New waste depot is council’s most environmentally friendly building yet

A new waste services office building which opened on Saturday is Three Rivers District Council's most environmentally friendly building yet thanks to a variety of design advances and equipment.

The council's new offices at its Batchworth Depot, in Rickmansworth, is the central hub of street cleansing teams, recycling and waste collection for the area and serves as the central hub for waste collection vehicles which serve thousands of homes.

The new energy efficient building includes an air source heat pump, LED lighting, radiant heating – which supply heat directly to the whole building –  solar panels and two electric vehicle charging points providing four chargers.

In addition, the building has been surrounded by bird boxes, bat boxes, an otters holt and log piles for insects - all created from waste materials. In another effort to enhance the local ecology, fruit trees have also been planted throughout the site.

The new Batchworth Depot office in Harefield Road has been built next to the old facility, which is currently being demolished. The previous building had become dilapidated over time – with a leaking roof, very little insulation and poor energy efficiency.

Cllr Phil Williams, the council's Lead Member for Environmental Services, Climate Change and Sustainability, said: “The environment remains a key focus for this council, so whenever we can make improvements to our energy efficiency and promote, protect and support our local environment we will. The new Batchworth Depot is a prime example of that. The depot is a vital facility, from which the massive undertaking of daily recycling and waste collection for all our homes and businesses happens. This new facility will ensure that we keep providing the best possible services and do so in the most environmentally friendly manner we can.”

Around 34,000 tonnes of waste and recycling is collected across Three Rivers every year - 21,450 of recycling and composting and 12,350 of residual waste. The new depot building cost £558,000 and is designed to serve the district for the next 50 years.

The old building and site will now be reconfigured allow for charging points to be installed and futureproofing the site.

• Cllr Debbie Morris, Chair of Three Rivers District Council with Cllr Phil Williams, Lead Member for Environmental Services, Climate Change and Sustainability.
• Refuse lorries at the depot.
• Demolition of the old office building.