SHARC Helps Borders College Win Prestigious Industry Award

Established in 2004, the Green Gown Awards recognize the exceptional sustainability initiatives being undertaken by universities and colleges. With sustainability becoming increasingly important, the Awards have become established as the most prestigious recognition of best practice within the further and higher education sector.

The Green Gown Awards’ Best Newcomer Award was won for the work Borders College did alongside SHARC and Scottish Water Horizons. In December 2015, Borders College in Galashiels, Scotland, became the first organization in the UK to benefit from a wastewater heat exchange system. Backed by investment from Equitix and the UK Green Investment Bank, the SHARC™ system intercepts wastewater from the adjacent town sewer line operated by Scottish Water.

SHARC™ technology extracts the natural warmth contained within this water and transfers the heat to the clean side of the heating system via a heat exchange mechanism. The recovered heat is then amplified via heat pumps to generate the appropriate temperatures for use in buildings. The heat produced is sold to Borders College under a 20-year heat purchase agreement, producing significant savings in energy, costs, and carbon emissions.

The system now provides around 95 percent of the heat needed by the Galashiels campus and does not impact the normal operation of the local wastewater network.

Russ Burton, Chief Operating Officer of SHARC said: “We are delighted to have won this award alongside Borders College and Scottish Water Horizons. This is a great example of how strong relationships, shared vision and great working partnerships can come together to make a significant impact for all of the parties involved. We are really looking forward to helping the college achieve their next level in carbon reduction activity over the next two years.”

Pete Smith, Vice Principal, Finance and Resources, at Borders College said: “The College is absolutely delighted to be recognized as a finalist in the Green Gown Awards, but to win the Best Newcomer Award for our SHARC project is absolutely fabulous. It shows what a small institution can achieve when working in partnership with like-minded organizations, benefitting not only the institution itself but society more widely.”

Scottish Water Horizons, a subsidiary of public utility Scottish Water, supports the development of a sustainable economy in Scotland and played a key role in turning the project into reality.

Scottish Water Horizons’ Business Development Manager, Donald MacBrayne, said: “We are delighted to have played a part in this winning project, contributing to significant cost and carbon savings for the college and bringing with it wider environmental benefits. The Borders College installation is just the beginning for heat from wastewater schemes in Scotland and, working alongside SHARC, we are actively rolling out more of these innovative projects, with several scheduled for completion next year.”

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