Vattenfall Heat UK and Midlothian Council, under their joint venture Midlothian Energy Ltd (MEL), appointed FES as the principal contractor to design and build the low-carbon heating Energy Centre and District Heating Network for Shawfair New Town. The development, situated just outside of the eastern boundary of Edinburgh, forms part of MEL’s five-year business plan to supply heat to over 3,000 households at Shawfair Town.
Project Highlights
- 3,000 new homes, three schools, commercial and retail space.
- Expected to save over 2,500 tonnes of CO2 per year.
- Each storage unit weighed 15 tonnes an dwas 11 metres high.
- Over £1,000 raised for local charity.
- Delivered on budget and on time.
Sustainability
This project exemplifies how sustainability can be incorporated into every aspect of design and build. The heat network source involves energy from waste captured from the Millerhill Recycling and Energy Recovery Centre. Water quality is maintained with chemical-free corrosion control, ensuring sustainability and environmental friendliness.
The initial phase of the project is set to save over 2,500 tonnes of CO2 per year. Thats the equivalent of taking 1,200 cars off the road.
Challenges
The new Energy Centre site was above a former mine shaft, utilising land that could not be used otherwise. FES and Vattenfall faced challenges, but they brought in specialist subcontractors to remediate the ground and monitor the ground gases.
The logistics of moving the thermal storage units into place was also a challenge. Each storage unit weighed 15 tonnes, was 11 metres high and 3.2 metres in diameter. This required a complex tandem crane to lift them into position for installation on site.
Working in Partnership
A collaborative approach was adopted for this project to ensure that there was a full understanding of the client’s aspirations. This approach facilitated complete transparency around the challenges that needed to be overcome.
Design reviews were held regularly and numerous safety studies were carried out as part of the design process which included the client’s operations and engineering teams.
Community Benefit
The project provided opportunities for a range of local apprentices covering all disciplines: mechanical, electrical, fabric and civils. FES also became a main sponsor of the Heat Network Suite with Vattenfall, which is a space for training and community engagement for heat networks at the Energy Training Academy.
There was also an opportunity to talk to local Midlothian schools to highlight the role of construction and the opportunities for various employment routes into the Energy industry. The FES team also supported local organisations and took part in the Edinburgh Half Marathon, raising over £1,000 for a local charity.
“I would like to thank the FES team for the successful delivery of this project which, despite the challenges, was delivered on budget, on time and, most importantly, safely. It has been a pleasure to work with FES on this project and I look forward to our ongoing relationship.”
Mark Street
Senior Project Manager for Vattenfall UK
“Shawfair was a fantastic opportunity to put our skills into practice on a project that will benefit the local community and also deliver heat in a sustainable way. The partnership approach that FES and Vattenfall encouraged, created a strong working relationship and allowed us to collectively overcome any of the potential obstacles we encountered in the design, build, installation and commissioning of the site.”
James Reid
Operations Director – Energy, for FES Support Services (proudly OCS)
