Welwyn Hatfield has been awarded a government grant of £1.7m to reduce carbon-based fuel at some of the council's most popular public sites.
The council's successful application to the government’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Grant Scheme will allow significant works to be carried out at two of the borough’s entertainment and leisure venues – Campus West and Hatfield Swim Centre.
On the Campus West site, the gas-fired boilers are one of the main sources of energy consumption and carbon emission.
The grant of £998,910 will enable the replacement of the gas-fired boilers with a combined ASHP (Air Source Heat Pump) and WSHP (Water Source Heat Pump) primary plant system.
The high efficiency of heat pumps will lead to energy savings and reduce the energy consumption of the primary heating plant.
In addition, the fuel source for the primary plant will be changed from gas to electricity which will reduce carbon emissions and have a considerable impact on the decarbonisation of the site.
Replacement of gas-fired boilers with more energy efficient systems will also take place at Hatfield Swim Centre.
The grant for this work totals £733,867.00.
The schemes across both sites, supported by renewable energy, will achieve a reduction in energy usage of 80 per cent and a combined reduction of 400 tonnes in Co2 emissions per year.
These steps are part of the council’s pledge to reach its goal of net zero emissions by 2030.
To do this it will also promote energy efficiency measures, champion sustainable construction and use renewable energy where it can.
Cllr Fiona Thomson, executive member for climate change, said: “We hope that this will be the first of many improvements that we will be making across Welwyn Hatfield and I look forward to seeing the building works under way.”
Cllr Duncan Bell, executive member for resources, said: “To receive this government funding to allow us to carry out significant building works to decarbonise our buildings is great news and we are grateful to the Secretary of State.
"These energy efficiency upgrades and improvements at two of our most popular sites will make a significant contribution in reaching our climate change objectives.”
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