Air source heat pump at Tredegar House, Newport
Tredegar House in Newport is an architectural wonder of Wales and one of the most significant late 17th Century houses in the whole of the British Isles. The National Trust took over the running of the estate in 2012 and set about converting its Grade-II listed craft workshops into a visitor centre.
The problem
The Grade II listed workshops required sensitive renovation to be suitable for the 100,000 anticipated annual visitors. With new insulation stud walls being installed as part of the renovation the building was ideal for air source heat pumps, an efficient and cost effective solution and in line with the National Trust’s dedication to sustainability.
The solution
Working with main contractors Anthony A Davies Ltd, WDS Green Energy designed, supplied and installed a complete heating and hot water system driven by an 11kW and 16kW Daikin Air Source Heat Pump. The two systems were designed to heat separate parts of the building, one including the visitor centre and another including office space, allowing extra control of the temperature in different parts of the building and so a more efficient system. WDS also designed and installed a new radiator system for the centre, working with the National Trust to ensure the radiators supplied were both highly efficient and aesthetically sensitive to the character of the building.
The benefits
The air source heat pump heating system keeps visitors and staff nice and warm while maintaining this Grade-II listed building in optimum condition. The high efficiency of the heat pumps mean significantly reduced running costs when compared to oil or LPG heating system and will contribute to the National Trust’s commitment to source 50 per cent of its energy from renewable sources on land it looks after by 2020. The system is also eligible for the Government’s non-domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI), which will provide quarterly payments for 20 years, offsetting the cost of the system before generating tax-free income back to the National Trust.
Paul Southall, National Trust Environmental Advisor said: “We have been working closely with WDS Green Energy at reducing the National Trust’s use of fossil fuel heating at our South Wales and West sites. Renewable heating is an important part of the National Trust’s pledge to source 50% of our energy from renewables by 2020, and by installing air source heat pumps at Dyffryn Gardens and Tredegar House, together with a ground source heat pump at Croome Court, each to a bespoke design for each property, we’ve drastically reduced our reliance on fossil fuels to heat these special places.
“WDS’s professionalism and expertise in renewable heating has been invaluable during the process, giving us great confidence in the design and installation of the systems. Working on older buildings like these can sometimes be perceived as problematic, but WDS worked closely with our own teams at each site to make sure the installations ran smoothly, and we’re very pleased with the results.”
