aquaspira
Latest Issue
Issue 325 : Feb 2025

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AQUASPIRA DELIVERS SUSTAINABLE DRAINAGE SOLUTION FOR FLAGSHIP HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IN SUFFOLK

Aquaspira has successfully designed and delivered a sustainable solution to attenuate 910 cubic metres of storm water at a new 241-home development in Beccles, Suffolk. Aquaspira was handpicked by Hopkins Homes, the largest housing developer in East Anglia, to design and install a multi-leg tank, small and large diameter pipes under the roads with associated access units. The 500 metres of composite steel reinforced pipes will attenuate storm water and mitigate flood risk. Mark Wilkinson, Head of Technical from Hopkins Homes, said: “Aquaspira has worked with us on four or five developments and we asked our consulting engineers to specify Aquaspira at Barsham Vale because it would provide a lower carbon solution, minimise land take and reduce programme time. “An accredited and adoptable solution is vital and Aquaspira provides this, the added benefit is that the three metre sections of pipe help with the ease of installation.” The Barsham Vale development is in the picturesque market town of Beccles on the sought-after Suffolk and Norfolk border, just 10 miles from the Suffolk Heritage Coast. The development comprises of two, three and four-bedroomed homes, bungalows and apartments. The team was keen to minimise the impact of the construction on the existing local community. Due to the lightweight nature of the product, transport movements were halved compared to a traditional concrete solution. This, along with the reduced excavation, decreases vehicle emissions, helping to enhance construction site sustainability. Jonny Johnson from Aquaspira said: “This is an adoptable private housing project within Anglian Water. We were able to deliver the ideal solution, including a space saving multi-leg water attenuation tank, access points and a range of diameter pipes for under the road network. “We used composite steel reinforced pipes, including large diameter pipes, which along with the multi-leg tank can hold a vast amount of storm water under the new estate roads. This minimised the land take required for the SUDs and the safety issues associated with surface level storage. “As our products are far lighter weight than traditional concrete this more than halved the number of transport movements and depth required for installation. “We reviewed the soil conditions, depth and flotation to ensure the ground conditions were suitable. As part of the service we provide we produced loading calculations to BS 9295:2020 which confirmed that the products were suitable and adoptable for this application.” Dan West, director from Ingent Consulting Engineers, said: “Hopkins Homes requested Aquaspira was specified and I’ve been very impressed with the product and installation time. Lightweight and strong, the pipes can be handled more swiftly and safely, with much smaller machines and need about a quarter less excavation as well. “As a result, the Aquaspira solution has helped us to optimise the design, safety and installation efficiency of the development, as well as achieving minimal disruption for the local community. The installation ran smoothly and the environmental benefits offered by the products helped to ensure this was the perfect solution for this exclusive development.” The products used included: Under Road Drainage – 675mmØ, 750mmØ, 1200mmØ & 1800mmØ Pipes with 1200mm & 1800mm Access Units POS Attenuation Tank – 3-leg 1800mmØ Tank

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AQUASPIRA DELIVERS ECO FRIENDLY SOLUTION TO DALKEITH SOCIAL HOUSING PROJECT

