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Energy Park coming to Wigan
An artist's impression of the UKs first Zero Cost Energy Park on Swan Lane, Hindley Green
THIS is the vision of the UK’s first zero cost energy park – and it’s coming to Wigan soon!
Armstrong Properties has just have started building this pioneeringly eco-friendly development on the former Britvic site at Swan Lane, Hindley Green.
To be called Armstrong Point, the £2.7m project, will provide nine business units where tenants will not have to pay any energy costs due to the installation of cutting edge low and zero carbon technologies.
It has been aided with European Regional Development Fund cash and work is also being carried out by construction firm Tolent which is currently constructing the new Wigan Youth Zone as well.
The park should be ready by September this year, creating much needing jobs for the local area. The site will provide 2,095m sq business space. Three steel frame industrial buildings each capable of subdivision into three individual business units ranging in size from 125 to 300m sq each will be developed.
The development will also include a demonstration centre in one of the units, showcasing the many low and zero carbon technologies for commercial properties and domestic properties.
Managing director Dave Armstrong said: “We are creating our demonstration centre to help enlighten businesses, schools, colleges and domestic homes all about energy efficiency, waste management, renewable technologies.
“As part of our ERDF funding we have been given a role to assist businesses in this area and we welcome Wigan businesses to come forward and ask for free help.”
The new proposals to cut carbon emissions in new and existing buildings were announced this month by Communities Minister Andrew Stunell, who said they would make new homes, shops and offices warmer and cheaper to run.
They form part of a consultation on changes to the Building Regulations regime, which aim to pave the way for all new homes in Britain to be zero carbon by 2016 and non-domestic buildings by 2019, making Armstrong Point well ahead of time.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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Comments
There are 10 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
ArmstrongPoint
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 09:36 AM@JemmyH - Yes our plan is to generate all energy required for tenants. Feed in tariff changes mean that by the time Photovoltaic panels are installed and comissioned the rate received will be as low as we can buy energy from the grid. The development was designed and received planning before Feed in tariffs were introduced. It has always been the intention to generate sufficient energy on-site for occupiers, regardless of FiT. Seriously please get in touch to find out more email dave@zeroenergycost.co.uk - as I say this scheme has been years in planning to achieve 2019 requirements and be a demonstration centre for property developers and landlords, but most importantly provide quality business space in WiganHindley GreenNorth West to aid job creation.
JemmyH
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 06:35 PMRicky - nice reply. Thanks for that. ...... As it happens, I have experience of off-grid power systems ups etc. and was wondering how you intend to 'generate' your electrical energy on-site, sufficient to provide for commercial production use. ...... Would your 'generating' be off-grid, efficient enough to freely supply the business units 100%, or could it be that the plan is to supply the national grid on a gross basis, taking payments of up to 4 times the retail cost of power and, therefore, passing the actual cost of the (free) energy used on the site over to the consumer, ie: the general public? ..... There's an old saying that's usually true. It goes, "You don't get owt for nowt unless you pinch it". And, by the way, Hindley Green is in Hindley, not Wigan.
ArmstrongPoint
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 12:10 PM@JemmyH - Please get in touch with us and we can explain how energy will be provided at zero cost. Essentially we generate on-site and provide a number of free kilowatts based on square footage of each unit. (This information is based on typical energy use of units of this size). There will be some surplas energy for higher energy users, we are certainly not excluding any potential tenants. In fact we are currently quoting terms to a manufacturer who will be installing brand new production machinery and improve job prospects for the local area. Rents will not be inflated by the landlord for this on-site energy generation, they will be competitive market rents. Please get in touch for more detailed information. @rickytarr - This development is flagship for zero carbon building. Materials are being carefully selected. For instance our cladding system provides 50% heat load, instead of burning fossil fuels to heat the internal space. @cowboy - Likewise, please get in touch. Personally I have spent four years developing this concept, to genuinely provide zero energy cost business space. It is achieveable and I am happy to show you how. The idea of our on-site demonstration centre will be to help other businesses who want to lower their own energy costs and try renewable technologies for themselves. We are sharing our ideas and information with various groups like BRE, Universities and others, so that this scheme can be replicated in other areas. Please follow our twitter account for more information @ArmstrongPoint Finally @GreenHQ - Thanks for your positive comments about our development. Our scheme brings the UK's first zero energy cost business park to Hindley Green in Wigan. I am a Wiganer.
GreenHQ
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 10:24 AMI think the business park is a great step forward and more businesses should follow in these footsteps! All the above comments…. Think to yourself, what are YOU doing to make our future generations become more eco friendly? Answer is…. NOTHING! Don’t beat yourself up about the fact you never thought of this, just be positive it is happening!
JemmyH
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 12:52 AMFerg. It won't be in Wigan. It'll be in Hindley. It says so in the article. You Joey.
Ferg1985
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 10:38 PMCue the ye faithful local NIMBYs, crying out 'We don't want a 'zero cost energy park' in Wigan.. most likely before they even read about what one would be.. ...
cowboy
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 12:22 PMas soon as i read that story, one word popped up in my mind, gullible
rickytarr
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 09:00 AMJust more wriggly tin sheds with a windmill!
JemmyH
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 08:05 PM'work is also being carried out by construction firm Tolent which is currently constructing the new Wigan Youth Zone as well' ...... It's strange that Langtree Construction aren't doing the Wigan Youth Zone. ........ As for 'tenants will not have to pay any energy costs', well, I can only imagine that any energy costs will be met by the landlords via inclusion in the rent. Either that or the tenants will be carefully selected low energy users. There certainly won't be any industrial machinery running on 'free energy'.
leviticus
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 06:51 PMno energy costs ! i bet the competition commission won't like that - no doubt they will brand it 'an unfair advantage' and demand it is stopped !
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