Leisure Sector

Proactive approach to creating cost savings

The sports arena is a premier, multi-purpose sports facility renowned for its versatility in hosting a wide array of events, including athletics, cycling, and basketball. Additionally, it serves as a vital community sports hub, enhancing local engagement in physical activities.

The facility has faced persistent challenges with its Building Management System (BMS), primarily due to the degradation of its controllers. This situation posed a significant risk to the operational efficiency of the facility and compromised the user experience.

In response to the deteriorating BMS, a comprehensive replacement of the system's controllers was deemed necessary. SSE took on this challenge, offering a cost-effective and technically advanced solution. Our approach involved repurposing the existing wiring infrastructure, a strategy that diverged from the conventional methods employed by our competitors.

The project highlights SSE’s commitment to leveraging technical expertise and innovative problem-solving to address complex challenges. By repurposing existing infrastructure, we not only delivered significant cost savings but also adhered to a critical project timeline, ultimately contributing to the successful hosting of a major international event.

An integrated energy system to reduce grid reliance

SSE Energy Solutions have designed a behind the meter microgrid system that comprises of solar PV, an Energy Storage System, CHP engine and a new BMS.

The aim was to generate as much electricity behind the meter, but the main concern was grid constraint on the export capacity. Hence, our engineers integrated a battery that will take overproduction from the solar PV during the summer and will work in conjunction with the existing CHP engine.

This forward-thinking approach provides a glimpse into the future, where reliance on grid imports occurs only during peak demand periods. On-site generation, coupled with storage and efficient power management, represents a pioneering shift towards sustainable energy practices.

Our integrated system will enable us to flexibly schedule building services to meet the centre’s requirement and shift renewable energy to ensure that the facility minimises import from the grid. During the summer months (May-September), the leisure centre reached an estimated 85% independence from the grid.

Controlling and integrating a heat pump in a grade II listed building

This Science Museum in the North West of England highlights the city's key contributions to science, technology, and industry. Its exhibits cover transport, power, sanitation, textiles, communications, and computing, reflecting innovative history.

As part of the Decarbonisation Project, the museum installed advanced BMS and control strategy for the new GSHP and Borehole Water System, integrating heating for the area and steam for the kinetic parts of the historic working machines, even utilising heat recovery from the steam produced. Water is then returned to the water table with flood control measures once the usable heat has been extracted. This setup enhances efficiency and sustainability, with a multitude of sensors optimizing borehole operations for precise temperature monitoring and regulation. An array of terminal units distribute the heating to the museum exhibition area, covered by multiple temperature sensors, ensuring consistent temperature regulation across the large museum area.

At the Science Museum, the Grade II listing posed challenges with strict preservation rules and required permissions. While we didn't install the GSHP or borehole water system, we integrated them with the BEMS, ensuring the building's historical integrity. Design choices, like using black space temperature sensors, were carefully selected to blend with the museum's aesthetic and subject to approval.

SSE assembled a team of engineers and planners to develop a tailored solution for implementing the BEMS, enabling the integration of the borehole system despite its technological complexity. This approach improved energy efficiency and provided real-time control. This now forms part of the museum's exhibits, the system demonstrates sustainable heat recycling and water management while serving an educational purpose.