The first heat pump installation to receive funding under Phase 2 of the Low Carbon Buildings Programme is up and running and delivering low carbon heat to a primary school in Norfolk, thanks to Dimplex and approved heat pump installer partner Econic.
Approval for the project came in early 2007, with a maximum grant of 35% awarded to Scarning Primary School in Dereham, to install Dimplex ground source heat pumps in a new extension. Working in conjunction with Norfolk Property Services (NPS), Dimplex provided three SI 21 CS heat pumps for the new build project.
“We wanted to minimise the school’s carbon emissions and the incorporation of a renewable heating system in the new extension was a straightforward decision,” explains Grahame Chambers, headteacher at the school. “The fact that the LCBP funding substantially reduced capital costs for the heat pumps, together with the system’s high levels of efficiency, ongoing low maintenance and elimination of fuel storage and waste disposal issues, meant that heat pumps had the edge over other renewable alternatives. The education authority was able to save over £12,000 with the LCBP grant, which is money that can now be used elsewhere in the school.”
The school and its advisors had been unaware of the new grants until Econic drew attention to the scheme. Richard Nunn, a director of Econic, comments, “NPS, the client’s design and project management consultants had already decided that ground source heat pumps were an ideal solution. When we then highlighted the availability of the LCBP2 grant, which is only available from BERR-appointed framework suppliers, they were delighted.”
The LCBP grant awarded to Scarning covers 35% of the first 45kW of heat output, including the heat pumps, ground collectors and other equipment, the ground works and the commissioning of the system. With around 3.5 km of ‘slinky’ ground collectors laid horizontally under the newly-created playing fields, the low-noise heat pumps are housed in a plant room within the new extension, which also contains classrooms, an ICT suite and a sports hall. Â