SCOTTISH Water has partnered with Ross-Shire Engineering (RSE) to trial an award-winning low carbon approach to housing equipment on site.
The pilot has seen traditional kiosks be replaced with modular wooden structures created by RSE, with the first Timber Modular Build (TMB) kiosk recently delivered to one of Scottish Water’s sites in Aberdeen with a second due to be utilised at a site at Howden Wells.
The structures are used to house some of the chemical dosing equipment needed at water treatment and wastewater treatment works and reduce embodied carbon by more than 74% when compared to traditional kiosks made from glass reinforced plastic, as well as being fully recyclable.
Before delivery to site, the TMBs are fitted out with the capacity for equipment to be installed and ready to go immediately. The new timber enclosures also exceed fire resistance regulations, will outlast the 25-year design life of a traditional kiosk, and can be constructed more rapidly, Scottish Water said.
RSE recently won the Gamechanger award for the TMBs at the Accelerate to Zero Awards which recognise the businesses, organisations, and individuals making the biggest contribution to decarbonising the built environment.
Ian Watt, Scottish Water’s beyond net zero delivery manager, said, “We are delighted to be working alongside RSE to reduce the carbon associated with our capital programme through these innovative timber kiosks. Kiosks are an essential part of many of our sites, housing chemical dosing equipment and have traditionally been made from glass reinforced plastic.
“RSE has managed to develop an approach that makes use of fully recyclable materials and cuts the embodied carbon associated with these structures by almost three quarters, while reducing lead in times and allowing for offsite construction – the fact that we were able to supply timber for one of the two kiosks we have ordered is a bonus.
“We look forward to having more of these types of kiosks fully installed on site in the coming weeks and months.”
Andy Louden, RSE’s design manager, added, “2024 has been a great milestone for the development of the TMB. We are now looking forward to scaling up production of the TMB product range and reducing the embodied carbon and the duration of projects one modular build at a time.”
