2015

Greenfield was tasked (in partnership with BRE) to develop of an energy network masterplan, a detailed technical feasibility study, financial analysis and governance review for an energy network designed to connect a major MoD campus, a major government agency property, and, a proposed science park development.

In simple terms, the drivers that have led to consideration of a heat network are the need to limit future energy costs, to improve energy supply resilience and the desire to reduce carbon emissions for the site. The heat network system considered is proposed to connect the majority of the existing buildings, many of which have complex service needs (heating, cooling and air conditioning) together with new developments that will be built over the next five years or so.

In order to assess viability the following tasks were carried out in this study:

• Modelling of energy loads (carried out by BRE – all other tasks by Greenfield)
• Masterplanning of heat network options and development of outline plans for of a range of the heat network scenarios. This has had to considered non-typical construction costs, maximising ‘soft-dig’ and avoiding land contamination which is a significant constraint
• Conducting detailed energy and financial modelling to assess commercial viability, including the implementation of CHP which has not been implemented on an MOD campus previously. Tariff analysis is complex because energy is procured on MOD-wide contracts
• Examination of governance and funding options to account for operational security issues and constraints in capital funding which is influence by national government budgeting
• Examination of key risks (including developing a detailed risk register)
• Developing an outline implementation plan and key recommendations

Since completion of this initial work the Council won further HNDU support and Greenfield has been commissioned to refine project feasibility and develop an outline business case.