New £2.5m deal signed to deliver early works for the onshore cable installation scope of the Norfolk Offshore Wind Zone Early works will help provide greater certainty in construction and help deliver the project more efficiently Boost for local economy and supply chain businesses In a major step forward for
Vital Energi, the UK’s leading innovator in efficient energy solutions, has been awarded the Energy Centre contract for phase 3 of Berkeley Homes North East London’s Woodberry Down development. Located next to Finsbury Park, the £3.1 million contract requires Vital Energi to design and build the Centre. Because the Energy
UK Power Networks Services will complete electrical infrastructure upgrades to allow a new fleet of trains to operate on the Piccadilly line and improve reliability and service frequency. The project – which began in June 2022 and is scheduled to finish in June 2025 – will see UK Power Networks
UK Power Networks and National Grid are collaborating to provide the electrical infrastructure that will power thousands of new homes, business growth, and jobs in Biggleswade. The project is part of Central Bedfordshire Council’s initiative to support planned housing growth of around 3,000 homes to the east of the town.
• National Grid’s Tunnel Boring Machine completes almost 7km journey across South London • 140-tonne machine travelled at depths of up to 50m from Hurst to Eltham • Key moment for £1 billion project to rewire London and prepare it for future electricity demands National Grid team members were celebrating
The Government has committed to hydrogen heating for UK homes in a landmark speech by one of the key ministers responsible for energy strategy. In a debate on the potential for hydrogen and a new HyNet Hydrogen Village trial at Whitby near Ellesmere Port, which is running alongside the Hy4Heat
Researchers at Queen’s University Belfast will play an integral role in a new £7.7m collaborative project, aiming to change how important parts of the UK’s infrastructure are monitored and maintained. Healthy infrastructure, which includes bridges, telecom masts and wind turbines, is critical to ensuring the continued functionality and growth of
Following the Queen’s speech delivered today, leading energy trade association, the not-for-profit Energy and Utilities Alliance (EUA), has declared the time has come for the Government to deliver on the many promises made by Ministers around the hydrogen economy. Mike Foster, CEO of EUA, said: “We welcome an Energy Bill
Dunore Utility Connections, a UK-wide utility and connectivity startup, has achieved rapid growth in the nine-months since launch thanks to the disruptive thinking of its founders. In July 2021, two industry veterans, Tim Carroll and Jon Newsham joined forces to challenge the traditional working practices and standards that have “long
Speaking on World Earth Day, Baxi calls emissions reduction an “important step forward” Baxi’s carbon emissions[1] last year were 35 per cent lower than they were two years ago, the company’s sustainability report will say when it is published next week. The biggest reason for this reduction was the decision
New £2.5m deal signed to deliver early works for the onshore cable installation scope of the Norfolk Offshore Wind Zone Early works will help provide greater certainty in construction and help deliver the project more efficiently Boost for local economy and supply chain businesses In a major step forward for delivery of the Norfolk Offshore Wind Zone, J. Murphy & Sons, the leading specialist engineering and construction company has been awarded a £2.5m contract with Vattenfall to deliver early works for the onshore cable installation scope of the project. J. Murphy & Sons is also preferred bidder for the future construction works contract. J. Murphy & Sons early works will include site investigations and design optimisation activities, for example topology surveys, boreholes and small trial pits along the cable route to further understand ground conditions. Design optimisation provides greater certainty in construction requirements to allow a more efficient delivery of the project, with a focus on sustainable design through the use of innovation and minimising materials and programme. This is the first phase of Vattenfall’s extensive works to turn East Anglia into a powerhouse of renewable energy and is essential to ensure that future work onshore progresses as efficiently as possible. Working with local businesses and communities is an essential part of delivering the Norfolk Offshore Wind Zone. Alongside Vattenfall’s drive to deliver their ambitious supply chain and skills and employment plans, J. Murphy & Sons will be engaging with local contractors and businesses during this period, seeking their support in delivering the works. They will also be working with local colleges to find young people who are keen and available to work in the sector, delivering one of the largest offshore wind zones in the world. Rob Anderson, Project Director of Vattenfall’s Norfolk Zone, said: “We’re taking the project into the next phase so we’re delighted to have J. Murphy & Sons on board, helping us to deliver the Norfolk Offshore Wind Zone. Their expertise will be invaluable, as will their focus on boosting the local economy by supporting jobs and growth in the region.” Andy Ingram, Operations Director for J. Murphy & Sons said: “The award of the early contractor involvement contract marks the next step of our journey with Vattenfall, the local supply chain and wider community in delivering this essential piece of green energy infrastructure. We are delighted to bring our expertise and experience to the project and play our part in developing sustainable and secure energy sources for the UK market”.
