Construction sites need dependable power, but the equipment selected to meet peak demand can spend much of its time operating well below capacity. Bowmer + Kirkland’s entry for The SHE Show Inspiring Change Awards describes how it has challenged that pattern, using trials, monitoring and earlier planning to reduce reliance on large diesel generators.

The work forms part of the construction and engineering group’s Zero by 50 strategy. A review of site carbon footprints drew attention to emissions during early construction and from tower-crane operations. Generator selection often reflected starting loads or the maximum demand of individual items, rather than a detailed understanding of how equipment would operate together.

Bowmer + Kirkland worked with site teams and suppliers to test alternatives while maintaining the reliability needed for construction activity. One approach used Flybrid flywheel energy storage alongside a generator. By helping meet short periods of higher demand, the technology enabled a smaller generator to be used. The company calculated a saving of 32 tonnes of carbon dioxide during an 88-week trial involving two tower cranes.

Battery energy storage systems provided another opportunity. A trial in Stoke used the existing temporary mains supply to charge a battery serving two cranes. The application describes how this developed into an arrangement supplying the whole site through one battery system over 14 months. Understanding demand, charging and equipment start-up behaviour was central to making the arrangement work.

A Manchester project demonstrated the scale of equipment that could be supported. The battery arrangement served two tower cranes, three hoists and 28 mast climbers, replacing the need for generator capacity estimated by the company at 1,100 kVA. That figure describes displaced generating capacity; it is not a measure of electricity consumed or a direct emissions saving.

These projects helped teams build confidence through operational experience. Site managers could see how the systems performed under real construction conditions, while suppliers helped address technical requirements. Monitoring provided information about loads and charging patterns, making it possible to assess suitability for a particular project and refine the approach as work progressed.

The company then moved beyond individual trials. Its submission records 11 battery energy storage systems on sites in late 2024, including hired equipment. An initial purchase of three units developed into an owned fleet of seven by the end of 2025. This investment gave the business a resource it could plan into future projects, supported by experience from earlier deployments.

Earlier consideration of power demand is an important part of that wider adoption. Bowmer + Kirkland developed a Power Planner tool to support tendering and estimating, helping teams think about requirements before site arrangements are fixed. This brings the discussion into project planning, when decisions about equipment and temporary supplies can have a lasting effect on fuel use.

Site feedback also identified benefits beyond the carbon calculations. Quieter operation, fewer fumes and reduced fuel deliveries can change the working environment and the demands of running a site. The submission presents these as practical advantages experienced by teams, alongside the need to select an appropriate power arrangement for each location.

The transferable lesson is the importance of understanding actual demand and testing assumptions. Energy storage does not remove the need to examine electricity sources, charging capacity and operational requirements. Bowmer + Kirkland’s programme shows how measured trials, supplier collaboration and planning tools can help a construction business make better-informed decisions about site power and carry successful learning from one project to the next.

Bowmer and Kirkland entered The SHE Show Inspiring Change Awards 2026. This article draws on its application; trial results and operational figures are reported by the organisation.