Ute Collier leads the CCC’s analysis on emissions from buildings and industry. Here she tells us about the CCC secretariat’s visit to the brand new Centre for Efficient and Renewable Energy in Buildings(CEREB)
Centre for Efficient and Renewable Energy in Buildings
CEREB has been developed in partnership between London South Bank, City and Kingston Universities with funding from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), the London Development Agency and M&E Sustainability. The aim is to demonstrate renewable and energy efficient technologies in an urban setting. The team was able to look at a range of technologies including solar fibre optics, ground source heat pumps, solar thermal water heating, solar PV, Wind Power, tri-generation and phase change materials which generate heating/cooling, lighting and hot water for CEREB and the large university building below it.
Centre Director Professor Tony Day and Associate Phil Jones told the CCC team that planning requirements in the London Plan have driven the integration of low carbon technologies in new buildings in London. However, to ensure that they deliver the promised emission reductions, the buildings need to be well designed and managed. CEREB allows students and researchers to monitor and collect data from a variety of technologies and to research their effectiveness.
Tony told us how even in this new facility with all its expert staff, there have been a number of teething problems with getting the technologies to work effectively. He stressed the importance of good building energy management systems and well trained energy managers, as most of our buildings waste energy unnecessarily. This is borne out by CCC analysis which suggests that there is a large cost-effective potential for energy efficiency measures in the commercial and public sector.
After an excellent presentation and tour, the team enjoyed the views from the rooftop. We left feeling optimistic that CEREB will produce some excellent ‘low carbon’ building services engineers.
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