Responsive mobilisation and smooth delivery

This university is one of the global top major university’s, ranking known for its extensive and complex campus infrastructure, consisting of modern research labs, historic academic buildings, and advanced teaching facilities. Spread across multiple campuses in London, its buildings support a diverse range of disciplines, requiring sophisticated energy management and building systems to meet high standards for sustainability and operational efficiency.

When SSE was awarded a new maintenance support service contract, they anticipated that TUPE (Transfer of Undertakings Protection of Employment) might apply, meaning employees from the incumbent supplier could transfer to their team. To prepare, SSE gathered initial employee data and developed a flexible mobilisation plan with built in contingency to ensure a complete SSE team would be ready from day one, regardless of TUPE outcomes. This incorporated a detailed onboarding process for any transferring employees, including safety training, technical introductions, and an overview of company procedures and benefits. Each transferred employee also received a Personal Development Plan (PDP), in line with our standard procedures, to support their induction into the business. This approach enabled SSE to ensure a smooth, uninterrupted transition and maintain high service quality from day one - the start.

Challenges

Expedited Timeframes

From initial engagement with the client to the shortlist, site visits and tender submission, these steps was given shorter amounts of time than typical prospects projects.

Preparation and Flexibility

Anticipating TUPE implications, SSE consulted their HR specialists, gathered employee data from the incumbent supplier, and developed a mobilisation plan ensuring a complete SSE team would be ready from day one, regardless of the number of employees transferring.

Fluid Mobilisation Plan

When transferring staff, uncertainties regarding employee numbers, plans, and salary packages, coupled with strict deadlines, presented significant challenges.

Comprehensive Onboarding

Transferring employees received onboarding with safety training, company orientation, technical support, HR benefits, and Personal Development Plans (PDPs) for seamless integration and service continuity.

Service and Support

The University, located in the North East of England and boasts a striking blend of historic and modern architecture.

From the iconic red-brick arches of its to the sleek glass facades, the campus harmoniously reflects its rich academic heritage and innovative spirit.

SSE Partnership

SSE has been working in partnership with the University’s Maintenance and Energy Teams for over 30 years. Throughout this period, we have optimised our clients BEMS performance and as a result, maximised the buildings performance and energy savings working collaboratively with the University. This has been achieved via a combination of onsite support and remote monitoring; and assistance.

Scope of Works

Onsite BEMS Support

SSE has been providing dedicated onsite support for University's Building Energy Management Systems (BEMS). This includes routine maintenance, troubleshooting, and ensuring that the systems are running optimally.

BEMS Projects Ongoing

Continually improving the University’s BEMS through upgrading projects with the strategy to enhance the operational efficiency.

Energy Work

Ongoing support for the University's energy efficiency initiatives are carried out by working on energy-focused projects that align with the institution's sustainability goals.

Remote Support

The University also take part in SSEs remote technical support services, ensuring prompt assistance and issue resolution when onsite visits are not required.

Benefits

Carbon Reduction towards Net Zero

Demand led strategies are employed to optimise plant and equipment operations to reduce energy waste and lower carbon emissions.

Continuous Monitoring

With SSE as the service and project deliverer, monitoring of equipment and knowledge of the site allows for the fastest reaction to breakdown and insight on the next important decarbonisation solution.

Remote Benefits

Remote ppm activities creates a bespoke report prior to a scheduled on site visit thus allowing our Engineer to proactively maximising the efficiency of the planned onsite visit. This approach means reduced operational costs, on site efficiencies and reduction of carbon emissions related to travel.

Customer Testimonial

"SSE was able to apply the exceptions automatically saving our team time on every occasion that it is utilised, and reducing the university’s consumption of electricity, gas and associated carbon emissions."

Energy Manager, University Estate Support Service

Driving efficiency and innovation

A member of the Russell-Group, the prestigious university is dedicated to enhancing student experience and academic excellence. As part of its continuous expansion and modernization efforts, the university BMS estates department engaged SSE to upgrade the legacy Satchwell Sigma system to the advanced Siemens Desigo CC relating to 20 x Colleges, Teaching Facilities and various campuses.

Approach The complexity of meeting the diverse requirements across sites various buildings necessitated a thorough and tailored approach. Each building within the scope was subjected to meticulous examination, comprehensive surveys, and detailed analysis to ensure that the specific needs were effectively addressed.

Key Upgrades A series of critical upgrades were implemented, including enhancements to the control systems of fume cupboards, smart windows, ventilation systems, variable air volume (VAV) systems, and kitchen extractor fan controls. These upgrades have significantly improved energy efficiency across the campus, with the fume cupboards within one building alone delivering annual savings of up to £30,000.

“We appreciate your thoroughness and due diligence in your examination of the buildings existing BMS system and bringing these deficiencies/concerns to our attention”

Head of Engineering Services

4 Steps to Decarbonisation: identifying and removing energy waste

This Institute is a multi-disciplinary research centre, completed in 2013 replacing a 1960s style precast clad concrete frame building. On completion the building was awarded a BREEAM rating of ‘Excellent’ in part due to the technologies deployed to reduce its energy impact, including the introduction of a combined heat and power unit; solar shading, and heat recovery from a University central computing services data centre located in the basement.

As part of the University’s vision of continuing the strive to understand the performance of their building stock, improve energy efficiency and to decarbonise, the institute building was chosen for SSE to undertake an ISO 52120 assessment to review and analyse the existing building control strategies.