Vital Energi, the UK’s leading innovator in efficient energy solutions, has been awarded the Energy Centre contract for phase 3 of Berkeley Homes North East London’s Woodberry Down development. Located next to Finsbury Park, the £3.1 million contract requires Vital Energi to design and build the Centre. Because the Energy Centre will be a double height space (9m high) located adjacent to the basement and ground floor levels, plant deliveries will need complex engineering, including a specialist movement company and temporary works design. “We have worked closely with Vital Energi for over fifteen years and have established a fantastic working relationship with them over this time. Sustainability and energy efficiency are key pillars at Woodberry Down, and are at the forefront of everything we do. The introduction of the Energy Centre will play a huge part in our mission to reduce carbon emissions and will also lower energy costs for residents here,” commented David Barry, Operations Director at Berkeley Homes (North East London) Ltd. Vital Energi will install 800kW of air source heat pumps (ASHP) on the roofs of two blocks, which will extract heat from the air and supply heating and hot water to the development. Moreover, primary low-temperature heating system (LTHW) pipework will be installed within the Energy Centre, as well as distribution pipework which will run from the heat pump down to the energy centre, which when complete, will serve all 8 phases of the development. Three 1.5MW condensing boilers will be fitted within the new Energy Centre along with a Building Management System, as well as three 6.5m high 27,000 litre thermal stores. With work due to start at the end of August, Vital Energi is ready to provide all the right solutions for the project. Once complete, the company will also operate and maintain the Energy Centre for 2 years, to ensure all equipment is maintained to a high standard, and carry out planned and reactive services of the Energy Centre. Commenced in 2009, Berkeley is regenerating the neighbourhood in a 30-year project which will deliver over 5,500 mixed-tenure new homes. The development will be built over 8 phases, and will create a bustling community which is also home to 15 acres of landscaped parkland, 42 acres of open water, including a water sports and open water swimming reservoir, and the Woodberry Wetlands –a dedicated nature reserve cared for by the London Wildlife Trust. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction and Property News
UK Power Networks Services will complete electrical infrastructure upgrades to allow a new fleet of trains to operate on the Piccadilly line and improve reliability and service frequency. The project – which began in June 2022 and is scheduled to finish in June 2025 – will see UK Power Networks Services complete the design and construction works to upgrade several key electrical substations, and the installation of new electrical infrastructure, electrical control systems, and cables along key parts of the line. The initial framework contract runs for six years, with potential for two more. All this will increase electrical capacity to allow Transport for London (TfL) to launch a new fleet of air-conditioned modern trains with improved reliability, efficiency, and accessibility for passengers. Overall, the line upgrade will allow for a 23% uplift in peak capacity, with a train running on the line every 135 seconds at the busiest times from 2027. The announcement extends UK Power Networks Services’ longstanding portfolio on the London Underground. The infrastructure specialists have previously worked on several initiatives, including a major redevelopment at Liverpool Street as part of the Crossrail project, and 16 substation upgrades along the Metropolitan, Circle, Hammersmith & City, and District lines. The high voltage electrical upgrades will take place above and below ground at 21 electricity substations, with planned works at Cobourg Street, Manor House and Mansell Street. Electrical infrastructure benefits include the installation of new transformers, SCADA cabinets, an upgrade of the line’s cable network, and a host of structural improvements. Upgrades will be phased to minimise disruption for passengers, with the line scheduled to stay open throughout the project. Philip Heathcote, head of markets at UK Power Networks Services, said: We’re at our best when we partner with clients to make their long-term objectives a reality. Our teams are excited to bring their unique expertise to this long-term collaboration and add value though innovation, dedication, and a shared vision to make the London Underground more reliable for the future.
