SKCAE is principally comprised of The Natural History Museum, The Science Museum, The Victoria and Albert Museum, The Royal Albert Hall and The Imperial College united under a common landlord, The Royal Commission for the Great Exhibition of 1851.

Cynergin Consultants have been awarded a contract to evaluate the feasibility and produce the business case for a major energy and emission reduction project for the South Kensington Cultural and Academic Estate (SKCAE).

The buildings from which these partners operate range from imposing Victorian structures to very modern teaching and laboratory facilities. The Estate of 87 acres is united under one Landlord the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 formed after the success of the Great Exhibition to further the interest of science and art in the country. Each establishment has unique heating, cooling and power demand profiles and taken together, consume 197,294 mWh’s per annum, produce 55,508 tonnes of carbon dioxide per annum and will cost SKCAE nearly £8m in 2006.

Five recent events have stimulated the need to understand the energy consumption profiles of the partners in far greater depth than ever before.

1. The advent of the Emissions Trading Scheme
2. The recent rebound in utility prices
3. The UK Government’s Strategy for Combined Heat and Power (CHP) to 2010
4. The Kyoto Protocol
5. The UK Government’s target to reduce carbon dioxide emissions

SKCAE’s response to these events is an innovative proposal to produce a “Carbon Masterplan” as the first phase of moving to a “zero carbon” operation. This task will require investment in technology and expertise to fully understand the energy profiles and flows at each SKCAE member so that opportunities for energy and carbon emission reductions can be identified. The Masterplan will provide substantial near-term savings in energy consumption and emissions as well as identify longer-term opportunities to dramatically reduce energy use by improved cooperation between the partners and use of new technologies such as CHP and renewable fuel sources.

Cynergin’s team of technical, financial and procurement specialists have already begun work on the project and expect to complete the first stage in late 2005.
Nick Ray, Director of Cynergin Consultants, stated that “we are absolutely delighted to be awarded a contract from such prestigious institutions. They are at the forefront of the drive to conserve energy and reduce emissions through innovation and strategic cooperation and we are pleased to play our part in their achievements”