EDF Energy contributes £1m to fund energy efficient heating system in Manchester tower blocks
EDF Energy announced today that it is contributing £1million to fund energy efficient heating measures in three Manchester tower blocks, which were launched this week collectively as “Tribe.”
The funds will be put towards the installation of low carbon, biomass district heating systems across the 192 apartments. Biomass heating uses renewable energy sources, such as wood pellets, to generate heat or electricity.
Without this funding, building developers would have had to use an alternate heating method that would have been more costly for residents to run and less environmentally friendly.
Thanks to the installation of biomass heating systems, 27,000 tonnes of carbon will be saved and residents could save up to £880* per year on heating bills.
Nigel Rawlings, of Tribe Apartments Limited, who led the project on the ground, said:
“We were fortunate to benefit from an offer of £1m of Energy Company Obligation (ECO) funding from EDF Energy. Had we not received this, we may have had to install electric panel heating, which is significantly cheaper to install but far more costly for occupiers and substantially more damaging to the environment. Instead we have a district heating system that is both environmentally friendly and cost efficient. We estimate a lifetime saving of over 27,000 tonnes of carbon across all three Tribe blocks.
“Each block benefits from its own energy centre with a 400 kwh biomass boiler, a 12,000 litre thermal store and an electric emergency back-up facility. All 64 apartments in each block has its own efficient central heating system which is heated from the single boiler.
“We have installed a host of other green measures across all the three blocks including double and triple glazing, roof insulation, a rainscreen cladding system with substantial wall insulation, low energy lighting and smart meters. We are aiming to achieve an excellent, or possibly even outstanding, evaluation from BREEAM, the world's foremost environmental assessment method.”
Eric Salomon, Energy Field Services Director at EDF Energy, said:
“We are proud to be able to bring our ECO project funding to Manchester. Energy efficiency improvements such as these will make a significant difference to the lives of the local residents who will now be able to benefit from lower fuel bills and much warmer homes.”
The work is due for completion in July 2015.
EDF Energy is working on this project in conjunction with Ancoats Residential Holdings Ltd and Manchester City Council. We are committed to encouraging the uptake of low carbon technologies and is keen to work with other housing providers and local authorities on future energy efficiency plans. If you would like to discuss how you could work with EDF Energy please contact Susanna Salts at susanna.salts@edfenergy.com
For more information contact:
Steph AukstikalnisMedia Officer (Customers)
0207 752 2266
steph.aukstikalnis@edfenergy.com
Notes to editors
* According to Energy Savings Trust, a wood-fuelled biomass boiler could save you up to £880 a year compared to electric heating. Although the price of wood fuel varies considerably, it is often cheaper than other heating options. EDF Energy has funded wood-fuelled biomass heating systems within the Tribe building complex.
EDF Energy
EDF Energy is one of the UK’s largest energy companies and the largest producer of low-carbon electricity, producing around one-fifth of the nation's electricity from its nuclear power stations, wind farms, coal and gas power stations and combined heat and power plants. The company supplies gas and electricity to 6 million business and residential customer accounts and is the biggest supplier of electricity by volume in Great Britain.
EDF Energy’s safe and secure operation of its eight existing nuclear power stations at sites across the country makes it the UK’s largest generator of low carbon electricity. EDF Energy is also leading the UK's nuclear renaissance and has published plans to build four new nuclear plants, subject to the right investment framework.
These new plants could generate enough low carbon electricity for about 40% of Britain’s homes. They would make an important contribution to the UK’s future needs for clean, secure and affordable energy. The project is already creating business and job opportunities for British companies and workers.
Through Our Better Energy Ambitions, EDF Energy has developed one of the biggest environmental and social programmes of any British energy company.
In 2014 EDF Energy received seven ‘Big Ticks’ in the Business in the Community (BITC) Responsible Business Awards. In 2013 EDF Energy received the Environmental Leadership for Behavioural Change Award in the national Environment and Energy Awards and was highly commended in the first ever pan European Corporate Social Responsibility Awards scheme for its Sustainable Schools programme – the Pod.
EDF Energy is part of EDF Group, one of Europe’s largest power companies. The company employs around 15,000 people at locations across the UK.
Find out more about the UK's energy challenges and what we're doing to help us achieve Net Zero Britain.
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