UK Power Networks and National Grid are collaborating to provide the electrical infrastructure that will power thousands of new homes, business growth, and jobs in Biggleswade. The project is part of Central Bedfordshire Council’s initiative to support planned housing growth of around 3,000 homes to the east of the town. A traditional ‘breaking the ground’ event marked work starting on National Grid’s 400kV substation and UK Power Networks’ new grid substation, that will increase power capacity in Biggleswade and help the community move towards a low carbon economy. UK Power Networks and National Grid looked into various technology solutions to deliver the extra 80 megawatts of power required. This detailed assessment included reinforcing existing infrastructure and providing power from other existing substations. These options were discounted because they either failed to meet the power requirements or presented significant and unnecessary engineering and cost difficulties. The National Grid compound for a 400kV substation will measure approximately 150 metres by 130 metres and have a maximum height of 15 metres to connect to the existing overhead power lines. The UK Power Networks compound (Biggleswade East Grid), will have a footprint of approximately 180 metres by 100 metres and a maximum height of nine metres. UK Power Networks project manager Geraint Hancock said: “The start of construction on site is a significant milestone to achieve and is the culmination of 18 months’ of design, surveys, studies and extensive consultation. We have designed a scheme with National Grid that will make the electricity network for Biggleswade fit for the future. Construction works will take around three years to complete with energisation planned in the winter of 2024.” Mark Beasley project director for National Grid said: “We invest around £1 billion each year in the electricity transmission system, delivering the fastest decarbonising electricity network in the world with world-class reliability. We are delighted to be a part of this project, connecting and increasing power capacity to Biggleswade, supporting investment in the town and enabling a secure supply of electricity to the area for the decades to come.” Councillor Richard Wenham, leader of Central Bedfordshire Council, said: “This new electricity substation will meet the growing energy needs of the local community and provide the essential power to support new homes, business opportunities, and jobs. “As we look to do our bit for the planet, and as more people shift to electric vehicles or clean energy to heat their homes, the new substation will help support the important sustainability agenda.” The Council secured £70million of government funding via Homes England Housing Infrastructure Fund for a number of schemes, including this power project.
• National Grid’s Tunnel Boring Machine completes almost 7km journey across South London • 140-tonne machine travelled at depths of up to 50m from Hurst to Eltham • Key moment for £1 billion project to rewire London and prepare it for future electricity demands National Grid team members were celebrating a landmark moment for the London Power Tunnels (LPT) project this week (21st June), as the first of five drives by four tunnel boring machines (TBMs) was completed at Eltham. The 140-tonne TBM, named ‘Christine’ after Christine Townley, the former Executive Director of the Construction Youth Trust, known for her championing of diversity and STEM careers, began its journey at the LPT site in Hurst in July of last year. In total, it has travelled 6.7km underneath London, reaching depths of up to 50m underground in the process. The completion of the drive represents a key moment for the £1 billion project to rewire London and prepare it for future electricity demands as the city continues to grow. LPT will also help provide crucial infrastructure for helping the UK energy sector to reach net-zero targets. Members of the LPT project team gathered at the Eltham site to witness this major milestone and celebrate their achievement. National Grid’s three other TBMs, “Edith”, “Grace”, and “Caroline” continue their tunnelling work deep underground across sites in South London. Speaking at the breakthrough, Gareth Burden, Project Director, London Power Tunnels, National Grid, said: “The completion of Christine’s journey from Hurst to Eltham represents a significant milestone for all of us working on London Power Tunnels today. After close to a year of tunnelling, it is exciting to see the first connection between sites. The team has worked so hard to make this happen, in the face of tough ground conditions.Thanks to HMJV, our engineers, fitters, miners and all else involved. A special thanks also goes to the JGL gangs who put in some hard yards down in the tunnel. It’s great to take a moment to celebrate with them all today and see so many flags and kits proudly on display. LPT is a crucial infrastructure project that will ensure people living in Eltham and Londoners more widely can continue to access safe and reliable electricity supplies. LPT is currently under-budget and on time. The project is part of National Grid’s continued investment across the network – connecting, expanding and maintaining through projects such as Hinkley Connection Project, a £900 million investment to connect low carbon energy to six million homes in the South West. It also has a planned series of investments along the East Coast of England to deliver on the government’s target of 50GW of offshore wind generation by 2030. For more information about the LPT project, please visit National Grid’s project website www.londonpowertunnels.co.uk
