An award-winning building services design consultancy is looking to expand, despite this time of economic uncertainty.
Arrow Energy Limited, which has offices in South Lakeland and Yorkshire, is committed to reducing energy consumption in the domestic, commercial and heritage sector.
It has just opened an office in north Leeds and is planning to expand its operations in Yorkshire.
And it is also looking to the future by helping to develop a new thermal electric generator called Prometheus, which should help to reduce energy demand and carbon emissions by harnessing energy which is going to waste and converting it into usable electricity.
Arrow Energy Limited, founded in 2015, is run by Director Alistair Fletcher, 57. He used to work in heavy industry, which was powered by fossil fuels. “I decided I was more comfortable working in a sustainable environment where the focus was on reducing energy consumption and using more renewable sources of energy, so I set up Arrow Energy Limited,” he said.
The company provides a hands-on service to guide all aspects of a project’s mechanical and electrical design, from concept through to completion. It works with architects, builders and estate managers to design innovative energy systems to ensure the most sustainable and efficient generation and distribution of heat and power.
It does much of its work across Cumbria, Lancashire and Yorkshire, but has also been involved in numerous projects across the country.
The company has worked closely with the National Trust, which has set itself a goal of generating 50 per cent of the energy used at properties it directly manages from renewable sources by February next year.
Arrow has offered independent advice about energy consumption and potential practical solutions at more than 20 of the trust’s properties across the country.
As a result, fossil fuel heating systems at Mottisfont Abbey, an historic priory and country estate in Hampshire and Polesden Lacey, a mansion property in Surrey, were replaced with woodchip biomass heating solutions, which radically reduced their carbon emissions.
Alistair also worked at Sizergh Castle, south of Kendal, where the present heating systems are proposed to be replaced with a wood pellet biomass system. A solar PV system has also been evaluated. Both systems have gained planning approval this year.
As a result of a feasibility study Alistair carried out at the Sticklebarn pub in Great Langdale, planning has now been approved to install a ground source heat pump.
Full mechanical and electrical design was also carried out at another National Trust property, Gunby Hall in Lincolnshire.
“Renewable energy is not a ‘one box fits all’ solution, particularly in historic buildings,” explained Adrian Fox, of the National Trust. He said the trust used Arrow Energy Limited because Alistair had a deep understanding of both renewable energy and also the specific requirements and challenges of historic buildings.
Tretonia (UK) Limited contracted Arrow Energy Limited to develop the mechanical and electrical design for its prestigious EPC A-rated housing development at Viver Green near Hincaster, Cumbria. This has resulted in highly insulated homes heated by air source heat pumps and solar PV panels.
Arrow is now involved in bringing to market Prometheus, a new thermal electric generator. “This will be more efficient and also lighter than what is currently on the market,” said Alistair.
The system harvests existing waste heat energy – to produce electricity. It is being developed by Blackburn-based EU ECO Technologies and partners, with funding from the National Aerospace Technology Programme and the UK Space Agency.
“As part of a team involved in the intellectual property of the technology and also holding 100 per cent of the UK distribution rights, it is an exciting time for the business,” said Alistair.
“Arrow Energy Limited are also the integration engineers, so being involved directly in the design interface with the customer will expand our experience and knowledge, which we are always looking for as engineers.”
Alistair said he was excited by Prometheus and believed the work he was doing in building services and in research and development were complimentary.
“We believe developing new technology such as Prometheus requires a solid understanding of how the existing domestic, commercial and industrial systems presently operate. This understanding enables the potential of improving energy efficiency across a broad range of sectors and opens up the possibility of new technology integration.”
For more information about Prometheus, see the research and development page of Arrow Energy Limited’s website – https://www.arrowenergy.co.uk/r-and-d
