Building Briefs - November 12th

• Fife College students building a brighter future

They were given a practical demonstration of some of the skills they are learning about, seeing concrete floors being poured and bricks being laid as part of the groundworks being undertaken by Advance Construction Scotland for Campion Homes.

The students, who are studying on the HNC in Architectural Technology and HND Quantity Surveying courses, were also given a chance to view properties at various stages of the construction process at the site where Campion Homes is constructing 85 new build homes, including social housing.

The new homes will form part of a larger residential mixed-use development overseen by Advanced Construction which is expected to include a total of 850 homes as well as retail, business and industrial units.

• Stirling green heating network hosts German minister

A German energy minister visiting Scotland for COP26 has praised Stirling’s pioneering low carbon district heating network during a special visit.

Head of the Baden-Wuerttemberg Ministry of the Environment, Climate Protection and Energy Sector, Minister Thekla Walker toured the facility in Stirling on Monday. The £6 million project, the first in the UK to use a mix of cutting-edge renewable technologies to harness energy from waste water, is an excellent example of how cross-sector collaboration can help tackle climate change.

Delivered by Stirling Council in partnership with Scottish Water Horizons, with funding support from the Scottish Government’s Low Carbon Infrastructure Transition Programme (LCITP), the green heating network delivers low carbon energy to public buildings and businesses.

The Minister said the network represents the type of innovation public bodies must implement to inspire others into action in fighting climate change.

Minister Walker said: “World leaders have come together at this time to plan the next steps in the ongoing fight against climate change, so it was really inspiring to see something like the District Heating Network already in place in a beautiful location like Stirling.

“This is an example of forward-thinking, renewable energy production, which is exactly the type of infrastructure changes we’re making in Germany and want to see done elsewhere.

“The fact that the energy from this site serves public buildings like schools and leisure facilities just makes it even better and I would like to thank Stirling Council and its partners for showing us around today.

• Hillington Park drives forward sustainability agenda with four-star GRESB rating

Scotland’s largest trading estate has boosted its environmental credentials and reinforced its position as a leader in sustainability in Scotland with a four-star rating in a major global sustainability initiative.

Hillington Park, which is owned by Frasers Property UK, received the rating from the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB), which measures the environmental, social and governance performance of real estate. The four out of five rating placed Frasers Property UK first amongst its competitors.

A number of factors contributed to the rating at Hillington Park including Frasers Property UK’s target of net zero carbon in all landlord-controlled areas by 2030 and a commitment to BREEAM sustainability certification for all new developments. The latest West 100 and 200 development at Hillington Park, which is scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2022, is targeting a high quality BREEAM ‘Very Good’ scheme with a sustainable energy-efficient specification. 

Meanwhile, the redevelopment of warehousing on Carnegie Road has been designed with improved energy efficiency at its core. Modelling by independent energy consultants Carbon Futures has estimated that the proposed installation of enhanced insulation, LED lighting, air-source heat pump efficient heating and removal of gas appliances, will reduce energy consumption by 79% compared to the building’s current condition.

Sustainability and biodiversity are at the heart of Hillington Park with additional initiatives in place to make the business park even more environmentally friendly.  These include an increase in EV charging points and the installation of bicycle storage pods, free bike repairs and servicing.

Moving forward Hillington Park is aiming to secure ISO 14001 accreditation in 2022 - an initiative focused on helping companies reduce industrial waste and environmental damage - while plans are also being progressed to install rooftop solar panels on the estate on top of 100% renewable electricity procurement through the grid for external common areas.

The Park is also looking to introduce a health and wellbeing framework, with projects to support occupiers including improvements to pedestrian and cycle travel and the incorporation of more green spaces, including a wildflower garden and bird box installations.

• West Dunbartonshire’s energy centre showcased to Danish politicians

West Dunbartonshire Council hosted members of the Danish Parliament this week as part of their COP26 visit to Scotland.

The Danish Parliamentary Climate and Energy Committee met with council leader Councillor Jonathan McColl as well as Bailie Denis Agnew, West Dunbartonshire Energy board member Councillor Daniel Lennie, and officers involved in delivering and operating the Energy Centre to hear about the technology and its impact on the council’s carbon footprint.

The five parliamentarians were given a walking tour of the facility, which takes water from the Clyde and uses it to create heat for homes and public buildings in the vicinity.

They also took part in a round-table discussion about the benefits of the system and its operation.

Pipework is also in place to supply the forthcoming Clydebank Health Centre, over 140 flats and retail units currently on site, all other homes planned for the site as well as Clydebank Library and Clydebank Town Hall.

The low carbon system has been designed on a modular basis to enable future expansion beyond Queens Quay, with scope to heat the Golden Jubilee Hospital, Clyde Shopping Centre and into the town centre.

The introduction of the network will make a major contribution towards the Council’s climate change targets, as well as allowing residents of more than 1000 homes due to be built on the site to enjoy lower bills with a system that requires far less upkeep than a gas boiler.

• Abandoned hospital in line to becoming centre for veterans’ wellbeing

A charity behind plans to breathe new life into an abandoned Moray hospital has released a conceptual drawing showing for the first time how the plans could look.

Leanchoil Hospital in Forres closed to patients in late 2018 and a trust was formed to find new uses for it.

Plans to take over the building were halted because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Since then, trustees have been working with NHS Grampian in preparation for submitting an Asset Transfer Request (ATR) by the end of the year.

The group is working with armed forces charity Erskine to develop a proposal for a veterans’ activity centre at the site.

This would provide facilities and services for local veterans.

It is hoped that the ATR will be confirmed by late 2022 or early 2023.

Once transferred into community ownership, there will be two years of work to create the state-of-the-art health and wellbeing centre.

The anticipated opening is in spring 2025.

• Allanwater Homes provides illuminating sponsorship in Chryston

With its Allanwater Chryston development well underway, and attracting strong sales locally, Allanwater Homes has announced that it is once again sponsoring the local Christmas Lights Competition, organised by Chryston Community Council.

The competition seeks to find the best illuminated front garden and house in the Chryston, Mollinsburn, Crowood, Mount Ellen and Muirhead areas, with extra points going to properties that have put up an impressive window display too.

The gardens and displays will be judged by a local panel, with cash prizes awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place.

• Aberdeen Harbour receives green funding for blueprint shorepower demonstration project

• £219,000 renewal funds agreed for Highland play parks

Members of The Highland Council’s Communities and Place Committee have agreed that a strategy for play parks across the region will be developed from local plans and local investment priorities within the overall aims of play parks being safe, inclusive in design and in use and for play areas to be environmentally and financially sustainable.

Councillors locally have already agreed around £500k for investing in play areas through their devolved budgets agreed at Area committees. A new source of capital funding is available from the Scottish Government’s play area renewal programme. Councillors have agreed on the allocation of this £219,000 capital play park funds by considering play park condition, the number of young people and a factor for rurality. 

A review of play parks will take into account play equipment and its condition, and the use and ownership of play parks. Local plans for, and investment in play parks will be agreed at a local level within the available Council budget and other external resources.