project also includes the optimisation of the heating and hot water systems across the hospital estate which will both reduce energy usage and improve the performance of the new heat pumps.

Currently, the hospital’s heating and hot water is generated by 20-year-old gas fired boilers and a gas fired CHP system.  The project will see the CHP being de-commissioned and one of the boilers removed to make way for the installation of a 600kW air source heat pump system which will be capable of supplying 100% of the heating and hot water demand of the hospital.  When coupled with the new 750kWp solar PV system, the heat pumps will provide zero carbon heat generation at the hospital.

The solar PV system, which combines over 1,600 panels both ground and roof mounted, will be capable of supplying 100% of the electricity demand of the heat pumps, meaning at times 100% of the heat demand of the hospital will be met via a 100% renewable source.  The solar PV will also provide a proportion of the hospital’s electricity requirements too.

The hospital’s energy related carbon emissions will be reduced by over 50% compared to current operations, and as the national grid continues to decarbonise electricity generation, these savings will increase further.

Tunde Oyeledun, the Trust’s Energy Manager, said:

“I am excited to see the range of energy efficient solutions being delivered to advance the Trust’s position on its path to net zero and reinforce its commitment to achieving its carbon reduction target.”

The project received £4.7m 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. The funding was secured through the combined efforts of the Trust and Vital Energi teams working together to submit a complex application within an extremely challenging timeframe.

DESNZ, York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS 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.

Lee Podger, Client Relationship Manager with the CEF, said:

“The CEF has been working with the Trust for over eight years, initially with the procurement of new low carbon energy facilities at the Trust’s sites within York and Bridlington. The project at Bridlington is set to be a landmark scheme, which will provide valuable insight into how existing NHS estate can be transformed into efficient low carbon assets.”