Renewable energy installation Hydro Ness shortlisted for another national award
Highland Council's renewable energy installation, Hydro Ness, has been shortlisted at the 2022 Structural Steel Design Awards.
This year marks the 54th Structural Steel Design Awards (SSDA), jointly sponsored by BCSA and Trimble Solutions (UK) Ltd.
The Hydro Ness project will be up against 20 other submissions from across the UK and showcase steel’s sustainability credentials, flexibility and versatility in a number of different and varying applications.
Hydro Ness has also been short-listed as a finalist for The VIBES - Scottish Environment Business Awards and as a finalist in the Highlands & Islands Renewable Energy Awards 2022.
Situated on the banks of the River Ness, directly adjacent to the Holm Mills bridge, this Archimedes screw project will generate and supply over 500,000 kwh of green electricity annually to the nearby Inverness Leisure Centre – this will offset the organisations reliance on grid supplied electricity and also help reduce the councils carbon footprint.
The scheme is expected to reduce carbon emissions by over 140,000 kg per annum. This is also strengthened using natural resources in the form of an historically and ecologically important river.
The winners will be announced at an evening reception in London later this month (29 September 2022).
Welcoming Hydro Ness's inclusion on the 2022 SSDA shortlist, Chair of Highland Council's newly formed, strategic Climate Change Committee, Cllr Karl Rosie, said: "Hydro Ness is a shining example of sustainability and innovation and I am delighted it has been shortlisted at this year's prestigious Structural Steel Design Awards.
“The high-profile nature of Hydro Ness will help champion ambitious, green, self-supply energy opportunities and help to support and encourage positive change. I believe Hydro Ness will be a very strong contender at the awards and it is fantastic to see a Highland project being recognised alongside designs from across the UK."
He added: "Hydro Ness was designed with sustainability in mind and its low carbon steel structure is a great example of how construction can help us meet the demands of the climate emergency and our move to achieve net zero emissions by 2025.”
Chair of Highland Council’s Economy & Infrastructure Committee, Cllr Ken Gowan, said: “Structural steelwork is an historically sustainable material, which can be re-used and recycled, and still deliver efficient, practical and visually attractive structures like Hydro Ness. It is also cost-effective, which is always vital.”
2021/22 has been another challenging year. In the autumn/winter of 2021 and early 2022 it looked like COVID-19 was largely under control and the lifting of restrictions would bring the economy back to pre-pandemic levels. However, the war in Ukraine resulted in significant increases in energy prices, supply issues for certain construction materials and inflation approaching 10%, but the steel industry continues to buck the trend and provides low carbon, high quality structures.
The Structural Streel Design Awards were first launched in 1969 and since then the winning projects have continued to demonstrate flexibility, sustainability, innovation, and excellent value for money in a world that has seen significant challenges.
David Moore, Chief Executive Officer, British Constructional Steelwork Association, said: “I am pleased to say that the range and quality of entries for the 54th year of the awards are no different and once again the entries submitted are exceptional. We have a very strong shortlist, and I would like to congratulate all the shortlisted project teams.”