Member Article

H&V Shortlisting Puts Vital Energi in 7th Heaven

The University of St Andrews’ £20m Guardbridge Biomass Energy Centre has proven popular with awards judges in the energy sector recently and following on from its victory at the Scottish Green Energy Awards we are delighted to announce it has been named as a finalist at the H&V News Awards 2017.

The project has seen Vital Energi working in partnership with the University since spring 2015 to deliver their vision for a campus-wide, low carbon energy centre, which transformed the former Guardbridge Paper Mill into a state of the art energy centre which will form the heart of a new technology-focused business park.

The system will deliver over 6,000 tonnes of carbon reduction per year, which represents a 20% reduction in the University’s carbon footprint and a giant step towards their goal of becoming carbon neutral for energy usage.

This is the seventh time in three years one of our projects has made the shortlist at the H&V Awards and Regional Director Mike Cooke points to the client as main reason behind this project’s continued success, “St Andrews have a clear vision to become the UK’s first carbon neutral university and this project is the cornerstone of their plan, delivering massive carbon reductions.

“At every step of the process they have been eager to learn, keen to improve the design and dedicated to making the community part of the process, from on-going resident engagement, through to ensuring it created local jobs and opportunities for local people and businesses. We’re thrilled their hard work and dedication has been rewarded and wish them, and all the other nominees, good luck on the big night.”

The new biomass furnace, which can reach temperatures over 1000°C is fuelled by wood chip and heats hot water, which is transferred through a 23km, highly thermally efficient, district heating network to provide heat and hot water to the University’s North Haugh campus.

“The University’s Quaestor and Factor, Derek Watson said, “We take reducing our carbon footprint very seriously and the biomass boiler is a significant milestone for the University. Over the next few years, we are looking to identify innovative green energy companies to build a community at Eden Campus in Guardbridge that will help us reach our goal of becoming the first University in the UK to be carbon neutral for its energy usage”.

The H&V News Awards shortlist held more good news for Vital Energi when their 10-year-contribution to Royal Arsenal Riverside’s low-carbon energy strategy was listed in the District Heating Project of the year. Congratulations to Berkeley Homes and SSE who share the nomination with them!

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Gordon Coates .