Background

ESP, as Wickes appointed Services Consultants, was engaged to review the way in which their DIY Stores were serviced and to investigate the need to revise the Mechanical, Electrical and Public Health Performance Specification to achieve Building Regulations Approved Document Part L2A compliance.

Description

The model building comprised a ground floor sales area of approx 50,000 sq ft, warehouse and a two level staff amenity block.

The sales area and warehouse was provided with a mixture of natural daylight (via roof lights) and artificial lighting.  The staff amenity block is provided with artificial lighting only.

Gas fired multiburner radiant heaters satisfied the sales area heating requirements, whereas a LPHW radiator system serves the Amenity Block. The boiler used within this system is of a combination type, also generating and providing domestic hot water to all hot water outlets within this building.

The staff room, conference room, general office and manager’s office are each provided with a heat pump cooling / heating system.

Findings

When initially modelled, the building failed to comply with the target CO₂ emissions required for Part L2A compliance.

From analysing the output data, it was clear that the largest end user of energy consumption was the lighting system.

ESP developed and implemented a number of changes to the electric lighting systems without compromising light levels achieved, including:

• A 28% reduction in lighting energy consumption for the sales area by optimising the design solution and luminaire selection.
• The addition of photoelectric daylight control switching to the sales area and warehouse lighting installations.

Following implementation of the above changes the building achieved the required C0₂ emissions target.

These improvements have now been included within the standard specifications for future Wickes Stores.