Key Takeaways
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Sesame Access secured a 36-month Bio100 Green Gas Supply Agreement.
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Our workshop consumes approximately 32,571 kWh annually.
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Sustainability decisions were based on production load analysis, not branding.
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EV charging has been installed and employees with plug-in vehicles receive commuting support.
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Bespoke lift engineering reduces embodied carbon compared to structural over-intervention.
Introduction
Accessibility engineering should improve buildings without harming the wider environment. As a bespoke lift manufacturer, we operate a working fabrication facility with welding, machining, assembly and heating demands. Energy consumption is real and measurable.
When our gas contract approached renewal, we did not simply compare price columns. We assessed energy profile stability, manufacturing load patterns, and long-term site commitment. The result was a 36-month Bio100 Green Gas Supply Agreement.
During renewal discussions, we reviewed 12, 24 and 36-month options.
Market volatility was also acknowledged:
Rather than reacting to short-term market shifts, we chose stability aligned with operational planning.
Engineering the Decision: Why Bio100 Made Sense
Our annual forecast consumption is approximately 32,571 kWh. This load is driven primarily by:
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Workshop heating during colder months
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Fabrication support energy
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Process support requirements
Gas use is relatively stable year-on-year because lift production is continuous rather than seasonal. That stability made a fixed 36-month Bio100 agreement commercially and operationally appropriate.
We evaluated:
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Consumption volatility risk
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Site tenure security
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Gas-dependent heating requirements
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Administrative simplicity
The 3-year option was competitively priced and operationally aligned. As noted during pricing comparison:
What a Green Gas Supply Agreement Actually Means
A Green Gas Supply Agreement using Bio100 does not mean the physical gas molecules entering our boiler are individually traceable renewable molecules. Gas enters the national grid as a blended system.
Instead, certified renewable biogas is injected into the grid equivalent to our contracted consumption. Our agreement supports renewable gas production up to forecast contractual volumes.
This reduces reliance on fossil natural gas within the UK energy mix.
The Biogas Injection Myth: Technical Nuance
What most people assume:
Green gas means the gas arriving on site is physically different.
What is actually happening:
The grid is blended. Bio100 operates on a certificate-backed allocation model ensuring equivalent renewable injection.
What most people assume:
Switching to biogas makes manufacturing carbon neutral.
What is actually happening:
Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions still exist. Biogas reduces direct combustion carbon intensity but does not eliminate embodied carbon in materials, transport or fabrication.
What most people assume:
EV charging at engineering firms is marketing.
What is actually happening:
Commuting emissions form part of scope 3. Supporting plug-in commuting materially reduces operational footprint.
Electric Vehicle Charging & Employee Support
We have installed EV charging units at our premises. Employees who drive plug-in vehicles receive financial support on thier commuting energy costs.
This achieves three outcomes:
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Reduces indirect commuting emissions
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Encourages lower-carbon vehicle adoption
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Acts as a meaningful workplace benefit
Sustainability must extend beyond procurement contracts into everyday operations.
When Green Gas Makes Sense for SME Manufacturers
Green gas agreements are not automatically suitable for every business.
It makes sense when:
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Production volumes are stable
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Gas heating is required for workshop operation
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Site tenure exceeds three years
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Administrative simplicity is valued
It may not be appropriate when:
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Consumption is highly volatile
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Lease terms are short
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Operations are electricity-dominant
We share this framework because many architects and consultants advising on sustainable procurement face similar decisions.
Sustainability vs Heritage: The Engineering Trade-Off
For heritage and complex buildings, sustainability is not only about operational energy. It is also about embodied carbon and structural intervention.
Large structural alterations, heavy ramp installations, or imported off-the-shelf lift systems often involve:
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Significant demolition
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Reinforced structural additions
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High embodied carbon materials
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Long transport supply chains
By contrast, bespoke concealed lift systems aim to minimise structural disturbance.
Examples include:
Products such as the Windsor Lift, the Westminster Equality Act Lift, the Cavendish Platform Lift, and the Traversing Lift are engineered to integrate within existing architectural constraints rather than require wholesale rebuilding.
Bespoke engineering avoids material over-specification inherent in generic solutions. It shortens supply chains through in-house fabrication and reduces demolition waste by preserving original structures.
That is where sustainable lift engineering becomes structurally meaningful.
Director’s Engineering Perspective
Energy procurement was evaluated alongside workshop realities:
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Welding cycles
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Machining demand
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Fabrication throughput
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Heating load requirements
A 36-month Bio100 agreement provided predictable cost control and aligned with stable production cycles. It also allowed sustainability to be embedded at operational level rather than treated as an offset purchase.
This was a measured engineering decision, not a marketing initiative.
Common Questions
Is Bio100 fully renewable gas?
It supports certified renewable biogas injection equivalent to contracted consumption.
Does green gas increase lift project costs?
Workshop energy forms a small component of total project cost. The decision was operationally aligned and commercially viable.
Does this apply to all Sesame products?
All in-house manufactured systems benefit from reduced gas-related emissions.
Does sustainability affect design decisions?
Yes. Minimising structural intervention reduces embodied carbon and material waste.
Conclusion
Switching to a Green Gas Supply Agreement was part of a broader sustainability approach at Sesame Access.
We analysed workshop consumption, assessed market volatility, selected a stable 3-year Bio100 contract, installed EV charging infrastructure, and aligned sustainability with real engineering constraints.
Accessibility and environmental responsibility should not conflict. They should be engineered together.
If you would like to discuss how sustainability integrates into your accessibility project, you can book a Teams Meeting with one of our Project Managers here: