Thames Gateway, Dagenham

The layout of the facility has been determined by combining the constraints imposed by the National Grid’s overhead power lines with the requirements of the Chinook process and the site’s available
points of access.

Segregation of waste vehicles and other users of the site has, for reasons of safety, also been an important design driver. In addition to the RODECS Hall, the layout includes a reception hall with space to contain waste on arrival and the sorting of residual waste post process. There is also space for a substation, deliveries, car parking, offices and welfare facilities. Whilst some of the plant is located internally and all recoverable heat is reused, the nature of these processes means that there is a certain amount of waste heat that cannot be used. Rather than allowing energy to be consumed by forced air ventilation inside, the most energy efficient way of allowing the heat to dissipate is by locating the equipment outside.

The buildings are clad in metal sheeting and bespoke rooftop ventilators extract excess heat from the RODECS Hall. The project has planning approval and initial site works have taken place.