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Adding a feature to a skyline as iconic as Manchester’s can be a daunting feat, so we’re pleased to report that the final sections of the Tower of Light were successfully installed recently.
The completion of the Tonkin Lui-designed chimney is a significant milestone and marks the culmination of a three year process. To give an indication of the scale of the undertaking, each of the nine “drums” measures 4m wide, 6m long and 4m high, plus a 1.8m crown section.
Our project delivery team carried out the final works over a 4.5 hour period during the night and involved the closure of the nearby Metrolink whilst works were carried out.
The network will initially serve seven iconic city centre buildings and has the potential to grow by connecting further buildings across the city centre in the future. The first buildings to be connected to the network will be Manchester Town Hall and Town Hall Extension, Central Library, Manchester Central Convention Centre, The Bridgewater Hall, Heron House and the Manchester Art Gallery.
The scheme is projected to save an initial 1,600 tonnes of carbon emissions per year and the energy centre will become even more efficient as additional buildings are connected.
Manchester City Council's Executive Member for the Environment, Planning and Transport, Councillor Angeliki Stogia, said: "The Tower of Light is an impressive new landmark for Manchester and a symbol of Manchester's ambitious aim of becoming a zero-carbon city by 2038 at the latest.
"On completion, the Civic Quarter Heat Network project will realise significant carbon savings, supporting the council's current plan to halve its own emissions by 2025."