VIBES 2006 Winners The achievement the Division has made in ‘practicing what we preach’ was recognised by the Scottish Vision in Business for the Environment Scotland (VIBES) award scheme of which we were national winners in 2006... more›

Facilities
Xodus AURORA's purpose built facilities were completed in summer 2004. The building was designed to accommodate office facilities for the consultancy side of the business, workshop facilities for environmental monitoring and survey activities, as well as library and multimedia meeting room facilities.

The building has been constructed using traditional building methods for the harsh and windswept environment of the Orkney Isles, but has, where practical, incorporated a number of environmentally friendly and energy efficient features:

› Ground Source Heat Pump (GSHP), high specification insulation and energy efficient glass
› Daylight and occupancy sensors on selected light fittings
› Sustainable Urban Drainage (SUDS) turf paved car park
› Slate roof and non reflective glass to reduce visual intrusion as the building is located in a National Scenic Area.
› In addition, the implementation of procedures through the company’s Environmental Management Systems (EMS) ensures impacts from our operations are minimised.

Ground source heat pump (GSHP)
Heating, cooling and hot water is provided by a GSHP. The use of a renewable energy source to heat (and cool) the building reduces greenhouse emissions associated with more traditional forms of heating. Xodus AURORA’s system was one of the first to be installed in commercial premises in Scotland.

A GSHP uses a refrigeration cycle to move heat between the outdoors, i.e. the ground/soil and indoors. GSHPs can heat and cool buildings, and heat water. The closed-loop system collects heat from the ground by means of a continuous loop of piping buried underground. A non-toxic antifreeze solution which has been chilled by the heat pump's refrigeration system to several degrees colder than the outside soil, circulates through the piping, absorbing heat from the surrounding soil. When space heat is required, the heat pump removes heat from the soil. In cooling mode, the heat pump rejects heat to the soil. The large "thermal mass" of the soil can easily absorb these temperature swings.

GSHPs are one of the most efficient heating and cooling systems available, with heating efficiencies 50% to 70% higher than other heating systems, and cooling efficiencies 20% to 40% higher than air conditioners. They use small amounts of electricity in order to deliver three or four times more energy as heat (or to cool).

Energy efficiency
In addition to the energy efficient GSHP, other energy efficient specifications include high specification insulation (above building regulation requirements) and energy efficient glass to reduce radiation heating in the summer and heat loss in the winter.

1. The Low-E coating on the windows allows most natural light to enter freely, but absorbs a significant portion of short-wave heat energy.
2. In the summer long wave heat energy radiating from objects is reflected back outside, thereby lowering cooling costs.
3. In winter, internal long wave heat energy is reflected back outside, thereby lowering heating costs.

Daylight sensors on light fittings means lights are automatically dimmed in high natural light conditions, thereby reducing the amount of electricity used.

The use of occupancy sensors ensures that lights are not inadvertently left on, lighting rooms and using energy where unnecessary.

Sustainable Urban Drainage (SUDS)
The turf car park has a number of sustainable drainage benefits over traditional concrete or tarmacadam. It reduces water run-off volumes by dealing with water where it is generated and removes the need to convey it off site, thereby reducing the ‘environmental footprint’.

Visual impact
The building is located within the Hoy and West Mainland National Scenic Area (NSA), therefore its design incorporated a number of measures to reduce visual intrusion. In particular, a slate roof and harled exterior was in keeping with other nearby properties and non-reflective glass was installed to reduce glare from the sun. A slate roof has the added advantage of direct use of a raw material rather than use of a manufactured product e.g. roof tiles.