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sustainabletimes
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Driving down costs
It’s not just the immaculate fairways
that are green at Coventry Golf
Club. Having already received an
English Golf Environment Award
in recognition of its wildlife-
friendly grounds, the club recently
implemented a far-reaching and
aggressive carbon reduction
programme.
“We are committed to trying to
reduce our consumables both on and off
the course,” explained course manager
Phil Weaver. “As such we decided to
undertake a complete audit of our
electricity consumption.We wanted to
radically downsize our carbon footprint
and of course save on energy costs as
bills continue to rise.”
The club invited Rexel to conduct a
full survey of its facilities to see where
energy-saving technologies could be
deployed.
Following an analysis of Coventry
Golf Club’s past electricity bills
and current usage, measured using
an advanced current transformer
monitoring reader, Rexel recommended:
n
energy-saving lighting for the
clubhouse and outside buildings,
including LEDs, presence detection
and daylight harvesting to reduce
electricity consumption;
n
solar photovoltaic panels on the
roof so that the club could generate
its own electricity and additional
revenue; and
How Rexel has helped
Coventry Golf Club achieve a
25% reduction in its energy
bill and shrink its carbon
footprint by 5 tonnes.
n
metering and controlling
consumption, for example by
installing water heating timers and
A-rated energy efficient appliances
and rearranging maintenance to
coincide with the lowest energy
tariffs.
A natural fit
After a unanimous agreement from the
board, the project went ahead.Working
with Rexel as the project manager
alongside partner suppliers and installers,
Coventry Golf Club installed new
energy-efficient lighting and a 16-panel
solar photovoltaic system capable of
generating 3.6 kilowatts per hour.
This gives the club free electricity as
well as an additional source of income
from the solar feed-in tariff (FiT)
scheme. As the project was implemented
before the Government halved feed-
in tariffs for solar, the club enjoys a
guaranteed annual payback of 43.3
pence per kilowatt hour compared to the
new rate of 21p per kWh.
Brian Smithers, business development
director at Rexel UK, said: “Coventry
Golf Club is a perfect candidate for
solar panelling because of all the natural
light. The lack of shade on the roof
provided an ideal environment for the
photovoltaic solar panel array, not only
reducing the club’s carbon footprint but
also generating long-term revenue.”
The results
As a result of installing energy efficient
lighting and metering, the club has been
able to reduce its annual electricity bill
by £4,646, helping to save five tonnes of
CO
2
. In addition, in just twelve months,
it generated income of £1,500 from FiT.
Over the next 25 years, the club expects
to make £42,500 from the solar panel
installation.
“Rexel’s recommendations have
proved hugely beneficial and point
to substantial short and long-term
cost savings,” explainedWeaver.
“Understandably, in these economically
challenging times, golf clubs nationwide
are focusing on reducing costs across
the board – Coventry Golf Club included.
From our perspective the technology
makes sound fiscal sense. Helping to
save the planet while saving money is an
absolute no-brainer.”
He added: “Here at Coventry
Golf Club we believe that we have a
responsibility to manage the golf course
using environmental best practice. Rexel
has demonstrated perfectly how modern
technologies can save money without
impacting the manner in which we go
about our daily life at the club.”
The power above
The 12th century St. Michael and
All Angels Church inWithington
has become the country’s first ‘zero
carbon’ church.
As part of a renovation project, the
900-year old building was fitted with
solar panels and a biomass boiler and
is now powered entirely by renewable
energy.
Twenty-four Kyocera solar modules
were installed using a special ladder
system that did not adversely affect
the structure of the building or its
visual appearance.
We are
committed
to trying to
reduce our
consumables
both on and
off the course
“