New Energy Efficient Prison Unit

Hills Electrical and Mechanical plc has completed a highly energy efficient building services installation at a new mother and baby unit for female prisoners at HMP Askham Grange near York.

The building was successfully assessed for a BRE EcoHomes environmental performance rating.

HMP Askham Grange is a low security prison for female offenders who are nearing the end of their sentences and are allowed to have their babies with them up to the age of 18 months.

The new facility, which includes a living unit and an Ofsted-registered nursery, is designed to provide higher standards of care for up to 10 residents and their children than the existing main prison building.

Hills' Leeds Regional Centre was awarded the ?350,000 design and build project by West Yorkshire main contractor Allenbuild following Hills' successful completion of the building services installation at New Gate House and staff quarters at HMP Leeds.

The new unit has 10 bedrooms plus store rooms, bathrooms, nursery and prison staff facilities.

The electrical installation consists of an electrical switchroom, lighting, LV power, three hour emergency lighting, exterior lighting, telephone and data networks, fire detection and general alarm system.

Mechanical services include a mechanical plantroom, underfloor heating, drainage, hot and cold water, fire hoses reels, supply and extract ventilation and a central BMS.

Hills worked closely with the Leeds office of consulting engineers Hoare Lea on the project, which includes a number of energy saving features to minimise the building's running costs and environmental impact.

These include a sophisticated five-panel solar heating system for space heating and domestic hot water that provides useful warmth even when the sky is overcast.

This is supplemented by two 60kW gas-fired boilers, with a single dual-coil calorifier used to transfer heat to the underfloor heating, radiators and air handling units.

Back to top