As more of our clients seek increasingly sustainable solutions, Clegg Food Projects is at the forefront of incorporating energy-efficient methods and technologies across a range of construction projects.
Manufacturing facilities have long relied on huge quantities of energy and resources to power their production lines, lighting, refrigeration and ventilation processes.
While manufacturing plays a pivotal role in the UK’s economy, it is also a major source of greenhouse gases – accounting for 12% of overall emissions. But with all areas of UK manufacturing under pressure to cut their environmental impact and embed more sustainable practices, it can be a difficult juggling act alongside maintaining high-performing and profitable operations.
Business development manager Oliver Jenkins explains how our experience as food and drink industry market leaders can support your next construction project as businesses aim to reduce their carbon footprint.
What are the important factors in designing and building sustainable manufacturing facilities?
There are significant ways that the manufacturing sector can reduce carbon during construction and its operations. These could include:
- Focus on energy and building efficiency first and then renewables: Using renewable energy systems such as solar, efficient LED lighting and adopting smart building management can significantly reduce impact
- Water management: Factories can use huge amounts of water for processes and products; adopting more efficient processing and recovery systems, such as rainwater harvesting, can reduce costs and precious resources
- Temperature control: Design buildings with advanced insulation for both buildings and pipework and ensure utilities supplies are maintained and efficient
- Sustainable materials: Use low-carbon or recycled building materials where possible – even better if these are locally sourced
- Waste reduction: Look at ways to reduce, reuse and recycle materials
- Electric vehicles: Install EV charging points for company, employee and visitors’ vehicles
Inevitably, one of the most important factors is the cost involved in the race to net zero. Many customers need to look at the return on investment they can achieve. It can often be the difference in a project going ahead, but we can advise clients on this element to help them yield the goals they are aiming for.
How do you help clients to be more sustainable?
While many of the projects we are involved with have been long in the planning, with environmental factors considered from the start, we can still support a client towards easy wins during the construction phase.
Our team knows how to drive efficiency measures in a building, whether it’s a new build, a new extension or a retrofitting project on a live site. We can help procure the most effective heating and cooling systems, from the type of building fabrics used and on-site energy generation such as solar panels.
Many projects are focused on achieving high BREEAM ratings – the leading sustainability assessment for buildings that measures energy, water and material performance – to achieve lower carbon goals. As an industry, we need to be looking at the materials we use, such as steel and concrete which is a hot topic because of its energy-intensive production. Our sister company, Clegg Construction, has wide experience of delivering BREEAM ‘Excellent’ standards and we lean into this knowledge to help our manufacturing clients.
What ways are your clients embracing greener methods?
We work with leading breweries who want to reduce their carbon emissions through various initiatives such as heat recovery projects – a method of capturing heat from a manufacturing process to utilise that heat or energy elsewhere in the factory.
Many of our food and business clients have been operating for hundreds of years, so dealing with their ageing stock as they try to reduce their carbon impacts can be a challenge, one we are well-versed in navigating.
What work has Clegg Food Projects done in the sustainability field?
We have been and are currently involved in several ambitious and exciting projects for a range of clients, such as:
Gridserve:
We have been appointed the principal contractor for the creation of an electric vehicle charging station at Markham Vale, near Chesterfield, for Gridserve, the sustainable energy business that delivers advanced EV charging networks. The new Electric Forecourt will have 30 charging bays with high power chargers that can add 100 miles of range in less than five minutes.
Fischer Farms:
We were appointed to construct the ‘world’s biggest’ vertical farm for Fischer Farms in a £25m project to develop a 25,000 sq m growing space. Vertical farming is growing in popularity because of the benefits involved – better crop yields, less water usage and reduced food miles. They can also generally be built in most places.
ITM Power:
We worked on the world’s largest hydrogen-producing electrolyser factory for ITM Power, the international energy storage and clean fuel company. We completed the internal fit-out of its new 1GW factory in Sheffield, working closely with the firm’s technical specialists and design partners to agree on the size, standards and specific design requirements.
CMR Surgical:
We delivered a 75,000 sq ft state-of-the-art factory for the global robotics company CMR Surgical, complete with sustainable features such as rainwater harvesting, PV arrays, EV charging points. The project also involved tree planting, wildflower meadows – and even the creation of bug hotels and bat boxes.
How is the manufacturing sector adapting to carbon zero targets?
The sector isopen to change. It’s important for clients to look at the whole life costings of a building in the early design stages – and not just consider the short-term paybacks. Building in stages is a good way to ensure premises are futureproofed with a range of low carbon features.
A further consideration is understanding how much power a building will need as more automation and robotics are introduced to improve efficiency in the future. Smarter buildings, such as data centres, draw on huge amounts of power and how they access that needs to be a factor, whether that’s from the National Grid or by creating their own power.
Talk to our experts:
Clegg Food Projects works closely with our clients to navigate evolving technologies and environmental challenges. We have more than 40 years’ experience in the food and drink industry and a range of sectors, working with national and international household brands to design and build high-quality manufacturing facilities.
Speak to our experts to discover how we can make your food and beverage facilities more sustainable and ready for the future.
Email us at foodprojects@clegggroup.co.uk or call us on 0115 841 3121.