Summary
Dunston Innovation Centre is, in effect, an office building with multiple occupation and a landlord-provided central administration and reception facility. The building has a gross floor area of 3300 m2 and offers a range of accommodation options for start-up and established businesses. The building is highly energy efficient and incorporates a renewable energy system which provides both heating and cooling. Tenants are restricted to ICT based companies.

Background
The high levels of thermal efficiency of this building mean that energy inputs are much reduced; however, the fact that all tenants are IT businesses means that cooling demands are particularly high. Heating and cooling is provided by way of heat pumps allied to the largest earth-energy system in the UK at present; this provides high comfort levels of heating and cooling at very low cost. The reduction in CO2 emissions is approximately 80% and the tenants do not have to pay the cost of the Climate Change Levy.

Implementation:
The earth energy system uses latent energy stored in the ground to heat and cool the building. To cool the building, heat is abstracted from the building by heat pumps and fed into the ground; the cooled water is then returned to the building to pick up more heat. To heat the building the heat pumps work in reverse: heat is abstracted from the ground and feeds into the building heating system. The Dunston Innovation Centre has been so successful that Chesterfield Borough Council has incorporated earth energy systems into several subsequent developments.

Results:

• Reduction in carbon dioxide emissions to less than 50% of those of a similar air-conditioned building
• Cost savings - operational energy cost around ¼ of that of a comparable building
• Good indoor air quality provided by means of an effective heating, ventilation and cooling strategy
• Construction is steel frame with brick cladding and extensive glazing (double glazed units)

Further information is also available on www.dunstoninnovationcentre.co.uk

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