Council’s most environmentally friendly building to become even greener

The Batchworth Depot, in Harefield Road, Rickmansworth, is set to receive additional 22 kilowatt-hour (kWh) rooftop solar panels and a 10.36 kWh battery, which, once installed, will help cut the waste hub’s electricity bill by almost half. The new array will remove 5 tonnes of carbon per year, the same as the carbon absorbed by 1,046 trees planted, or 75 tonnes over its lifetime.

The depot is the central hub for street cleansing teams and the recycling and waste collection vehicles for the area, which serve thousands of homes.

The waste hub, officially opened in 2019, was Three Rivers District Council’s most environmentally friendly building as it included LED lighting, radiant heating, solar panels and four electric vehicle chargers.

Cllr Jon Tankard, Lead Member for Climate Change & Sustainability, said: “When the new depot first opened almost four years ago, it was a prime example of the council’s commitment to tackle the climate crisis. That commitment remains our focus, and we continue to identify and implement improvements to the energy performance of our buildings and promote, protect and support our local environment.

“We have already seen the positive impact solar panels have had on the depot as well as our other buildings, such as William Penn Leisure Centre; cutting not only on bills, which will help with our energy security, but tonnes and tonnes of carbon every year. The savings from the solar panels help to alleviate pressures on council budgets, enabling the council to fund other important projects and services that benefit residents. We will continue to leave no stone unturned to reach our net zero goals.”

The recommendations were approved at Policy & Resources Committee on Monday 26 January.