Sustainability

Tri-gen Power Plant: A combined heat and power plant for the Campus

A combined heat and power plant has been included in the campus proposals to provide electricity and heat to the site and potentially beyond. This method of energy recycling see the power plant re-use waste heat from electrical generation to heat buildings, which is dramatically more fuel-efficient than traditional electrical generation. The unit could also be fuelled by wood-chip or biomass, making it a low carbon development as well as a significant contributor to crucial CO2 reduction targets indentified.

Flood Plain: Assessment of the flood risk for the Watford Health Campus

With the Campus site located in the ColneValley, there is a significant stretch of riverside which is at risk of flooding and contains a large floodplain as outlined bythe
Environment Agency. In increasing the amount of hard surface during the development of the site, the Campus is therefore aware that it could contribute to
increased runoff to the river. However, to mitigate against such conditions to campus has taken into consideration the following:

• The modelling of a one in 200 year floodplain
• Exclusion of ‘vulnerable use’ buildings such as the hospital and housing within the floodplain
• All buildings within the floodplain to have provision for undercroftparking –which will flood to act as flood water storage. All occupied areas and entrance ways to such buildings are above to one in 200 year floodplain
• The creation of a lake changes the area of flood risk and allows the development of additional housing in the area while alsocreating a new visual and leisure (it can be used for fishing) amenity in the area. A large body of water should also attract new plant, bird and animal life into the area.
• The reduction of flood risk from surface water run-off through sustainable draining systems and rainwater harvesting and reuse -providing recycled rain water from the new hospital roof to Watford Football Club, for pitch-watering, stand wash down and toilet flushing

Low carbon, low energy, Keeping the Campus’ Carbon footprint down

Making the Campus as environmentally friendly as possible is a key task for the stakeholders, and as such, great consideration has been given to making the new hospital and associated buildings low carbon and low energy users. Indeed, all facilities within the Campus are being set the target of exceeding the current “excellent” ratings for each of the building use types identified:

• New hospital: NEAT excellent plus 27% improvement on energy consumption from NHS target
• Homes: ECOHomes excellent rating
• Business Units: BREEAM excellent rating

The use of a Combined Heat and Power plant will contribute significantly to carbon dioxide emission reductions for the Campus given the enhanced fuel efficiency which can be achieved.

The stakeholders have also worked with the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) to ensure that high-recycled content materials are used within the new facilities wherever possible. The stakeholders have also committed to maximising the reuse within the Campus, of materials from the demolition and excavation to construct the Campus.