Retrofit upgrade saves college £100 k a year
A major upgrade to energy efficiency at the Shoreditch campus of Hackney Community College will pay for itself in just over 2.5 years. It includes converting 4900 lamps to LEDs, as well as implementing boiler optimisation controls and specialist insulation — supplied and installed by Energys Group.
College facilities manager John Hunt earmarked a major lighting upgrade to be undertaken first. Energys’ business-development manager Raj Gunasekaran provided some figures, as explained by John Hunt: ‘Raj showed us predicted annual energy savings of £70 000, which was a pretty persuasive argument.’
Energys also guided the college on applying for assistance from the Salix College Energy Fund. There were two rounds of application. The first was for the lighting. The second was for additional energy-efficiency projects — including boiler optimisation and valve wraps that were also carried out by Energys.
Of particular note was the conversion of 335 fluorescent tubes to LEDs in the sports hall. Energys also helped the college achieve the optimum colour temperature and glare.
The return on investment for the lighting schemes is predicted to be 2.8 years.
The installation of boiler optimisers on 35 boilers in 18 plant rooms was estimated to save £18 000 a year, with a return on investment of 2.5 years.
Installing Valve Wrap insulation covers was predicted to save £10 000 a year, with a payback of 2.5 years.
There is a good chance that the DECs (Display Energy Certificate) for each building may be improved from E to B.
