XCO2 project shortlisted for 2012 CIBSE Award

Whittington Park Pavilion is the latest XCO2 Energy project to be completed on site and is exemplary in its use of low carbon technologies. Having recently been shortlisted for the 2012 CIBSE Awards, the project provides shower and changing room facilities within a newly-built timber-clad sports pavilion. Located in the London Borough of Islington, the project is part of the Council’s ongoing regeneration plans for Whittington Park, which itself is a Site of Local Importance to Nature Conservation (SLINC).

XCO2 Energy responded to the challenges of the site by combining several low carbon technologies to reduce the building’s CO2 emissions. These innovative solutions address four key issues: improving the energy efficiency of the building fabric as well as reducing the building’s hot water, heating and electricity demand.

Whittington Park Sports Pavilion

Building Fabric

The building fabric was designed for maximum efficiency through the specification of Eurban laminated timber cladding, high levels of insulation and high performance glazing throughout the building. These improvements are expected to generate significant CO2 savings, amounting to an 80% reduction in CO2 emissions over current Building Regulations.

Hot Water

Hot water on site will be provided via a combination of biomass heating and solar thermal panels. In addition, XCO2 proposed a Waste Water Heat Recovery (WWHR) system in the showers, to address the building’s significant hot water demand. The WWHR system is based on the principle that heat is exchanged when waste water flows over a secondary set of pipes containing incoming cold water. This process is estimated to significantly reduce the amount of energy required to heat the water by at least 60%.

Space Heating and Ventilation

Space heating is provided via a low-temperature underfloor heating system. The system consists of a series of plastic pipes which has the advantage of reducing distribution losses and supplying heat evenly and efficiently throughout the space. In addition, XCO2 Energy proposed a mixed-mode ventilation system comprising Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR) in the offices and changing rooms, and natural ventilation in the rest of the building, as a response to the building’s varied ventilation demands. User controls will further increase the effectiveness of the building’s ventilation systems.

Electricity Consumption

Electricity consumption is significantly reduced through the use of Solatube sunpipes and high efficiency luminaires in areas with limited access to natural daylight. Daylight sensors provide an additional measure to ensure that artificial lighting is reduced in areas where daylight levels are sufficient at certain times of the day.

Overall, XCO2 Energy’s approach carefully considered the use and nature of the building, with total CO2 savings predicted to be more than 85% over the current Building Regulations (equivalent to 12 tCO2/year).