Aquaspira has delivered an innovative sustainable drainage strategy, designed to reduce 315 cubic metres of excavation and saving around 20 days of construction time, at a new housing project which is underway in Dalkeith.  The Northwest drainage specialist was appointed by Cruden Building which is delivering the 79 home development at Morris Road in Newtongrange. The scheme will provide a mix of two-storey energy-efficient homes and cottage flats, supporting Midlothian Council’s Local Housing Strategy which is designed to deliver a high priority and cost-efficient contribution to the local housing supply. Mark Stanway from Aquaspira explains: “We were able to rethink the entire approach to construction of the drainage at this site. Seven concrete manholes were original specified each requiring a four metre wide excavation. “By using a strong, compact steel reinforced push-fit solution we were able to reduce the number of vehicle movements to site by 60%, as well as cutting the amount of bedding and backfill by half. “Our access units also reduced the installation of each manhole from an average of four days to around an hour, delivering dramatic cost and timing savings to the job, as well as providing a far more environmentally friendly and safer solution.” Land utilisation was maximised by using the ground beneath the estate roads for all of the stormwater storage, and a simplified, safer, and accelerated strategy used these UK-manufactured push-fit, large diameter pipes with access units as an alternative to concrete. The pipes were installed by GBSS Civils and Plant Hire Ltd, talking about the ease of installation, Andy Paterson from GBSS said: “The 1800mm and 1200mm pipes were much easier to handle and install than similar size concrete pipes which, together with the rapid, very simple fitting of the prefabricated Access Units, made a massive difference to the job” The solution was in-keeping with Midlothian Council’s drive to deliver modern high-quality homes which incorporate energy efficient components within the homes as well as through eco-friendly construction solutions such as this. Midlothian Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing Councillor Stephen Curran said: “This project demonstrates how innovative construction techniques can contribute to making developments more sustainable and are in line with the council’s commitment to be carbon neutral by 2030 as outlined in our Climate Change Strategy.”  Aquaspira is on a mission to deliver low carbon construction solutions. The Lancashire-based company has been investing extensively in research and development which has seen the use of recycled materials in its products increased, as well as using solar power in the manufacturing process. The company is working with the University of Birmingham to develop a digital twin to improve design and to investigate the use of recycled materials for backfill to further reduce carbon usage in the construction sector and use sensors in pipes for long-term monitoring and maintenance. This research can make a huge step-change in helping the construction sector achieve Government de-carbonisation targets. Aquaspira’s unique light weight composite pipe already reduces the number of vehicle movements and fuel consumption when compared to traditional concrete products. A significant advantage with the current shortage of haulage drivers. All of these innovations help utility companies, housebuilders and the wider infrastructure and construction sectors reduce their impact on the environment.

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SIX-FIGURE INVESTMENT MEANS CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY SUPPLIER IS ON TARGET FOR ZERO CARBON

Aquaspira, which specialises in producing large low carbon pipes for the construction, housing, utilities and infrastructure industries, has made further strides in its ambitious target to achieve zero carbon production by the end of the decade. A £45,000 investment has been made to switch to electric forklifts at its site in Nelson, Lancashire. AquaSpira will also start installing solar panels in November to generate electricity for the site, allowing the forklifts to be charged using renewable energy. AquaSpira Managing Director Neil Wallace explained: “We are investing in a series of initiatives to make our production process more environmentally friendly in line with our Research & Development innovations to de-carbonise through pipe design and sensors. This has included the use of recycled materials in our manufacturing, the installation of solar panels and reducing our road mileage. Investment must be based on a return on capital and while reducing our carbon footprint we can also be more competitive. “It’s all about making sensible decisions for the good of both our company and our workforce. Choosing electric forklifts will help us cut not only our carbon footprint but also our running costs. Due to their low energy consumption, the forklift trucks only need to be charged every couple of days. There are also no emissions so it is much safer for the team, especially on the factory floor. “This in-house work supports the huge strides we are making in helping housing and commercial developers and the transport industry considerably reduce their impact on the environment through their drainage specifications.” As well as supporting leaner and cleaner operations, electric trucks have the added benefit of being future-proof, given the impending end to red diesel subsidies that could see the running costs of diesel trucks soar. Aquaspira’s drive to achieve zero carbon production doesn’t stop there, a six-figure investment into Research and Development (R&D) is already paying dividends, with Aquaspira boasting its first drainage product using recycled material. A further significant investment has seen the delivery of a new research laboratory at its Nelson-based headquarters. The company is working in partnership with the University of Birmingham on its R&D to develop a digital twin to improve design and to investigate the use of recycled materials for backfill to reduce carbon usage in the construction sector. This research can make a huge step-change in helping the sector achieve Government de-carbonisation targets. The R&D is also looking at the use of sensors in pipes for long term monitoring and maintenance of systems which will contribute to the life cycle of the product Aquaspira’s unique light weight composite pipe already reduces the number of vehicle movements and fuel consumption when compared to traditional concrete products. A significant advantage with the current shortage of haulage drivers. Aquaspira is also on course to eliminate landfill waste from its North West site and is installing digital media to reduce road mileage. Overall the company believes that it is on target to save 126 tonnes per annum. Neil concludes: “We have been watching events at COP26 with interest and feel every company, whether large or small, has a role to play in reducing carbon consumption. We will continue to drive innovation, both in our products and the way we run our business, so we can help utility companies, housebuilders and the wider infrastructure and construction sectors reduce their impact on the environment.”

