Amey’s Defence teams, on behalf of the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), have started works at Remount Barracks, Melton Mowbray, in preparation for the delivery of a carbon neutral state-of-the-art facility for the UK’s military working dogs and their handlers.
The ambitious project, which has a completion date of November 2021, will ensure that the future needs of the Canine Training Squadron (CTS) are met by providing a new, single storey office and classroom facility, a new Station HQ office space and training accommodation. It will be the first carbon neutral facility in the MOD’s Regional Prime contracts
Once built, the facility will generate its own power using six rows of solar panels. A battery generator will provide the building with its own electricity requirements and an intelligently controlled air source heat pump will keep the building warm. A heat recovery system will also ensure that any heat produced is drawn out via a ventilation duct and filtered to the offices and training facilities.
Additionally, all internal walls have been designed to be easily re-configured, reducing the CO2 usage should the building be demolished and rebuilt in the future.
The installation of a greywater harvesting system will collect waste water from washbasins, showers and baths and feed it through a filter before being reused to meet the various sanitary and non-drinking requirements of the Station. This will reduce the use of the main water supply by up to 60%. Rainwater will also be used for the soldiers’ boot-cleaning duties and new bike racks will encourage personnel to cycle to work.
The 346 acre site, known as the Defence Animal Training Regiment (DATR), is home to around 200 working dogs, 50 Army personnel and 20 RAF Police personnel who provide specialist military dog training to support a number of defence stakeholders in roles that include police, force protection, arms and explosives search, C-IED, and drugs search operations both in the UK and overseas.
Close collaboration between Amey, DIO and the Station has been key to developing and designing this project which has achieved a Defence Related Environmental Assessment Methodology (DREAM) excellent rating. The implementation of ‘gliderbim’, an intelligent online platform for managing project information and asset data will ensure that all parties have access to live data that will enable optimum, ongoing maintenance and warranty management to minimise future costs.
The Commanding Officer of the DATR Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Martyn Thompson said “The planning, design and sustainability of this project will generate much needed efficiencies in our training delivery. This will ensure the DATR continues to provide Defence with a proven capability which helps to protect our people, territories, values and interests at home and overseas”.
Craig McGilvray, Amey’s Managing Director, Secure Infrastructure, added, “Our role as a provider of critical UK Defence projects provides us with a unique opportunity to actively support the Government’s drive to reduce emissions by 75% by 2035. This project is a shining example of how data driven design and innovative solutions can deliver site optimisation and cost savings for our client and end users. It also aligns to Amey’s commitment to embed a culture of environment, social and corporate responsibility into the business, as we focus on the key issues of climate change and net zero carbon throughout 2021 and beyond.”