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When Keymed decided to build a new international logistics centre, the brief was to create the most environmentally friendly and energy efficient building possible.

The new 3400 m2 facility combines high finish levels with a sustainable approach that utilizes a combination of eco-friendly systems. M&E contractor HS Environmental Services installed the pioneering range of services.

Keymed, a subsidiary of Olympus, has been based in Southend since 1970, and its collection of sites has expanded organically as the company has grown. But the new-build logistics centre, which has been constructed on a brownfield site, is the first opportunity the firm has had to put its environmentally friendly policies into practice.

Changing tack

Work began in June 2005, and the building was handed over in January this year. The project overran by 16 weeks, but the delay seems more than reasonable when you consider that Keymed changed its mind about the function of the entire building in August 2006.

鈥淥riginally, it was to be a warehouse and distribution centre and now it鈥檚 being used for medical manufacturing,鈥� explains Mike Batty, Keymed鈥檚 head of group facilities. 鈥淏ut one of the reasons the original building design worked out relatively expensive compared to what we could have paid for one that size is that we wanted it to be flexible in its future use. That had a cost. As it happens, we quickly changed our minds about its purpose.鈥�

Due to the company鈥檚 foresight, many of the factors needed to transform it from a warehouse into manufacturing centre were already inherent in the design.

鈥淭ypically, with warehouse distribution, you鈥檇 simply have a floor and you鈥檇 have racking. Whereas we put in raised floors, metal panelled ceilings and air conditioning,鈥� explains Batty. 鈥淚t meant that we had a whole variety of uses open to us. For example, it could also be used as office space if we ever require that. But it would have been a very luxurious warehouse!鈥�

According to Batty, the alterations still threw up a few challenges. 鈥淔or its original use, it didn鈥檛 need to be a particularly clean environment. Obviously, when you鈥檙e dealing with the manufacturing side of medical equipment, you need high standards of cleanliness,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hat meant we had to change the staff entrance. We wanted three sets of lined doors, so that you have access to the outer goods and dispatch area, which is uncontrolled, then the next area which is partially controlled, then the central hub which is a controlled environment. As you can imagine, it was dificult to co-ordinate this due to the fact that it wasn鈥檛 part of the original design.鈥�

However, Daniel Pearce, project manager for HS Environmental Sevices, maintains that the change of direction was not a problem for his workers: 鈥淭he purpose of the building changed about half way through, but we had a great team and we worked hand in hand with the builders, the client and the architects, so I like to think we took it all in our stride.鈥�

Although, on the whole, the m&e team opted for traditional construction techniques, Pearce chose HDPE fusion-welded pipework for speed and convenience. 鈥淚t saved us a lot of time during the installation, as it comes in large lengths, preformed on the brackets,鈥� he explains.

Pump up the volume

By looking at all aspects of the facility鈥檚 services, the team has created a building that will consume in the region of 30% less energy and 25% less water than an equivalent traditional structure.

At the heart of the eco-friendly system is a vertical closed loop borehole system, with 50 boreholes sinking 98 m into the ground strata. This is linked to Mitsubishi Electric鈥檚 WR2 ground source heat pump, making use of the earth鈥檚 geothermal energy.

The geothermal system extracts or rejects heat into the ground and the WR2 units use this renewable ground energy as a primary source to heat and cool the R410a refrigerant circuit.

The WR2 system can also offer double heat recovery. By providing simultaneous heating and cooling, it recovers heat from a cooling section to supplement heating requirements elsewhere within the building.

The use of ground source water results in high COPs of 4路8 from the heat pumps in cooling mode, compared to normal air-cooled chillers, which produce an average COP of 2路8.

However, ground source heat pumps are not a viable solution for every project of this type, and it pays to be cautious. The design team used 3D modelling techniques at the planning stage, but in conjunction with a more hands-on approach.

鈥淭here can be problems due to variants in soil types,鈥� explains Pearce. 鈥淪ometimes you鈥檒l find gravel buried a few metres down which can hinder the process. It鈥檚 always a good idea to drill a few test holes before going ahead with this type of system, which the builders did on this project.鈥�

A large number of boreholes were needed due to the geological makeup of the Southend area, driving up costs considerably.

