Active Renewable Energy's centre in Aberdeen has been awarded an EPC rating of A, making it one of the most energy efficient in Scotland.

The renewable energy firm's building was designed by architects Halliday Fraser Munro and built by Stewart Milne Construction. The engineering team was Active’s own, chartered engineers Cameron Chisholm Dawson Partnership (CCDP).

The building features ground and air-source heat pumps, solar panels and a road energy system, which soaks up heat from tarmac surfaces.

Ian Nicol, Active Renewable Energy Centre
Ian Nicol, Active Renewable Energy Centre

A wind turbine is still to be installed on the site and the firm hopes to become completely self sufficient by the end of the year. The building will generate its own electricity, selling any excess on to the National Grid.

Ian Nicol, Active’s managing director, said: “From the ground up this building has been designed to be extremely efficient. Its exact position on the site has been chosen to minimise heat gain on the south face while maximising the potential of the solar panels on the roof. Internally it makes the most of natural light and ventilation by optimising north facing roof lights.”

The company claims that even when the wind turbine is excluded from calculations, the building will consume around 64, 935kW/hrs energy per year, with a fuel cost of £5,195. The average for a commercial building of this type is said to be around 190,000kW/hrs and a fuel cost almost threefold at £15,741 year year.

Ian McAllister Partner at CCDP said: “This was a very exciting project for us to be involved in. With rising fuel costs and the need to meet government targets for reducing carbon emissions, it’s important that new buildings are designed with energy efficiency in mind.”

Active invested over £3m into the mixed use site, which house’s the firm’s 70 staff.

Active provides sustainable energy systems for both commercial and residential construction projects and specialises in micro-renewables and efficient air-conditioning and ventilation solutions.