IM Properties is planning to use batteries made by sustainable energy giant Tesla to power a speculative shed development in the West Midlands.
Photovoltaic panels on the roof will send power to new Tesla Powerpack batteries, which will store energy for use at night or when the UK’s inclement weather takes its toll.
The technology will give the building, HUB69, an A+ performance certificate, and could make it electricity cost neutral (ECN).
“It’s the first time this has been done on an industrial building in the UK,” says Kevin Ashfield, IMP’s UK development director.
“There is a general trend of increasing utility costs, which affects the bottom line of occupiers. Our first ECN building provides a carbon-positive facility, which will have long-term cost savings for the occupier.”
Making the building potentially ECN could lower energy costs for the occupier, which, on a shed of this size, are around £37,000 pa.
Traditionally, sustainability credentials in buildings have not resulted in a higher value for investors. However, Ashfield says that sustainability and green credentials are becoming increasingly important for tenants and the cost savings will make a huge difference.
“It is practical,” he says. “If you can say to someone, your cost of electricity is X, but if you have this technology and this package, your cost comes down to zero. That is quite a compelling argument. It’s not an unknown.
“We have dealt with firms, such as John Lewis, for which sustainability is important. If they had the choice of two buildings, I know which one I would go for, all things being equal.”
The 69,000 sq ft HUB69 at the 90-acre HUB development at Witton is already under construction, with completion expected by October.
The photovoltaic cells will supply electricity straight to the building. The Tesla battery can be solar charged or charged from the grid when electricity is cheaper to use, in a process known as peak shaving.
IMP is looking to roll out the technology on more developments, though a minimum size of about 50,000 sq ft is needed to be viable.
Savings and efficiencies could increase if sheds were designed with the needs of the end user in mind. Retrofitting existing stock, while possible, is more difficult, because it depends on the technical specification of the shed: namely, whether the roof can take the weight.
“This is a genuine desire from IM properties to work on sustainability and push things forward. But I do also think that if you can show occupiers there is a genuine saving in pounds, shillings and pence, it’s got to be attractive,” says Ashfield.
“You are tackling the green agenda, but you are also saving money. Rather than trying to punish, and slap extra tariffs on electricity, you can self-generate, store and use.”
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