Scottish facilities management firm FES FM has been appointed to operate the energy centre for The Event Complex Aberdeen (TECA) and two on-site hotels, which will showcase renewable technologies contributing to the city's position as the energy capital of Europe.

FES FM, which has an office in Aberdeen, won the contract for the energy centre that will provide the facility with clean, sustainable, and reliable energy.

The multi-million pound venue, which is being delivered by Aberdeen City Council and its development partner Henry Boot Developments (HBD) and is being constructed by Robertson Group, will open this summer, providing a new world-class facility close to Aberdeen International Airport and the new city bypass.

TECA will attract increasing numbers of visitors from local, national, and international markets due to its capacity for attracting global events.

The 12,500-capacity main arena will host conferences, exhibitions and music concerts, and is expected to attract major artists and events to the city. The facility will also boast three 2,000 square metre multi-purpose halls, four multi-purpose conference rooms, and nine meeting rooms.

The inclusion of energy centre will mean it will be one of the most sustainable venues of its type in the UK.The energy centre's combined cooling heat and power (CCHP) facility will use various technologies to provide power, heat, and cooling to TECA. At the heart of the CCHP is the largest hydrogen fuel cell installation in the UK. Originally pioneered by organisations such as NASA, fuel cell technology now provides a well-proven commercial heat and power solution, delivering significant air quality improvements over conventional power generation methods.

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An anaerobic digestion plant will use Aberdeen's food waste, agricultural crops, and waste products to produce renewable biofuel which will also feed into the CHCP.The energy centre has the potential to be expanded to supply sustainable energy to the remainder of the wider masterplan development area and surrounding neighbourhoods.

Aberdeen City Council Co-Leader Councillor Douglas Lumsden said: "It is fantastic that a company with a large presence in Aberdeen will play an important role in the future of TECA.

"The energy centre plays a part in the city's Regional Economic Strategy to showcase renewable technologies and it will be one of the most sustainable venues of its type in the UK."

FES FM provides a unique range of in-house hard and soft facilities management services to a diverse portfolio of public and private sector clients across the UK. The company provides integrated management and service delivery capability, and provides clients with a more streamlined and effective framework to control both service performance and costs within single buildings or large scale multi-site portfolios.

Ian Maitland, managing director of FES FM, said: "We are delighted that we have been awarded the total operation and maintenance management contract for the energy centre. This facility is one of the first of its kind in Scotland and it will produce an independent, low carbon source of heating, power and cooling for TECA, and both the Hilton and aloft hotels. We look forward to working in partnership with Aberdeen City Council as we deliver our services at the energy centre."

Councillor Jenny Laing, Co-Leader of Aberdeen City Council, added: "The development is continuing at pace and it is exciting to see the progress being made on site.

"When TECA opens later this year it will represent another significant step in Aberdeen's transformation and it will be a complex that is the envy of cities throughout the world, supporting our ambitions to expand our global reach and providing a major boost to the regional economy."

(MH)