sineQN

Case Study One

emma — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 12:44:59 +0000

Client: Danish renewable energy specialist

Role: sineQN provided the project management and contract administration services for the construction of a purpose-built Research & Development facility to develop and test the client’s largest wind turbine blades.

Key Green aspects incorporated:

30m² of solar panels, capable of providing all the hot water for the site offices
Ground source heat pumps to heat and cool the office block. These are 300-400% efficient and have the capacity to provide 330 KW of heat and 150 KW of cooling
A self-contained sewage treatment plant for filtration and discharge, with rainwater harvesting for use in toilet flushing and irrigation
The monitoring of the carbon footprint of the project during the construction phase – which minimised vehicle traffic
The creation of a vegetable garden onsite to provide fresh fruit and vegetables

Case Study Two

Richeh — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 12:22:35 +0000

Client: UK retail and investment bank

Role: sineQN provided the project management and contract administration services for the construction of an award-winning data centre.

Key Green aspects incorporated:

20,000 sq ft of white space, extending to 50,000 sq ft within a 300,000 sq ft building
Tier 3+ Standard
Average load 7.7 KW per rack (max. 11 KW)
Used enclosed cold aisle containment
Achieved BREEAM Excellent and LEED Platinum
Specialist chillers were procured, which are designed to operate efficiently at low load
Trinergy UPS for mechanical system
Ice Mine system to provide one hour of cooling in the event of a chiller failure
sineQN won the Data Center Dynamics ‘Mega Data Centre of the Year’ Award in 2010

Biodegradable

emma — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 13:33:52 +0000

A product compiled of natural materials that can be broken down into simple compounds and absorbed back into the eco system without harm if it has moisture, heat, and micro-organisms. Biodegradability is certified by The International Standards Organization (ISO) 14855, and requires 60% biodegradation in 180 days.

Bio digester

emma — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 13:33:32 +0000

A heated tank that produces combustible gas from waste organic matter, recycling plant nutrients and helping to reduce dependence on inorganic fertilisers, making it easier to grow organically.

Biodynamic

emma — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 13:33:10 +0000

A method of organic farming and gardening that is self-sufficient in compost, manures and animal feeds. Astronomical calendars are used to determine timing for planting. Herb-based preparations that include some animal organs are also used. The Demeter symbol guarantees products have been produced bio dynamically.

Biogas generation

emma — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 13:32:43 +0000

Biogas is a mixture comprising mainly methane and carbon dioxide. It is produced when organic matter decomposes in the absence of oxygen. You can find further details on biogas and its production in the biofuels section. Biogas can be obtained directly from a variety of sources, including landfill, waste water and sewage treatment sites and other waste facilities. It can also be produced in dedicated anaerobic digestion facilities take in a wide variety of feed stocks, e.g. farm and food wastes to produce biogas. Cattle, pigs and poultry all produce slurries that can be used to produce biogas. The slurries can be fermented in an anaerobic digester to produce a gas that is mainly methane and carbon dioxide. Some 40-60% of the organic matter present in the slurry is converted into biogas. After maturation, the remainder provides a stabilised residue that can be used as a soil conditioner. The gas can be used in gas engines to generate electricity, or in boilers to provide process heat or space heating.

Biomass & Bio fuel

emma — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 13:32:23 +0000

Biomass is living and recently living biological material which can be used as fuel or for industrial production, e.g. trees and crops, food waste or poultry litter. A biofuel is a fuel derived from such materials and can be both sustainable and carbon neutral.

Biomass

emma — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 13:32:00 +0000

Biomass is the term for substances which have grown from animal or vegetable matter. Biomass absorbs CO2 when growing, making it renewable fuel – unlike fossil fuels – and therefore relevant to the renewable energy sector.

Biomass co-firing

emma — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 13:31:40 +0000

Biomass fuels can be combined with coal and contribute to energy generation in coal-fired power stations. Co-firing is a low-cost way of efficiently and cleanly converting biomass to electricity. It involves adding biomass as a partial substitute to coal in coal boilers. Biomass co-firing is one of the most cost-effective means of producing energy from biomass as it can be added to an existing coal-fired power plant with only small modifications of the entire system. Co-firing has been demonstrated in all boiler types commonly used by electric utilities, and was shown to lead to little or no loss in total boiler efficiency. There are various environmental benefits to co-firing, including a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions. Biomass also contains less sulphur than coal, so co-firing also reduces emissions of gases such as sulphur dioxide that causes acid rain. Energy crops are one particular biomass fuel that can be used in co-firing.

Biomass power

emma — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 13:31:15 +0000

Biomass energy is energy produced by the combustion of organic material, such as forestry waste or energy crops. Having been harvested and dried, the biomass is burned at high temperatures. The heat produced is used to turn water into steam, which turns a turbine – thereby generating electricity. Burning biomass can reduce carbon dioxide emissions, as organic material is carbon neutral. When burned, it only gives off as much carbon dioxide as it has absorbed during its lifetime. Biomass also contains only very low levels of sulphur, reducing the problem of acid rain.