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.
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:
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:
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.