ETS have engaged with London fire Brigade on a pilot project to review how we can support their energy efficiency strategy. Although a robust approach to energy efficiency has been implimented across their estate, ETS’ unique combination of Energy, Engineering, and Controls expertise give us the opportunity to find new ways to augment these existing plans, and identify initiatives for greater efficiency. By performing a Benchmark Survey and Report on a typical fire station, ETS will gain an insight into the potential for improvements within these 3 key disciplines, with the opportunity for solutions to be applied across other fire stations within London. Further information on the London Fire Brigade can be found at www.www.london-fire.gov.uk

ETS have successfully completed a Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing survey for Virgin Limited Edition (www.virginlimitededition.com) on the exclusive Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands.
ETS were requested to perform a full survey and submit all findings to the Islands technical management team. Two ETS consultants spent a week working on the Island, mapping out the ME&P services, undertaking condition reports, collecting asset data in order to produce full operation & maintenance documentation, services layout drawings and ME&P schematic drawings. ETS were also able to draw on their experience and provide advice on the Island infrastructure’s resilience and also make enhancement recommendations. The consultants worked closely with the Necker engineering team and mingled with the local wildlife including flamingos, iguanas, geckos, and of course the giant tortoises.
The lead consultant for the works, Neil Dobbin, said ‘’it was a great experience and we are pleased to have been able to satisfy the requirements of such a prestigious organisation as Virgin Limited Edition’’.

The Cube, Birmingham
Savills, managing agents for this prestigious mixed use development, appointed ETS to perform a full Engineering and Energy Audit, to assist in managing the future sustainability and efficient operation of The Cube. The ETS report provided contained information that can form a key part of their on-going management strategy, and provide a benchmark against which future performance can be measured. As a result of the report, Savills have now instructed ETS to deliver a full and comprehensive Energy Management Service for the building to ensure the tennants of the prestigeous building enjoy both exceptional comfort conditions and economic energy bills. More information on the building can be found at www.thecube.co.uk


Home Office, London
The Serious Organised Crime Agency, part of the Home Office (www.homeoffice.gov.uk), has asked ETS to investigate on-going engineering difficulties at one of their key properties in London. Our consulting engineers will survey the site, form an in-depth understanding of the systems, their operation, and any constraints and issues at play. The subsequent report will detail our findings, and set out a roadmap that ensures the building can returned to efficient operation, and deliver the required comfort conditions for the occupants.

As property professionals, it is likely that you are aware of the requirements to have air conditioning systems inspected...but did you know that the deadline requiring all systems in excess of 12kW to be inspected passed over 4 months ago? (4th of January 2011)

Key facts:

• From 4th of January 2011, any site that has an air conditioning system(s) used for ‘comfort cooling’ with a combined total of 12 kilo-Watts (kW) of cooling capacity must be inspected.
• Systems installed on or after the 1st of January 2008 must have their first inspection undertaken within five years of installation, thereafter, should be periodically inspected at intervals not exceeding five years.
• The system capacity is the combined total of all systems installed in a premises that are operated and maintained by a single organisation (in multi-tenancy situations, where the tenant is responsible for their own systems, they are also obligated to ensure that qualifying systems are inspected).
• Systems utilised for process applications are excluded
• A fixed fine of £300 can be served by the trading standards office (responsible for policing this initiative) for non-compliant buildings but it is often the resulting poor publicity that is a key driver for action.
• Only a qualified Air Conditioning Inspector can undertake the inspection and produce a report.

How can ETS help?

Although we are aware that compliance is a key issue, we encourage organisations to use this requirement as an opportunity to commission a more in depth and wider reaching survey of their building systems. This not only ensures their compliance, but also delivers specific methods of reducing their energy consumption within the building, against quantified areas of waste.

This is exactly what the ETS Benchmarking Survey and Report achieves, by delivering a comprehensive review of energy, engineering, and controls within a building. We have combine this service with the provision of an Air Conditioning Inspection (TM44) to ensure a cost effect and value added approach to compliance. The result is that our Clients are provided with methods to reduce their energy spend on an ongoing basis, which will more than recoup the costs of compliance. We believe that this offers exceptional value for money and enables our clients to take positive steps towards Carbon reduction and energy cost savings.

Please contact us if you would like to explore the opportunities in further detail.

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From 1 April, the government will be increasing Climate (CCL) charges.
Electricity will be increased from the current CCL rate of 0.47p per kilowatt hour (KWh) to 0.485p KWh. The rate for natural gas will increase from 0.164p KWh to 0.169p KWh, and the rate for liquid petroleum gas move upwards increase from 1.050p per kg to 1.083p per kg.
According to HMRevenue & Customs: “levy is part of a range of measures designed to help the UK meet its legally binding commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It is chargeable on the industrial and commercial supply of taxable commodities for lighting, heating and power by consumers in certain sectors – industry; commerce; agriculture; public administration; and other services.” It does not apply to the transport sector nor domestic consumers.

For more information, click here