Winner – AK Connect BMS System Prototype, Bere Regis Primary School, Client/Application Dorset County Council
Runner up – The NEDO project, Client Wigan Council, Application NPS Group
AK Connect BMS System Prototype, trialled at Bere Regis Primary
Client – Dorset County Council Children’s Services
Architect, Surveyor & M&E Engineers – Dorset CC Property team
Contractor – Morgan Sindall
BMS systems are often complex and too difficult for many school site managers to operate effectively and manage energy use. The judges were impressed with this pilot project which has been designed to provide a simple, easy to understand graphical interface for schools that is intuitive for non technical persons to make those adjustments that may be needed on a day to day basis. Cleverly this system also avoids any conflicts with a school’s firewall by using a mobile cellular network. This also means it can be accessed by any mobile device with the right security and so adjustments, fault finding and energy use can be easily monitored and adjusted remotely saving time and cost.
Working collaboratively with AK controls limited, Dorset County Council have recognised a national engineering issue and developed a solution using a range of existing technologies that will not only enable schools to operate their own systems but potentially make significant energy savings and deliver other environmental benefits.
The NEDO Project, Manchester
Client – Wigan Council
M&E Engineers – NPS Group
Contractor – Warmer Energy Services
The NEDO Project (also known as the “Smart Community Demonstration Project) is an enterprising heat pump demonstration project. This successful pilot project, within the social housing sector, trailed the implementation and use of air source heat pumps (ASHPs) in over 550 social housing properties and tested the effectiveness and demand response (DR) in the social housing sector. The judges were very impressed with collaborative nature of the project and the many stakeholders, developed by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organisation (NEDO). The partners and stakeholders included NPS, Hitachi, Daikin, Mizuho Bank, Wigan Council, Northwards Housing, Sixtown Housing, Warmer Energy Services, Electricity North West and the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy. .
The judges were also impressed with the collaborative approach with the occupiers and the way the project was linked to the councils wider agenda of engaging citizens to use ICT to access services as well as the wider internet.