You are here: Home

Sun shines on new University Building

Solar energy provided by green support services sector company Eaga plc is helping a new university campus in the North-East become the first building to pass tough new international rules on carbon emissions.

Northumbria University’s newly opened state-of-the-art City Campus East is 40pc more energy efficient than most other buildings of its type. It is also one of the first buildings in the UK to comply with – and exceed – “green” legislation introduced as a result of the Kyoto Treaty.

A key element involved in reaching these green credentials has been the installation of a 45 square metre array of solar thermal collectors on the roof of the building.

These will be able to generate approximately 95% of the building’s hot water requirements during the summer and 30% of the building’s overall hot water needs.

City Campus East is part of a £136 million investment in the heart of Newcastle by Northumbria University. It is home to 9,000 students studying at the Newcastle Business School, the School of Design and the School of Law.

Steve Caseley, Managing Director of Eaga Renewables, said: “The push toward solar heating and other renewable energy sources is accelerating as concern for climate change and the environment climbs the political agenda. As part of the UK’s leading residential energy efficiency provider, Eaga Renewables is well placed to offer high quality solutions these concerns – and we are delighted to have been involved in this pioneering project by Northumbria University.

“Universities tend to be quieter during the summer months when the students are away, so it is crucial to have a reliable energy source throughout the darker winter months – and solar can provide this. The technology is proven and can convert up to 75% of daily energy from the sun into heat, even on relatively cloudy days.

“As well as working well on large multi-occupant buildings, solar panels fitted on ordinary residential homes can also provide up to 60% of a typical family’s hot water needs – and help lower fuel bills at the same time.”

Commenting further on Northumbria University’s sustainable campus, Vice-Chancellor Professor Kel Fidler, said: “Legislation introduced last year for new buildings demands a 28% increase in energy efficiency. However, when we started planning our new campus in 2004, we were keen to ensure it was as environmentally friendly as possible. We incorporated all aspects of the regulations into our plans and have actually gone one step further by exceeding these targets set by world leaders in Kyoto.”

Recycling has been a huge priority during construction of the campus. Indeed, more than 95% of materials from the sites former building, the Warner Bros’ cinema, have been recycled – with only 5% going to landfill.

As well as the solar collectors on the roof the campus has installed a raft of energy efficiency technologies, including rain harvesters to collect water for flushing toilets, high efficiency condensing boilers, computerised heating and lighting sensors to ensure power is only used when rooms are occupied and a general design to allow as much natural light in as possible.

Notes to Editors

  • Eaga plc is the UK’s largest residential energy efficiency provider. The company is a leader in the provision of innovative and sustainable services, products and solutions that address the environmental, social and energy efficiency objectives of Government and the private sector both nationally and internationally.
  • Working in partnership with central and local government Eaga is positioned at the heart of policy-making and front-end delivery of social and environmental improvement programmes. Eaga operates across the UK and in the Republic of Ireland, India and Canada employing over 3,500 people.
  • Eaga was established in Newcastle in 1990 to lead government funded efforts to improve the living conditions of vulnerable people living in cold, damp and energy inefficient homes across England. Since its inception, Eaga has made a positive difference to over 5 million disadvantaged households across the UK, by installing energy efficiency measures and central heating.
  • Eaga holds the contract to deliver the £1.5 billion Warm Front programme in England, the cornerstone of government's target to eliminate fuel poverty by installing energy efficiency measures in vulnerable homes by 2010. Eaga also works with devolved nation governments to deliver similar schemes across the UK.
  • As a co-owned business, Eaga is one of only a handful of UK organisations where every employee with over a year’s service is entitled to a share in the success of the business. Eaga’s commitment to co-ownership is an integral part of the values that define the ethos of the business and what it means to be an Eaga employee.
  • The Government has set targets for all local authorities to have all social rented homes meeting Decent Homes standards by 2010. This requires homes to be fit for habitation, in a reasonable state of repair, with reasonably modern facilities and services and a reasonable degree of thermal comfort.
  • Since 2000, Eaga has invested over £3 million in the independent Eaga Partnership Charitable Trust which funds research into solutions to fuel poverty.

Media Contact

Rik Kendall
Group Media Relations Manager
Eaga plc
07852 134 154
0191 245 8342

Share |