Assessing Biomass Feasibility

Demand Reduction Opportunities for Barony College

Introduction

Following on from the demand assessment this section aims to highlight certain opportunities for energy reduction which could be investigated further by Barony College. These are split into three different sections according to the part of the campus under consideration.

Kirkmichael House

The old eighteenth century manor house is a category B listed building¹ and therefore is subject to authorisation from the Dumfries & Galloway Local Authority for all works which affect the interior and exterior of the building². Therefore in this area options for demand reduction are limited. The building is stone walled and therefore can not be cavity filled. It’s listing category states that the windows must be ‘sash and case’ which rule out new glazing.

Since under floor insulation is in place the only remaining option is to increase the insulation present in the loft. There is likely to be an opportunity to do this since new insulation has not been added in the last fifteen years. Unwanted air infiltration should be highlighted and eliminated where possible.

The bedrooms situated in Kirkmichael House however are effectively heated 24/7 in the heating season since the offices are heated during the day while the students bedrooms are heated at night. There is no way to isolate the heating system to simply do one or the other.

Lessons could perhaps be gained from the Norton Park project in Edinburgh, also a grade B listed building, which received new double glazing, heating, lighting & ventilation systems (controlled via a BEMS), added insulation and solar heat recovery, for further information visit³.

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Modern Building

The modern building, which holds the teaching block, was constructed circa 1985 and will therefore be subject to the building regulations of that time which included insulation and energy conservation measures such as cavity wall and loft insulation. From conversation with Facilities Manager Pearl Edgar however several ‘hard to heat’ areas have been highlighted. These are high roofed areas such as the reception area and coffee bar.

The roof of the modern building also requires replacement since the slate utilised was of the wrong variety and is breaking/shifting, this causes exposed areas and air infiltration. The corridor/foyer lights are on 24/7 and cannot be turned off, however sensors are under consideration for the teaching block and corridors.

The modern accommodation blocks behind the teaching building could be suitable for further insulation in the loft space. This has been highlighted by the fact internal separator walls between bedrooms do not reach the ceiling i.e. there is an air gap between bedrooms. This also results in poor noise insulation.

There is a ventilation ‘air handling unit’ which serves the modern building. This is operated on a computer programme and its impacts on energy requirements are unknown.

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Future Building

Due to the lack of solid data as regards the proposed new building it has been excluded from the demand calculations. However, prior to construction some sustainable design considerations should be taken into account. It is far easier to limit demand at this stage than during any future refurbishment.

A well designed building will provide heat, light, shade and summertime ventilation. This will require assessment of the complexities of the internal/external environment (solar geometry, local climate) and built form. At the time of construction it should be aimed that thermal performance is 20-25% above current building regulations. Daylighting can be maximised through strategic sizing and placement of windows, while overheating could be avoided through overhangs. Significant thermal mass could also be incorporated into the building to store heat. Benchmark systems for sustainable design are available from the BSRIA and BRE⁴.

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Miscellaneous Observations

As summarised during the overview of the current heating system the current heating arrangement lacks controllability. The electric storage systems are controlled by an inflexible computer programme. The oil system is controlled by Pearl Edgar (Facilities Manager) via a timer and thermostat (20-21ºC in winter and 18ºC in summer). There is a loose heating system based around a switch on date after the October break. It is postulated that the greater controllability of the new system may inherently bring about savings through being more responsive.

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Assistance

The Carbon Trust could offer assistance in assessing demand through the ‘Higher Education Carbon Management Programme’, this initiative focuses on lowering emissions under the control of the university i.e. those associated with the academic, accommodation and leisure buildings. Support is given as regards savings opportunities, creating an emissions reduction plan, provision of analysis software and staff support. The aim of the ten month programme is to guide universities through a systematic analysis of their carbon footprint. Phase 2 of the programme starts in May 2007. More information is available at the Carbon Trust.

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Recommendations and Conclusions

From the above analysis the following recommendations are suggested for Barony College as regards demand reduction:-

• Investigate potential for increasing loft insulation in Kirkmichael House.
• Make contact with those involved in the Norton Park refurbishment as regards listing implications of their improvements.
• Review building lighting with a view to fitting control system campus wide.
• Address roof slating problems on modern building.
• Consider improved loft insulation within the back accommodation block.
• Implement sustainable design practices for future building.
• Empower students to take responsibility for their energy use i.e. awareness campaign.
• Implement a new heating policy to accompany new system i.e. defined heating seasons, standard thermostat settings, policy of auxiliary heating etc.

Although implementing the suggestions would lower demand; the cost of improvements would have to be assessed against improvements in energy performances. Due to the urgency with which Barony College wish to fit a new heating system, and therefore lack of time to implement and quantify savings, coupled with the financial burden associated with some of the measures it is assumed demand savings will be negligible and the size of the new system will be based on the initial observations based on the demand from the old system.

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Footnotes

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References

Historic Scotland, unknown. ‘Search for Listed Buildings’ . Edinburgh: Historic Scotland.
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/listedbuildings

Atkins, R., unknown. ‘Norton Park: Edinburgh’.
www.sustainableconstruction.co.uk/norton_park.htm

Edinburgh City Council, 2005. ‘Sustainable Design Guide.’ Edinburgh: Edinburgh City Council.

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