鈥淭he soil we have in Essex is not the best for geothermal heating because of the temperature differential below the earth,鈥� says Batty. 鈥淚 heard about a project in Bristol where they had to drill two bore holes on a building of about this size. We had to drill 50 to get the same amount of heat.鈥�

Yet Batty has no regrets about the system they opted for. 鈥淚t still only cost a small fraction of the price of the entire building 鈥� around 6%,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hese days, with energy costs rising, it makes sense to install solutions such as geothermal, even if it costs a bit more initially. It鈥檚 also part of our social responsibility. If large companies like ours aren鈥檛 willing to do it, then why should everyone else in the country do it?鈥�

Ground source water systems are one of the recognised sustainable solutions listed as part of the UK government鈥檚 push for 10% renewable energy usage.

Right as rain

A rainwater harvesting system reduces Keymed鈥檚 mains water usage by 25%. The rainfall collects upon the roof, runs down a series of columns at the front of the building and is then gathered in a 27 000 litre storage tank.

鈥淚t鈥檚 uv filtered, sterilised and processed so that it can be used for flushing toilets and for irrigation,鈥� explains Batty. 鈥淚t鈥檚 also going to be used for the centre鈥檚 outdoor water feature, which is still being commissioned.鈥�

Rainwater harvesting can provide up to 50% of a building鈥檚 typical water consumption, but certain factors have to be taken into consideration.

鈥淭he error in opting for rainwater harvesting is that we鈥檙e very close to being the driest part of the country,鈥� Batty laughs. 鈥淚 guess we鈥檒l just have to wait and see.鈥�

It may be dry in Southend, but it鈥檚 certainly quite breezy. Perhaps the designers should have opted for wind turbines to help reduce their client鈥檚 carbon footprint? 鈥淜eymed has a reputation to withhold in Southend 鈥� it has a number of other buildings within the area. So the new centre is very striking, but in keeping with the others around it on the industrial estate. I think that鈥檚 why the designers ruled out certain renewable options such as wind turbines,鈥� explains Pearce.

A variety of other high-tech, eco-friendly technologies are employed to ensure maximum energy efficiency.

Two 14 m2 vacuum tube solar collector panels feature a selective coating to gain almost year-round heat, with the raised temperature liquid transferring to the cooler water in a cylinder. 鈥淭hey make a real contribution to CO2 reduction, and the engineers predict that they will cover 40% of domestic hot water heating costs... at least, that鈥檚 the theory,鈥� says Batty.

The building design includes natural shading to limit direct solar radiation in the interior, with additional external solar protection devices installed on the roof lights. Louvres are used to reduce solar gain throughout.

The centre has a highly sophisticated lighting management system, which was supplied by Luxmate. The high-tech control system uses sensors to detect the amount of natural daylight entering the building and adjusts the indoor lighting levels accordingly.

鈥淥lympus has a very strong policy on the environment, which comes from the presidents in Japan,鈥� says Batty. 鈥淏ut even before we became a subsidiary of Olympus, we always had a very strong belief that making money was just an empty vessel. It doesn鈥檛 do anything for you, it鈥檚 what you do with that money that counts. We do a whole range of things for the community. We鈥檙e very into road safety, for example. In many ways, looking after the environment fits in with that attitude.

鈥淲e were told by the m&e consultant, M-E Engineers, that ours is the first building in the UK to have this combination of eco-friendly facilities,鈥� he adds. 鈥淥nly time will tell how efficient the systems we鈥檝e installed are. But it鈥檚 got to be better than doing nothing.鈥�

Pearce is more than pleased with the finished result: 鈥淲e鈥檙e proud to have worked on a project with so many innovative ideas,鈥� he says.

鈥淲e worked very closely with Wates, the main contractor, and with their help and our management, we鈥檝e achieved some great results. We hadn鈥檛 done any jobs with Wates before the Keymed project, but we鈥檝e done a few projects with them since, and we鈥檝e built up a strong relationship that will hopefully carry on into the future.鈥