Advising the Wellcome Trust on a low-carbon, local energy system. 
  
In 2022 Urban&Civic appointed Urbanomy, on behalf of the Wellcome Trust, to define a bespoke energy strategy for the Wellcome Genome Campus (WGC) to support its ambition of delivering its carbon net zero target before 2050.  
  
Located in Hinxton, Cambridgeshire - the WGC is the world’s leading centre for genomics and biodata research. The Campus will undergo a significant expansion over the next 10-15 years to become a world-class facility where a living and working science community will thrive.  
  
The expansion will feature 150,000 sqm of research and translation floorspace, up to 1,500 new homes for Campus staff, and 22,750 sqm of education, community and leisure uses, open to the wider community.  
  
We looked at how best to achieve Wellcome's vision for the site—quantifying the future energy needs and consumption of all buildings and electric vehicles on-site; assessing the potential for renewables generation, both on-site and nearby; analysing three all-electric local energy systems; and identifying opportunities for flexibility through storage and smart vehicle charging.

The best presentation that can be made of this reference, however, is what Richard Hepworth, Group Director of Project Management at Urban & Civic, has to say about it:

"We engaged with Urbanomy in order to dissect, question, substantiate and then validate our challenging aspiration for a low-carbon, local energy system at the Wellcome Genome Campus.

Urbanomy's innovative approach, attention to detail, internal expertise and excellent stakeholder engagement have been instrumental in transforming our vision of a sustainable campus into a reality. Their comprehensive analysis of our energy needs, renewables generation potential, and local energy system options provided us with a clear roadmap toward achieving this ambitious goal.

What sets Urbanomy apart is their holistic approach to sustainability. They not only identified opportunities and alternatives for renewable energy generation based around whole life studies with flexibility in user groups, but also explored smart solutions for energy storage and vehicle charging, ensuring that every aspect of our energy infrastructure was optimised for sustainability and efficiency.

Furthermore, their collaboration with Dalkia Energy Services demonstrated their ability to add practical and site-specific energy balance solutions to demonstrate the delivery potential of theoretical design options, adding further value to the business case.

Urbanomy's work goes beyond technical proposals; it embodies a deep commitment to addressing the global climate crisis. Their dedication to creating a decarbonised world shines through in every aspect of their work.

Thanks to Urbanomy's contributions, the Wellcome Genome Campus is now on a path which will demonstrate what can be achieved in sustainable campus development."