Renewable Energy Sources
Beaufort Court has been designed so that all the energy required should be provided by renewable sources located on the site. These include: a wind turbine generating electricity, a solar cell array providing both electricity and hot water for heating, an underground borehole providing cooling during the summer, and a biomass crop which will be used to provide heat. A large underground seasonal heat store allows heat generated in summer to be used in winter.
Wind Turbine 
The 225 kW wind turbine, which is clearly visible from the nearby M25 motorway, is 36m high, with a rotor diameter of 29m. It is sold to the Hertsbased electricity supplier, Green Energy UK.
Solar Panel Array
The solar array is made up of 54 sq m of photo-voltaic / thermal (PVT) panels and 116 sq m of solar thermal panels. The PVT panels consist of a photovoltaic element, which converts light into electricity, and a copper heat exchanger on the back to capture the remaining solar energy, producing electricity and hot water. The solar thermal panels are the same as the PVT panels but without the photovoltaic element. More info....
Biomass Crop 
The buildings' heating needs will primarily be met by a biomass boiler fuelled by the energy crop Miscanthus, or 'Elephant Grass', 5 hectares of which have been planted adjacent to the site. The crop is harvested annually in the late winter with conventional harvesting equipment, then dried and stored as bales until needed. The bales are then shredded before being fed into the 100kW biomass boiler. Until the miscanthus crop is at full yield, wood chips and pellets from sustainable sources are being used to fuel the boiler. Click here for more info....
Ground Water Cooling
Available ground water is used to cool the buildings during the summer. Water is extracted from the local aquifer at a constant temperature of 12° C via a 75m deep borehole. First it is used to cool and dehumidify the incoming air to the buildings in the Air Handling Units, then it is circulated at 15° C through chilled beams in the offices, before being pumped out to irrigate the energy crop. Click here for more info....
Underground Heat Store
The underground heat store is a 1400 cubic metre body of water, which stores the heat generated by the PVT and solar thermal panels for use in the buildings during the colder months. The temperature of the water in the store will rise gradually through the summer and early autumn, allowing heat to be extracted during the winter to pre-warm the incoming air to the building. Click here for more info....