Aintree, Fire and Rescue station & training academy

A path to net zero carbon fire and rescue services.

Our fifth project with Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service (MFRS), the new Fire and Rescue station and Training Academy and National Resilience Centre of Excellence is being constructed right in the heart of Aintree.  

Responding to the Government’s 2050 net zero Carbon target was a key MFRS requirement, and our early involvement at RIBA 2 enabled us to carry out early optioneering and to work with the Service to develop a ‘Pathway to net zero Carbon,’ setting up the facilities now to achieve zero operational carbon by 2040.

We used energy data from three comparable fire stations, which we have delivered for MFRS over the last five years, to set benchmarks for the new facilities. The designs for these were 55% better than BSRIA benchmarks for Co₂/m² through incorporation of: 

• Enhanced building envelope 
• VRF heating and cooling to primary rooms
• Panel heaters to ancillary rooms 
• Gas radiant panels to appliance bays 
• Heat recovery ventilation 
• Gas fired hot water 

The finalised design for the building generates 87,399 kg Co₂ p.a. with the current photovoltaic (PV) provision offsets this by 41,965 kg Co₂ p.a.  

Further PV provision in the car park area, allowed for within the design, will enable the Service to reduce Co₂ by a further 45,434kg p.a. as funding comes online. 

Through our early involvement with the project, we have been able to work with our customer to maximise sustainability outcomes within a capital budget, and to make design provision, and set out a pathway, that will enable them to achieve their ultimate goal of operational net zero by 2040.