Debate 41 saw Edge break from its cross-discipline roots to chair a technical debate on combined heat & power (CHP) and community heating. CIBSE co-hosted.

CHP, after many years, is still contested in the UK as a long term low carbon solution. Part of this discussion is about misapplication. Classed as an LZC solution, CHP is often pressed on projects by agencies unaware of the criteria that govern economic low carbon outcomes.

The other part of the discussion relates to energy futures: whether a reliable fuel grid or substitute heat sources, on which CHP depends, will endure; or whether the UK should concentrate on decarbonising an ‘all-electric’ grid with the resilience promised by its mix of prime energy sources.

As the UK’s Departments of State have yet to agree scenarios, CHP remains a subject for discussion. This debate, between notable opponents, airs these and related issues. It was held on 22nd September 2010 at the University of Southampton.

Presentation summaries (pdf)

Councillor Matthew Dean, Southampton City Council
Mike Murray, i-to-i Solutions & Conference Chair
Bill Watts, Max Fordham & Partners
Phil Jones, Chair CIBSE CHP Group, Visiting Research Fellow London Southbank University

The visuals for: A case against combined heat and power with district heating (pdf)

Bill Watts, Max Fordham & Partners

Is a concentration on carbon is the most effective way of reducing the carbon emissions from our new and existing buildings? The recent report of the Construction Industry’s Innovation & Growth Team says it brings simplicity and rigour. Is this so, or do we risk ‘green bling’ and other unintended consequences?

Example: Politicians’ home wind turbines and biomass boilers used as a ‘get out of jail free card’ for buildings that are not energy efficient but which could have been.

The debate was chaired by Paul Morrell, Government Chief Construction Advisor.

To speak we had:
Guy Battle, Engineer, Founder of DC8 (De-Carbonate) and Partner at Deloittes

Bill Bordass, Scientist and leading proponent and advocate of building performance assessment at the Usable Buildings Trust

Sunand Prasad, Architect, Founding Partner of Penoyre & Prasad and RIBA Past President

Stephen Hill, Development Surveyor, Director C2O futureplanners, author of RICS Manifesto on Sustainable Infrastructures and Land Use Systems

Bridget Rosewell, Economist, Chairman of Volterra and former advisor to the Treasury’s Select Committee on Monetary Policy

Debate held: 10 June 2010
Institution of Civil Engineers, 1 Great George St, London SW1

Debate Notes