St Wenn’s eco-heating project is one of the four shortlisted for this Award in the Church Buildings section (along with Gloucester Cathedral; Holy Trinity, Bradford on Avon; and Holy Trinity, Tulse Hill).
The project has delivered a shared, sustainable zero-carbon heating solution for both church and nearby school. It uses a shared biomass boiler in the school grounds connected by a ‘heat main’ under the churchyard to the church’s underfloor heating. The school uses conventional ‘hot’ radiators.
Purchase cost of the boiler was split, with the church paying for the upgrade. Likewise, the quarterly payments from the government’s Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) is split by heat usage. This RHI income made the project financially viable. The Biomass pellet boiler assures fuel sustainability.
St Wenn has a green track record – it is one of the first Cornish churches to install low energy LED lighting and has recently been given the Gold award in Green Church Kernow, the diocesan Environment Award Scheme.
In a service of celebration in September 2016, the Bishop of Truro, The Rt Revd Tim Thornton MA commended the enthusiasm, determination and commitment of all involved in bringing the church to its newly reordered state.
More in Case Studies