Through the assessment, which is a fundamental element of SSE’s “4 Steps to Decarbonisation” proposition, opportunities were identified to improve heating and air ventilation control strategies, which included:

• Bringing the low temperature hot water boiler control into the existing BMS
• Adding passive infrared sensors to fan coil units to enable them to operate only when needed, and
• The installation of CO₂ sensors to terminal units to reduce the amount of fresh air needed to be provided by the main AHU fans The result of these changes in building control strategy will uplift the building rate from a C to an A/B under the ISO 52120 assessment benchmark and provide an 8% reduction in energy consumption; a reduction of 224tCO₂e per annum (gas and electricity) and £109K in energy cost savings per annum; which provides the University with an energy reduction project offering a payback period of less than 1 year.

Supporting smart decarbonisation and grid independence

The client is an education charity that operates a network of over 55 academy schools and growing in south-east England, many of which are in areas with high levels of socio-economic disadvantage,  with an aim to provide exceptional education for the children they serve.

SSE are supporting the federation to decarbonise their estate of academies. At the South East London site we have achieved energy reduction and decarbonisation, and significant cost savings through installation and integration of:

Solar PV systems and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS)

• Air Source Heat Pumps and energy efficient boilers
• LED lighting and controls
• Enhanced Building Energy Management Systems to manage these energy conservation measures

These measures combined create a behind the meter microgrid, which is unique to the building, and is a cost-effective solution developed by simulating energy usage with a digital twin. The BESS element of the system allows the enhancement of energy efficiency and offers partial independence from the grid.

The project was delivered successfully is on track to deliver a simple payback of 13 years and is yielding 36% in energy cost savings.

Tackling grid limitations and emission plans

This university is a leading public research institution located in South East England, renowned for its innovation, academic excellence, and strong industry partnerships. It offers a wide range of programs across disciplines while maintaining a commitment to sustainability and cutting-edge research that addresses global challenges.

The university aims to achieve net-zero Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030 but faces challenges due to local National Grid limitations. Plans to switch to electric heat pumps and add EV charging required 10% more electricity, with grid upgrades costing £5 million—beyond budget and sustainability goals.

To support its targets, SSE Energy Solutions is developing a 12.2MW ground mounted solar facility situated on three fields on the university’s land. The solar facility will vastly increase the renewable energy capacity for the university and act as a steppingstone for the university and local Borough Council to reach their net-zero carbon emission goals. In addition to reducing harmful emissions, this facility will deliver clean renewable energy for the university side-by side with nature, providing carbon reduction benefits along with new and improved habitats for local wildlife.

SSE conducted an ISO 52120 assessment to address the university’s grid limitations, which would have otherwise hindered its solar and decarbonisation projects. The assessment identified optimisations that achieved a 10% energy reduction across the site, enabling the existing grid to accommodate the additional demands. This approach avoided the need for the £4 million grid upgrade.

Key Developments

Solar Project

12.2MW on-campus solar facility to support its net-zero targets. This facility, capable of powering approximately 4,600 homes annually, also includes plans to enhance biodiversity and restore the land fully after 35 years.

ISO 52120 Survey

An ISO 52120 survey was conducted at the university to increase energy efficiency. The 10% reduction in electricity allowed the continuation of decarbonisation and sustainability projects. This was due to meeting the grid limitations and being the most cost-effective solution.

Decarbonisation

Upgrading to electric heat pumps and installing EV charging stations was impossible due to grid limitations and capacity

ISO 52120 Results

Energy Savings

The project has saved the university 10% in electricity.

Grid Capacity

The energy savings has allowed the university to carry out decarbonisation projects that the grid now has capacity for.

Carbon Savings

Reducing energy waste enables the planned decarbonisation projects while simultaneously achieving carbon savings.

BEMS upgrade and soft optimisation

The School of Psychology upgraded its outdated control systems with a new TREND IQVision Building Management System (BMS) including TREND IQ4 controls and a LoRaWAN network. The fully pre-tested system minimised HVAC downtime and was improved by using ISO 52120 standards which resulted in:

• Reducing CO₂ emissions by 33tCO₂e per annum
• Cutting energy consumption by 180,835 kWh per annum
• Creating cost savings £24,000 per annum

Key features included wireless sensors and soft optimisation strategies like demand-based HVAC control, free cooling, and enhanced air quality monitoring. The system also integrated with air conditioning, lighting, and metering for optimal building performance.

The key benefits of this upgrade project are summarised below: Fully operational and highly efficient BEMS, leading to significant improvements in system functionality and usability.

• Lower energy consumption and reduced carbon emissions achieved through the upgrade.
• Tangible operational cost savings realised.
• Return on investment (ROI) achieved in less than 12 months.
• Enhanced usability of the TREND IQVISION system, streamlining building management and simplifying control and monitoring of environmental parameters for operators.
• Identification of six additional buildings to benefit from similar future project initiatives.

The Educational Federation secured £14.3 million in funding to overhaul heating systems, building controls, and electrical infrastructure in schools across South London and Kent. SSE supported the project, with the aim of achieving a 90% reduction in carbon emissions at 11 of the academies.

The initiative is forecast to reduce the federations collective emissions by over 38,000 tonnes of CO₂ - the equivalent of planting 1.73 million trees.. Upgrades will include replacing gas boilers with energy-efficient air source heat pumps, installing advanced building energy management systems, and upgrading ageing electrical infrastructure.

In addition to the environmental benefits, the project is expected to significantly reduce energy costs for the academies over its 20-year course and exemplifies SSE Energy Solutions’ capabilities in orchestrating large-scale decarbonisation initiatives.

“The grant we have received from the Public Sector Decarbonisation scheme enables us to make significant savings over time and thus plough more of our money directly into children’s education, whilst also playing our part in delivering a net zero future.” Director of Estates and Commercial at the Federation