Adur introduces ground source heat pump technology to cut carbon emissions

Drilling boreholes for the heat pumps at Shadwells Court in Lancing. Nothing will be visible when finished.

Environmentally friendly heat pumps will replace an Adur sheltered housing complex's gas-powered heating system, helping to cut council carbon emissions.

The work at Shadwells Court in Shadwells Road, Lancing, will use ground source heat pumps, a sustainable energy source for heating and hot water, to reduce Adur District Council's carbon emissions at the site by 90 tonnes a year.

Adur District Council, which has pledged to become carbon neutral by 2030, is using a grant of more than £675,000 from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS) for the installation of the ground source heat pumps.

The heat pumps work by extracting heat from boreholes drilled 150 metres into the ground. A glycol solution heats up as it is circulated through pipework within these boreholes, and this carries the heat from below ground to a heat pump in an external cupboard outside each flat. Here, electricity is used to boost the heat within the glycol, a chemical used in application such as antifreeze or coolant, to a temperature that is usable for domestic heating and hot water.

Residents living in the Adur Homes properties will all have new radiators and pipework installed, and the old gas boilers will be decommissioned and existing pipework removed.

Loft spaces will also receive additional loft insulation to reduce the amount of heat escaping from the building, and a large solar panel system will be installed on the roof which will be used to generate electricity for communal areas.

The heat pumps for each flat will be connected to the electricity supply and residents should see a reduction in their bills in the long term, according to the council.

A drilling rig is on site and will create 23 boreholes in the ground around the building. This will cause some disruption to residents and those living and working around Shadwells Court.

The project is being managed by ground source heat pump specialists Kensa Contracting and work is only allowed to take place between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Friday.

Councillor Emma Evans, Adur Executive Member for Environment, said: “The council is committed to reducing its carbon emissions with the view to becoming carbon neutral by 2030.

“Ground source heat pump technology is not only eco-friendly, it is a sustainable way of moving away from the use of fossil fuels and investing in our future as we work to improve the way we operate as a council.”

Councillor Carson Albury, Adur Executive Member for Customer Services, said: “The residents at Shadwells Court will be getting an improved heating and hot water system which is better for them and for the environment. It will also be an easier system to operate and should save them money in the long run.”

Installing the heat pumps, solar panels and loft insulation will cost around £945,000, and the work is expected to be finished by spring next year.

Photo: Drilling boreholes for the heat pumps at Shadwells Court in Lancing. Nothing will be visible when finished.

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