Pictured above: (l-r) Nick Batt and Claire Thomas (Urban Splash) and Guy Thompson (GVA Grimley) 

Leading UK property consultant GVA Grimley and developer Urban Splash have worked together to introduce energy saving measures at Birmingham's vast Fort Dunlop building, which have reduced power consumption by an impressive 32 per cent. 

Situated alongside the M6 motorway, the redevelopment of Fort Dunlop was completed in 2006 to provide 377,000 sq ft of contemporary office space, together with a 100 bedroom Travelodge hotel. During the past 12 months, a number of innovative energy saving measures have been implemented throughout the common areas to reduce the annual energy bill by close to £193,000. GVA Grimley is retained by Urban Splash to manage expenditure at the landmark building. 

Energy saving measures include refraining from illuminating the non essential and non security sensitive parts of the building and splitting the surface car park into four sections. This enables lighting to be turned off completely if areas of the car park are not in use during in the evenings. Passive infrared sensors have also been installed throughout the development, in areas such as corridors, stair cores and the basement car park, which have resulted in significant energy and maintenance cost savings. In addition, water pumps, boilers and dry air coolers now all operate independently. 

Guy Thompson, director in GVA Grimley's Birmingham Property Management Consultancy team comments: "The remodelling and reinvention of the landmark Fort Dunlop building by Urban Splash has been so successful and popular because it celebrates the original structure of the storage warehouse. By undertaking minimal internal demolition to floor slabs and columns, the mixed-use development boasts high floor to ceiling dimensions and dynamic communal areas. However, it is a constant challenge to make a redeveloped building as energy efficient as a new build equivalent. 

"By working together with Urban Splash's dedicated facilities manager, a plan was devised which introduced energy saving measures that have reduced the communal power consumption at Fort Dunlop by a third. This is an incredible achievement in such a vast building over a 12 month period and it is testament to what can be achieved in other redeveloped and refurbished buildings." 

While further energy saving measures are continually being explored, GVA Grimley is also advising Urban Splash on the renewal of Fort Dunlop's electricity supply contract. The consultancy's national team of utility specialists are able to offer market leading advice and buying power in order to reduce the cost of purchasing electricity. 

Claire Thomas, director of asset management at Urban Splash Commercial Properties Ltd said: "Our carbon reduction commitment is an essential driver to our business. Injecting new life into unloved, derelict buildings creates significant upfront energy savings, compared to demolishing existing buildings and replacing them with new ones. However, it is crucial that we continually monitor ways of introducing energy saving devices into developments like Fort Dunlop to minimise the impact on the environment. 

"The energy saving measures GVA Grimley and Fort Dunlop's facilities manager Nick Batt have introduced have had a tremendous impact on our power consumption, while creating no reduction in service levels or standards for our customers and the thousands of people who work there. Reducing our annual energy bill also means that we can pass on savings to the tenants, making this landmark scheme an even better value proposition for businesses."