SEE Project
As part of the Sustainable Efficiency East (SEE) Project,
Bedford College has created a state-of-the-art low carbon
demonstration centre; Brundtland Building.
In 2009 the UK Government committed to cutting carbon emissions
by 80% by 2050. Buildings account for about 40% of carbon emissions
in the UK, and with about 1% of the existing building stock being
replaced by new-build each year, it is estimated that in 2050 some
70% of today’s buildings will still be in use. Thus our national
targets will only be met by improving the energy performance of
existing buildings.
Brundtland Building has been developed as a resource to showcase
the use of alternative energy technologies and energy efficiency
techniques in existing buildings. Guidance and support is provided
to businesses enabling them to maximise business opportunities in
the emerging low carbon economic sectors. Technology demonstrations
and a seminar/meeting space are also provided in the Brundtland
Sustainability Centre to support local sustainable community and
industry initiatives.
As well as improving the energy performance of the building, low
carbon technologies are also used to provide technology
installation and maintenance experience for individuals. Key
innovative and low impact design features of the building
include:
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High performance building fabric including solar control glazing
and providing additional insulation
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Intelligent controls to optimise system performance and minimise
energy use;
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River water cooling
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Photovoltaic solar panels
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Solar hot water collector
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Vertical axis wind turbine
- Rainwater harvesting.
Comfort levels within the building have substantially improved
through a focus on heating, cooling and lighting, creating an
enhanced learning and work environment. Upgrades have been made to
IT and disabled facilities, and a building energy management system
(BEMS) is used to monitor the building’s energy performance.
The project is contributing to economic and social
sustainability through a range of actions. Examples include:
On-site work experience provided to local construction
apprentices
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A meeting and seminar venue for local climate change groups
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Demonstrations, workshops and seminars for businesses
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A venue to deliver a first class realistic learning experience
for the Construction and Building Services trades.
The Sustainability Efficiency East Project aims to stimulate the
growth of a low carbon economy
across the East of England by supporting businesses in reducing
their costs and save energy. The project is led by Bedford College and the full
partnership consists of Cambridgeshire County
Council, Consign, Renewables East and
West Suffolk College.
The key objectives of the project are to:
- Deliver two regional centres of excellence in low carbon
innovation demonstrating new build and retro-fit technologies.
- Develop the supply chain in low
carbon economy through business support, expertise and capacity
for innovation.
- Deliver a communication strategy that raises awareness of the
need for low carbon technologies.
- Establish an innovative best practice model, enabling
reductions in the carbon
footprint of businesses whilst promoting enhanced economic
performance.
Support to businesses to reduce their costs and save energy is
available free of charge. For more information on the project and
how to obtain free business support, please contact
Richard Impey on (01234) 291900 or e-mail rimpey@bedford.ac.uk.
Find out about how the project is
helping Bedford College’s refurbishment of the Workshop Block to
become more environmentally friendly.