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DRAINAGE COMPANY SECURES SIX FIGURE GOVERNMENT GRANT FOR SUSTAINABLE INNOVATION

Aquaspira Ltd, has secured a six figure grant from Innovate UK (part of UK Research and Innovation) to explore ways to help the construction sector achieve Government de-carbonisation targets. The announcement comes as part of the UK Government’s unveiling of a multi-million pound investment to support businesses across the country pursue clean growth projects. The Sustainable Innovation Fund, delivered through Innovate UK, is a main part of the £1.25bn investment package announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak in April to help businesses innovate during the COVID-19 pandemic. Aquaspira, a specialist manufacturer of large diameter drainage pipes, will invest £44,000 to supplement the £174,000 grant and is set to work in partnership with the University of Birmingham which secured a further £51,000 to deliver the project. Together they, and the UKCRIC National Buried Infrastructure Facility, will develop a lower carbon smart pipe for sustainable large-scale buried infrastructure projects. The research has the potential to make a significant step-change in helping the construction sector achieve Government de-carbonisation targets. It will explore the use of recycled materials for storm and drainage water pipes and the backfill required for their installation, as well as incorporating innovative sensing equipment for long-term asset monitoring. Neil Wallace, Managing Director of Aquaspira Ltd, said: “As a business we have been looking for the silver linings to the COVID cloud. At this difficult time, the grant will help our business to continue to innovate, grow and create jobs in the North West.” “This provides an incredibly exciting opportunity for new innovation. The Government’s objective of carbon zero by 2050 cannot be achieved without a significant reduction in the use of concrete in the construction process. This grant provides an opportunity to enhance understanding of the alternatives and deliver an exemplar low-carbon solution. It’s undoubtedly a major milestone for the business and will generate significant opportunities for Aquaspira in the UK and a potential export market.” Professor Nigel Cassidy, Professor of Geotechnical Infrastructure Engineering at the University of Birmingham, said: “Innovation is at the heart of the nation’s recovery from the COVID epidemic and we are delighted to be partnered with Aquaspira in this exciting and innovative project.” “Not only will the research deliver low-carbon drainage solutions for the construction industry but the new monitoring technologies will be vital for the long-term assessment of climate change impacts on our built environment.” The Innovate UK grant has been awarded by The Sustainable Innovation Fund and is part of the Government’s initiative to regenerate the economy after the impact of the COVID pandemic. The grant will significantly accelerate Aquaspira’s research and lay the foundations for the future growth of the business and employment in the area. The research will also open up future avenues for new products that will contribute to increasing the efficiency of the UK economy. Speaking about the multi-million pound Sustainable Innovation Fund to support clean growth projects, Business Secretary Alok Sharma commented: “The UK’s response to coronavirus has demonstrated the very best of British ingenuity, and it is this resourcefulness that will help us navigate our way through this pandemic. “Today’s investment will ensure that our innovators and risk-takers can continue to scale up their ideas, helping the UK to build back better and ensure we meet our clear commitments on tackling climate change.” Executive chair of Innovate UK, Dr Ian Campbell, added: “Yet again we see the exciting range of business innovation taking place across the United Kingdom, despite these difficult times. “Every initiative we’ve supported here represents an important step forward in sustainable economic development, but also one step nearer dreams becoming reality for ambitious hard-working company owners and their staff.”

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