Expanding environmental technology firm 4energy, which specialises in carbon cutting refrigeration systems, is moving its newly formed Data Centre division to new ultra green premises at No.1 Nottingham Science Park.
The Nottingham company designs low power cooling systems that protect electronic equipment from the harmful effects of high and low temperatures, reducing operating costs and energy consumption.
No.1 Nottingham Science Park, completed by specialist regeneration developer Blueprint last year, will be the home for the new venture as 4energy expands from its core market of cooling telecommunications equipment into the cooling and power management of computer data centres. About five of 4energy's 40 staff will move from its Keyworth headquarters to the new location where there is room to expand.
"It's a building with a good feel, it's different, and we just thought it stood out from everything else we looked at," said Pat Tindale, 4energy's managing director. He said the company expected to create new jobs as it developed market share.
As well as its eye-catching design, No.1 Nottingham Science Park incorporates a range of sustainable features while the rest of Blueprint's £50 million science park development includes an attractive, publicly accessible boardwalk and wetland habitat, making this one science park that really is a park. It also forms an important part of Nottingham's Science City portfolio, providing space for growing technology companies to expand and create new jobs in the sector.
"We're delighted to welcome 4energy to Nottingham Science Park. They are exactly the kind of cutting edge technology, high growth business that it was designed for," said John Long of Blueprint. "To know that the risks we took going the extra mile in terms of design and sustainability played a significant part in their decision is pure joy. There will be many like them as companies increasingly look at their carbon footprints and bottom line costs, which are of course intrinsically linked."
He said the building's "green" features, such as a biomass-fuelled boiler that provides the heating and energy efficient cooling, would mean lower costs for occupants.
4energy has been based in Nottinghamshire from its beginnings in 2005 and now has a seven-figure turnover. Its cooling products and systems protect sensitive electronic equipment such as radios, routers, batteries and equipment rooms from the detrimental effects of temperature. This can remove the need for conventional air conditioning, cutting carbon emissions and saving money. Managed and owned by Dr Stuart Redshaw and Pat Tindale, its investors include the Carbon Trust and Catapult Venture Managers.
Councillor Graham Chapman, Portfolio Holder for Economic Development, Nottingham City Council said: "We are delighted with the success of Nottingham-based company, 4energy, and the opening of a second office. Despite the current economic difficulties, there are still positive stories to tell and we are progressing on our way to becoming a top city for science, creativity and innovation. It is more important than ever to ensure the City is catering for the needs of its businesses and other organisations who supply us with jobs. Brokering key relationships, such as in the case of 4energy and Blueprint, is vital to keeping jobs in Nottingham and I am proud of what our Economic Development Team has achieved".
No.1 Nottingham Science Park is the spectacular focal point of Blueprint's £50 million, 12-acre extension to Nottingham's existing Science Park. Designed by award winning architects, London based Studio Egret West, No.1 Nottingham Science Park is the biggest speculative development of its kind in Nottingham at over 45,000 sq ft.
Quickly becoming a major landmark on a main route into the city, No.1 Nottingham Science Park drives forward design and environmental sustainability standards on UK science parks. Green features include a brown roof aiding insulation and encouraging biodiversity, a biomass heating system, natural ventilation aided at peak times by a water based adiabatic cooling system, use of sustainable materials, and optimisation of natural light.
The building will significantly reduce operational costs for occupiers and could, it is estimated, reduce carbon emissions by around 60% from the 1997 building regulations standards. The building has been designed with reference to funder Igloo's Footprint® socially responsible investment policy.
Blueprint has worked with a range of partners on No.1 Nottingham Science Park, including Innes England the lettings agents, who were pleased to facilitate the deal and identify a perfect solution for 4energy. Ann Segaram commented, "The Science Park is designed for Research and Development and high-tech occupiers and we are all delighted that our first tenant is an environmental technology organisation, who have embraced the concept of the building and the business park."
Other partners included emda, Nottingham City Council and Greater Nottingham Partnership, and the project was part financed by the European Regional Development Fund. The boardwalk was part financed by emda as public realm.