The Government has committed to hydrogen heating for UK homes in a landmark speech by one of the key ministers responsible for energy strategy. In a debate on the potential for hydrogen and a new HyNet Hydrogen Village trial at Whitby near Ellesmere Port, which is running alongside the Hy4Heat programme, the Rt Hon George Freeman, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, welcomed the trials as a vital first step towards gathering the necessary evidence for a wider roll-out. “We want to make sure that the trials lay the foundation for a wider nationwide roll-out.” He continued: “The BEIS-funded Hy4Heat programme has shown that the use of 100% hydrogen can be made as safe as natural gas when used for heating and cooking in the types of houses that were studied.” “[The trials] are designed to provide the Government with the necessary evidence to take big strategic decisions on heating within a matter of two or three years. I know the ambition that colleagues have shared today to go further and faster is shared by the Secretary of State, The Minister for Energy and the Prime Minister. It is not lack of political will that is holding us back.” Responding to the Minister’s comments, Mike Foster, Chief Executive of the Energy and Utilities Alliance (EUA), commented: “The government’s endorsement of a hydrogen future using our world-class gas distribution network is a tribute to the hard work of the heating industry in developing hydrogen technologies.” Mr Foster also praised the commitment of boiler manufacturers to provide hydrogen boilers at no greater cost than current technologies – a commitment that was brokered by the EUA. “The Big Four boiler manufacturers price promise was noted by BEIS and has proven to be a decisive factor in the government’s commitment to a hydrogen future. The benefits for the climate, consumers and the heating industry have been made very clear and the government has responded.” He continued: “This is also very good news for the UK’s installer base, whose knowledge and expertise will be needed to roll-out the installation of hydrogen boilers across the UK. I am glad that the EUA’s representations to government about the importance of having a ready-made workforce, skilled in the installation of gas technologies, has won the argument.” Building Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction & Property News
Researchers at Queen’s University Belfast will play an integral role in a new £7.7m collaborative project, aiming to change how important parts of the UK’s infrastructure are monitored and maintained. Healthy infrastructure, which includes bridges, telecom masts and wind turbines, is critical to ensuring the continued functionality and growth of UK society and the economy. Unfortunately, monitoring and maintaining the buildings and transport network is expensive. In the UK, a backlog of maintenance works, which were identified in 2019, will cost £6.7 billion. With bridges, inspection is usually carried out visually by human experts. However, resources are stretched, so mistakes can be made. In a few extreme cases structural failure can result in fatalities. Collapse is not the only problem; extreme weather events driven by climate change can also test the performance of infrastructure beyond its limits. The offshore wind (OW) sector is another area for concern. OW has driven down energy costs and increased power output, pioneering a global change to clean energy. The UK leads globally in OW energy, providing almost one third of the UK’s annual electricity demand and helping meet the UK’s net-zero-by-2050 target. The drive for turbines in deeper water demands new ways of asset management, controlling and limiting operation/maintenance lifetime costs. As turbines increase in numbers, size, and capacity, these issues become even more important. To address the challenge and come up with innovative solutions, Queen’s University experts have joined a collaborative team of researchers and will work with the University of Sheffield, University of Cambridge and the University of Exeter, as well as key industry partners, including Northern Ireland’s Department for Infrastructure, Translink, Arqiva, Cellnex (UK) and Siemens Gamesa. The ROSEHIPS (Revolutionising Operational Safety and Economy for High-value