Bristol City Council: Fairfield High School

About Bristol City Council and Fairfield High School

Fairfield High School is a specialist performing and virtual arts college under the authority of Bristol City Council. It is designed as a horseshoe shaped building, rising to a maximum height of six storeys, with a central atrium as the school assembly hall. The school provides a high level of insulation with 100mm thick mineral fibre insulation boards used on a steelframe building.

How powerPerfector were able to help Bristol City Council

After receiving the annual electricity consumption details for Fairfield High School, it was possible to give a provisional quote for a powerPerfector unit and to outline the potential for energy savings. A voltage logger was then sent for a week and a half, which recorded the voltage level at the site by connecting it to a regular mains socket. It was found that the average voltage at the site was 248 volts (V), 18V higher than the nominal supply in the UK. After a survey of the site by a powerPerfector Approved Contractor, the installation took place on a Wednesday. Analysis following the installation showed that there was an average reduction in kWh consumption of 13.4% attributable to the powerPerfector installation, equating to annual carbon dioxide emissions saving of 43,400kg.

Getting the source right

powerPerfector is the world’s only Voltage Power Optimiser, giving energy, carbon and cost savings by efficiently optimising a site’s supply voltage. By optimising the voltage, electrical equipment runs more efficiently and consumes less energy. The declared electricity supply in the United Kingdom is now, as a result of European Harmonisation, 230V with a tolerance of +10% to -10%. This means that effective voltage can be anywhere between 207V and 253V depending on local conditions. Most electrical equipment manufactured for Europe and the UK is rated at 220V and operates more efficiently at this level. Forcing appliances to operate at a higher voltage in the UK (242V is the average supply level) leads to significantly higher energy consumption, increased heat losses and a reduced life span. As a result of equipment specification and the range of voltage supply, there is an opportunity to achieve cost savings by optimising voltage at source and at the same time improve the operation and lifespan of a site’s electrical infrastructure. It is estimated that 90% of sites in the UK are operating at too high a voltage and could therefore benefit from installing a powerPerfector.

Voltage Power Optimisation. The less obvious benefits

Reduced maintenance, longer life
All electrical equipment has an optimum voltage at which it works best. A powerPerfected supply delivers that optimum and reduces the strain on your electrical equipment, leaving it to work more reliably and for longer.

Better quality power supply
Some things you may have accepted for years, but product faults can turn out to be caused by a poor quality power supply. For instance, the life of incandescent light bulbs is almost doubled when the supply voltage is optimised. Now imagine that in relation to an IT network or an expensive piece of manufacturing equipment.

Missing the penalty kick
Power factor penalty charges – which are now uncapped in the UK – can be avoided if your power factor is above 0.95. If your power factor is at around 0.9 at the moment, powerPerfector could remove your exposure to these charges by improving the electrical efficiency of your site.

Lower harmonic distortion and reduced neutral currents
powerPerfectors are able to filter harmonics on the mains incomer. Harmonic distortion is on the increase and can lead to random failures of electronic equipment – particularly computers.

Protection
Common transients – very brief spikes in voltage from the grid – are eliminated by powerPerfector. Transients at this level can cause catastrophic damage to equipment, but smaller, more common transient events will also shorten the life expectancy of electrical equipment over time.