Greener homes & buildings

Actions across our assets and developments

We have undertaken several large-scale projects in relation to our Council-owned assets which demonstrate our commitment to reducing emissions and energy efficiency:

  • Solar panel installations: Where possible we have installed photovoltaic panels to the roofs of buildings we own. This has been done at The Hythe Centre, The Woodham and New Haw Day Centre, Egham Orbit Leisure Centre, and Unit 1 Chertsey Business Park. Electricity produced is used at the building, and the energy supplier pay the Council for the unused electricity to be fed back to the National Grid. We are reviewing further sites that may be suitable for similar projects.
  • Chertsey Business Park: our development of 12 industrial units in Chertsey achieved an EPC A rating, with other initiatives implemented including electric vehicle charge points, transparent roof panels to maximise natural light, high performance insulated cladding, and secure cycle storage.
  • Magna Square Development: the building has a living roof and a low water irrigation strategy developed to minimise water usage, solar controlled glazing, low energy internal lighting, wastewater heat recovery system, and highly efficient thermal insulation. As a result, Magna Square was shortlisted among 16 projects for the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Southeast awards for 2024.
  • Egham Orbit: Egham Orbit has a combined heat and power unit which is effectively a mini power station. It takes gas input to generate electricity as well the heat, which is an ideal combination for a leisure centre because there is great demand for both electricity and heat throughout the entire day. This therefore produces efficiencies in operation.
  • Parkside Regeneration: as this project in New Haw progresses, we are committed to sustainability. All new homes will be highly energy efficient, highly insulated, and we will explore the use of heat pump systems where possible. Residents will be encouraged to walk or cycle, and we will design excellent routes through the regeneration area to facilitate this.