ABB takes energy performance to new heights in Swansea for a new era of student accommodation

29-01-2021

Smart power distribution package will optimise energy efficiency and power availability for new 17-storey student accommodation

An innovative smart power distribution solution from ABB’s Electrification business, has been installed at Fusion Swansea, a £50 million student accommodation development in Swansea, Wales.

The hardware and software package will enable developer RDE Silex and its partner Fusion Students, to optimise energy consumption and power availability across the new landmark Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) building, which includes 780 student bedrooms, shared study and social facilities, reception and ground floor retail units.

The project is a clear example of how connected hardware and cloud-based monitoring and control support PBSA operators to deploy low-energy building design as the UK drives towards becoming net zero by 2050.

The building is designed to combine comfort for students with excellent energy efficiency performance for increased sustainable living. It features individual heating controls in every room, as well as monitoring and control systems to optimise energy consumption and raise alerts to keep building managers informed.

Nigel Henry, Co-Founder of Fusion Students said: “We want our accommodation to provide everything students need for success, including comfort, safety and a sense of home. At the same time, we also want to protect the environment and control our energy bills. We invested in ABB’s state-of-the-art electrical systems for Fusion Swansea to give us a platform to enable control by individual students while we optimize overall energy consumption. As ABB’s equipment integrates digital monitoring and communication, it eliminates the need for additional components such as meters and communications modules. This further saves time during installation and commissioning.”

Nigel Thomas, ABB UK Specification & Projects Manager said: “Fusion Swansea is a landmark development for Swansea and is a great example of how the latest technology can help developers create comfortable and sustainable accommodation for students while controlling costs and supporting energy efficiency legislation.”

The electrical systems comply with the ISO 50001 energy management standard and the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) TM39 guidance for energy metering, minimizing the need for reporting via the UK’s Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS) regulations.

ABB’s hardware includes all the equipment needed to control, monitor and manage electricity from the incoming utility supply to individual circuits. It includes Protecta switchgear panels, CMS700 circuit monitoring system (CMS), TruONE ATS automatic transfer switches, IOT gateway E-Hub 2.0, Emax 2 air circuit breakers and Tmax XT moulded case circuit breakers. In addition, the smart cloud-based digital ABB Ability™ Electrical Distribution Control System monitors energy consumption remotely and provides 24/7 alerts.