Infrastructure using Population-based SHM) project aims to solve the infrastructure asset management problem in the UK for maintaining our infrastructure, such as bridges, via transformative new research to automate health monitoring. Instead of expensive scheduled inspections, diagnoses can be provided economically by permanently-installed sensors, collecting structural data continuously and interpreting it via computer algorithms. The researchers from Queen’s will focus on developing novel sensing – this will be customised for infrastructure and will help to overcome obstacles to the real-world implementation of the research. The project brings together expertise on bridge structural health monitoring from Dr David Hester and Professor Su Taylor from the School of Natural and Built Environment at Queen’s and sensor and embedded AI expertise from Professor Roger Woods in the School of Electronics, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. Dr David Hester comments: “Our initial work developing innovative sensing solutions and our considerable body of bridge monitoring experience has provided a critical practical platform for this project. Through cutting-edge research, experts at Queen’s are continuing to develop solutions to real world problems on our doorstop, which has a positive impact right across the globe.” Professor Keith Worden, from the University of Sheffield’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, says: “Population-Based Structural Health Monitoring is a game-changing idea, emerging in the UK very recently. It has the potential to overcome current technological barriers and transform our ability to automatically infer the condition of a structure, or a network of structures, from sensor data.” Professor Gerard Hamill, Head of the School of Natural and Built Environment at Queen’s, said: “Queen’s University has a strong track record of undertaking world-class research applied to the solution of practical engineering problems. This project has the potential to radically change how we undertake structural health monitoring, with direct application to infrastructure in Northern Ireland through our links with asset stakeholders.” The EPSRC project will extend and exploit Population Based Structural Health Monitoring (PBSHM), which allows data from one structure, where its state is known, to be used to make inferences about another structure. The project will also develop machine learning, sensing and digital twin technology for automated inference of health for structures in operation now, and drive new standards for safer, greener structures in future. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction and Property News
Following the Queen’s speech delivered today, leading energy trade association, the not-for-profit Energy and Utilities Alliance (EUA), has declared the time has come for the Government to deliver on the many promises made by Ministers around the hydrogen economy. Mike Foster, CEO of EUA, said: “We welcome an Energy Bill designed to promote Carbon Capture and Storage and help deliver large scale hydrogen heating trials. This puts consumers at the heart of decarbonising homes in the UK, giving people the choice between the relevant technologies – heat pumps, heat networks and hydrogen gas boilers. The latter will involve no additional upfront costs to the consumer and minimal levels of disruption and creates a secure energy supply free from the blood-stained hands of President Putin. “We need to hear details of the business model that will deliver UK domestic production of this zero-carbon wonder-fuel, and practical action to make sure every home that wants cheap, zero carbon gas for their boilers, cookers and fires gets it. “We need to urgently shift away from fossil fuel gas to hydrogen, using the world-class gas networks already underground to supply our homes and businesses. Now is not the time to consider re-wiring Britain; ripping out boilers to be replaced with £10 grand a time heat pumps would be a folly when clean gas is just around the corner. “From our recent research of 2000 UK consumers, the majority of Brits agree. Over three quarters (77.7%) of respondents saying they would support the UK generating and distributing alternative, low-carbon gas through the existing grid to replace the imports of natural gas from countries such as Qatar and Russia. An overwhelming 82% also believed the government should prioritise affordability in the development of renewable technologies for heating homes in the UK. There is a clear message that costly alternatives like heat pumps will not be favoured by households in this cost-of-living crisis. “Meanwhile, let’s also hear what the Government plan to do to keep bills down this winter. Massive investment in economically-viable energy efficiency schemes would be an entirely sensible step while the Energy Bill progresses through Parliament, creating the hydrogen future the Prime Minister and others have spoken about.”
