Hills demonstrates eco experience at Eco-Centre

09 April, 2005

Symbolising the environmentally friendly credentials of Southport Eco-Centre is a 20 kVA wind turbine.

Environmentally friendly building services for Southport Eco-Centre installed by the Liverpool regional centre of Hills Mechanical & Electrical include the highly visible wind turbine with a maximum electrical output of 20 kVA. Excess output is fed to the National Grid through a 2-way panel. Designed for Sefton Borough Council by low-energy architect Cass Associates, the 80 x 30 m building houses a main concourse for passengers, reception, classroom, toilets, drivers’ lounge, Shopmobility centre and plant room. Space heating for everywhere but the main concourse of the building is by underfloor pipework fed with water warmed by subterranean rocks accessed via eight 20 m deep boreholes sunk around the perimeter of the building. Cooling in summer is by natural ventilation through high and low louvres, helped by the 250 mm concrete floor slab, which provides thermal mass to moderate internal temperatures. Domestic hot water is heated by roof-mounted solar panels, supplemented by a 6 kW electric calorifier. Rainwater collected from the roof is used to flush toilets, and lighting uses energy-efficient high-frequency dimmable fluorescent light sources and PIR Occupancy detectors.

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