FRIDAY 27th JANUARY 2012

Celebration of Birmingham’s Award Winning District Energy Scheme

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On 31 January 2012 Birmingham is celebrating the success of its award winning district energy scheme.

The scheme comprises three main areas – Broad Street, Aston University and Birmingham Children’s Hospital (BCH). Broad Street became operational in 2007, followed by Aston University in 2009 and Birmingham Children’s Hospital in 2010.

Less than five years old, the scheme is now one of the largest and fastest growing in the UK.

The combined heat and power (CHP) district energy scheme supplies hot water for heating, chilled water for air conditioning and electricity. A network of pre insulated heating and chilling mains distribute the hot and chilled water to individual buildings around the city.

The scheme and Birmingham District Energy Company is owned and operated by Cofely District Energy (CDE), part of the GDF SUEZ Group, but it is the innovative partnership with Birmingham City Council, Aston University and Birmingham Children’s Hospital that has ensured the success and rapid growth of the scheme.

To celebrate this remarkable success and completion of the three initial phases of the scheme, CDE is hosting a celebratory event for its partners and guests at the Lakeside Centre, Aston University on 31 January 2012.

Key champions of the scheme speaking at the event will include:-

• Councillor Paul Tilsley, Deputy Leader, Birmingham City Council 
• Julia King, Vice Chancellor, Aston University
• Neal James, Head of Capital Developments, Birmingham Children’s Hospital
• Simon Woodward, Chief Executive, Cofely District Energy 

The event will be followed by official opening ceremonies at the Aston University and Children’s Hospital Energy Centres, where the occasion will be marked by the unveiling of a Carbon Calculator outside each Centre.

The Birmingham Scheme and its partners have already won some impressive awards, including:-

• The 2011 Property and Facilities Management Expert Services Sector Award
• The 2011 Property and Facilities Management Award for the overall best partnership in the UK
• The International Energy Agency’s Certificate of Superior Achievement

The scheme continues to develop and grow with the new Library for Birmingham and Bagot Street being recent connections.

Simon Woodward, CDE’s Chief Executive said:

We are delighted to be celebrating the success of this outstanding scheme. During the last five years, together with our partners – the City Council, BCH and Aston University, we have built one of the largest and best known District Energy schemes in the UK. Over the next five years, working with our partners, we aim to spread the considerable benefits of district energy by extending the City Centre scheme and starting to add more schemes across the City.”

Professor Julia King, Vice Chancellor of Aston University said:

We are delighted to be part of the Birmingham District Energy Scheme. The scheme has had a major impact on our CO2 emissions on campus as well as reducing our electricity and heating costs. The UK needs many more innovative schemes like this if we are to meet our commitments in the Climate Change Act, and it is great to see the City of Birmingham leading the way.”

Councillor Paul Tilsley, Deputy Leader Birmingham City Council said:

I am delighted to see the success of our Birmingham District Energy Company partnership with Cofely District Energy being celebrated today. I championed this project from the outset by signing off the agreement with Cofely. The City Council is a very active partner and has successfully connected its buildings to the scheme - including the Council House, Town Hall, our refurbished offices at Lancaster Circus and now our new BREEAM excellent offices at Woodcock Street. And when the new Library of Birmingham is completed that will also be connected. So I am extremely pleased to see how the city has taken this to its heart and is showing the rest of the UK how to get on and build district energy schemes."

Neal James, Head of Capital Developments at Birmingham Children’s Hospital said:

We are pleased that Birmingham Children’s Hospital have been a partner in such a high profile energy reduction programme. The Energy Centre is on our hospital site and we are happy that we are able to benefit from the savings made by the centre and the impact that has on reducing our carbon footprint for the next generation.”