​The Vision: A New Lease on Life

CENTRAL TECH is a cornerstone of Liverpool’s innovation ecosystem. Following a £2M redevelopment by Sciontec in 2025, the site was positioned as a world-class hub for life sciences and digital technology.

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CSR Sustain was engaged to ensure the building’s performance reflected its high-tech purpose. Through AI-driven insights and engineering expertise, CENTRAL TECH became a model of efficiency, sustainability, and occupant comfort.

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The Challenge: Aligning Vision with Performance

The post-redevelopment phase revealed several performance opportunities:

• Energy Overlap: Heating and cooling systems were identified as competing in certain zones.

• Environmental Consistency: Variations in internal temperature and airflow were observed, affecting occupant comfort.

• Carbon Emissions: Baseline operations indicated room for alignment with Net Zero ambitions.

• Maintenance Approach: Reactive maintenance patterns were identified as a potential inefficiency compared with predictive, data-driven strategies.

 

The Solution: Intelligence and Precision

• BMS Harmonisation: Analysis identified misalignments in the Building Management System logic, with HVAC components operating sub-optimally.

• AI Monitoring: Continuous AI-based observation highlighted anomalies and minor faults that manual inspections would have overlooked.

• Precision Calibration: Performance data identified chilled beams and terminal units operating outside optimal parameters, leading to targeted recalibration.

• Collaborative Insights: Site and data insights combined to identify inefficiencies and improve system reliability.

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The Impact: Quantifiable Outcomes

• Energy Efficiency: 348,516 kWh identified in optimisation potential

• Sustainability: 48+ tonnes of CO₂ emissions identified for avoidance annually

• Cost Savings: £33,233 in annual energy efficiencies identified from optimising boilers and chillers

• Asset Longevity: Increased reliability of key plant assets identified

• Tenant Comfort: Stable and productive internal environment observed

• Cost savings: Eliminated over £20,000 per year in BMS Engineers call outs fees 

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Performance Outcomes

By combining AI insights with certified engineering expertise, Exchange Quay achieved measurable, sustained improvements without capital replacement:

• Reduction in HVAC Energy Consumption: Directly lowering the carbon footprint and operational costs.

• Enhanced Plant Longevity: Reduced runtime and mechanical stress on expensive assets.

• Improved Occupant Comfort: More stable internal temperatures and fewer comfort-related complaints.

• Operational Confidence: A transition to a proactive, data-led maintenance model where performance drift is corrected in real time.

 

"CSR Sustain has played a pivotal role in transforming the performance of the CENTRAL TECH building. Their Building Performance Engineers quickly identified opportunities to optimise HVAC operations, reduce energy consumption, and enhance occupant comfort. The impact was immediate, measurable, and exceeded expectations. Their expertise, responsiveness, and commitment to continuous improvement have made them a trusted partner in our revitalisation of the site.” - CENTRAL TECH Building Management

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A Benchmark for Liverpool

The findings at CENTRAL TECH established a performance blueprint for Sciontec’s wider estate, including Liverpool Science Park. The project demonstrates how data-led insight and engineering expertise can identify and realise operational potential, creating high-performing, sustainable innovation spaces.

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