PROJECT SUMMARY
The Barking Town Centre Decentralised Energy Network is an revolutionary project, designed to bring low carbon, fairly priced energy to Barking. This new Energy Centre will generate electricity and produce hot water for 10,000 new energy efficient homes as well as businesses across the town centre.
12,000 tonnes
CO2 saved pa
10,000
New homes
CHALLENGES
Extremely busy road network nearby
Minimising the disruption to a busy road network meant that we had to undertake the installation in a small and confined work area. This was particularly challenging as it restricted plant movements in and out of the work area, requiring meticulous planning to ensure works were carried out safely.
Tight timelines
The pipework had to be fitted in particularly tight space, due to the presence of so may other services. This meant we had to make sure the ground stayed stable whilst setting up complicated temporary supports that could handle the weight of the cars driving over it.
Daily logistical challenges
With the District Heating Network installation taking place at the same time as the construction of the energy centre, there were daily logistical challenges between contractors. This required continual communication and coordination between all parties to maintain effectiveness an efficiency.
Contaminated ground
All of the excavations were carried out in ground which containing high levels of Asbestos. Therefore, we followed strict procedures, including the presence of a watching brief working alongside our operatives who wore full protective suits and RPE at all times. At the end of each day all operatives had to follow strict cleaning down procedures to ensure contaminated materials were not spread to inert areas of the site.
SUCCESS STORY
Transformative efficiency
The energy Barking Energy Centre will eventually generate and distribute will be done in exactly the same way as the UK’s biggest power stations, but will localise the process and remove the huge energy losses caused by sending energy long distances across the country.
Future proofed scheme
The proposed scheme is intended to be flexible and adaptable enough to accommodate and respond to the evolving UK energy market. Allowing for space around the location of the combined heat and power unit, for the introduction of future lower carbon technologies, whilst also being robust and efficient enough to maintain low operating costs over its full economic life.
SCOPE
- Development of design from RIBA stage 3 to RIBA stage 5.
- Production of traffic management plans and coordination with the local authority.
- Excavation of trenches
- Welding of preinsulated pipework
- NDT (Non Destructive Testing) weld testing
- Electro fusion jointing
- GPS mapping of the new network including exposed existing underground utilities
- Pressure testing of pipework
- Flushing and cleaning of pipework
- Reinstatement of excavations