Dunore Utility Connections, a UK-wide utility and connectivity startup, has achieved rapid growth in the nine-months since launch thanks to the disruptive thinking of its founders. In July 2021, two industry veterans, Tim Carroll and Jon Newsham joined forces to challenge the traditional working practices and standards that have “long plagued the utility industry”. In a short space of time, Northampton-based Dunore Utility Connections has developed a reputation as a trusted partner for construction and development companies who are faced with the challenge of navigating the complex maze of utilities. Together, Carroll and Newsham are renowned for their unrivalled knowledge, expertise and transparent working practices and have been helping businesses solve utility changes for more than 40 years combined. The demand for Carroll and Newsham’s expertise is evident in both their strong project pipeline and the month-on-month growth of incoming enquiries. Since its launch just nine months ago, the utility duo has appointed five new team members to meet the continuing client demand and to elevate its service. As a direct response to significant success in the North of England, Carroll and Newsham have appointed a new recruit, Liam Percy, as Project Manager who will lead operations in the region. Percy brings a wealth of industry experience, having managed utility projects across a range of sectors, including construction and food and beverage. With over 12 years working in the utilities industry, Percy has specialised in stakeholder management, supply chain management and application management, and is driven by finding solutions to complex projects for his clients. Percy has joined the team at Dunore Utility Connections from CNG Energy. Newsham, Director of Dunore Utility Connections, said: “Core to the sustainable growth of the consultancy has been challenging the complex rulebook that has long plagued the utility industry. We believe construction and development companies deserve a better quality of customer service than has been traditionally offered. It is no secret that utilities are inherently complex and in such a fragmented and disjointed industry, a single point of contact saves time, stress and unforeseen costs. Dunore Utility Connections exist to solve complex problems and that will always remain our guiding light.” Carroll, Director of Dunore Utility Connections, said: “We are proud to not just be surviving, but thriving in what has been a rapidly evolving and rocky time for the power and utilities sector. Construction and development projects are notoriously stressful due to the many moving parts and it is easy to let utility connections fall to the bottom of the list. We are here to make an arduous process simple for our clients and our agility, trusted supply chain and understanding of the market makes this achievable. “We are immensely proud of our ever-growing team who bring a wealth of multi-faceted expertise to the consultancy. We have expanded into a bigger office for the second time since launch to facilitate our future growth – in this new, hybrid working world, it is important we have a central hub for our team.” Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction and Property News
Speaking on World Earth Day, Baxi calls emissions reduction an “important step forward” Baxi’s carbon emissions[1] last year were 35 per cent lower than they were two years ago, the company’s sustainability report will say when it is published next week. The biggest reason for this reduction was the decision to buy electricity only from renewable sources. The company is targeting an annual five per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from its own operations from 2019 to 2030. This is in addition to a 30 per cent reduction in emissions in the supply chain producing the materials and components that go into its appliances, as well as the emissions produced ‘downstream’ by its products by 2030. The latest figures represent an important step in achieving that target, but the company says there is still much work to do. The company has recently changed its company car policy to electric/hybrid only and trialling the use of electric vans for use by its field engineers. Ian Robinson, Baxi HS&E and Quality Director, explains: “We’re working towards a sustainable future and the last year represents an important step forward in reducing the emissions from our own business. Even more importantly, we’re driving the energy transition with the aim of providing low carbon heating and hot water to customers across the UK & Ireland.” While there is still work to do, the figures represent an important step in achieving environmental goals. Baxi will report its progress on several other measures in its Sustainability Report. Having recycled nearly 99 per cent of its waste in 2021, Baxi is targeting a 50 per cent reduction in overall waste by 2025. By the same date, the company is aiming to ensure all of its packaging is recyclable, commencing with a pilot to replace difficult to recycle polystyrene packaging, with an alternative made from waste cardboard. Until now, more than 100 tonnes of Polystyrene have been used every year to protect Baxi appliances as they make their journey from the warehouse to the customer. Most goes to landfill, so Baxi’s trial of recycled packaging using cardboard pulp, aims to reduce the amount of packaging that ends up in landfill. Find out more by visiting www.baxiheating.co.uk
