Location: Aberdeen

Technology: Air source heat pumps, solar PV and battery storage

CARES funding: £76,614 through the Community Buildings Fund

Background

Camphill School Aberdeen is part of the wider Camphill movement, which began in the city in 1939 and has since grown into a global network of more than 120 communities supporting people with additional needs.

The organisation operates across multiple sites, including the Camphill and Murtle estates, providing residential care, education and community facilities. St Christopher’s House, located on the Murtle Estate, is a residential home for young adults with additional support needs.

Built over 30 years ago, the building had seen only limited upgrades over time. Heating was provided by an oil-based system and, while the building was well constructed for its age, many systems had become inefficient or outdated. Rising energy costs, alongside the need to modernise facilities and meet current care standards, made a comprehensive refurbishment essential.

Project aims

The project aimed to modernise St Christopher’s House while significantly reducing its carbon emissions and energy costs. Key objectives included:

  • Replacing the outdated oil heating system with a low-carbon alternative
  • Improving energy efficiency and control across the building
  • Installing renewable energy generation to offset increased electricity demand
  • Enhancing comfort and living conditions for residents
  • Ensuring the building meets modern care and safety standards

Given the scale of refurbishment required, securing external funding was critical to making the project viable.

Project overview

The refurbishment involved a major upgrade of the building’s heating and energy systems. Five air-to-water heat pumps were installed to provide heating and hot water, replacing the previous oil-based system. These operate on demand, improving efficiency compared to the previous “always-on” set-up.

Solar photovoltaic (PV) panels were also installed on the roof, alongside battery storage, helping to offset the increased electrical load from the heat pumps.

Additional improvements included:

  • Installation of underfloor heating throughout the building
  • Upgrades to insulation and building fabric
  • Modernisation of bathrooms and sanitary facilities
  • Improved acoustic design in shared spaces
  • Enhanced control systems for heating and energy use

The CARES Community Buildings Fund provided £76,614, covering up to 80 per cent of the costs for the renewable energy measures. This support was crucial in enabling the full scope of the project to go ahead.

Outcomes

Although the project is newly completed, significant benefits are already anticipated:

  • Reduced carbon emissions: The shift from oil heating to heat pumps and solar PV is expected to deliver a substantial reduction in emissions
  • Lower energy costs: Improved efficiency and on-demand heating will reduce energy waste
  • Improved EPC rating: The building is projected to achieve a high B or A rating, a significant improvement
  • Enhanced comfort: Residents will benefit from a more consistent and comfortable indoor environment
  • Future-ready building: Modern systems and improved fabric ensure long-term sustainability

Importantly, the new systems are designed to operate seamlessly in the background, creating a comfortable living environment without disruption for residents.

Lessons learned

For the team at Camphill, one of the clearest takeaways from the project was just how critical grant funding is in enabling ambitious retrofit work. While the need to upgrade St Christopher’s House was clear, the scale of investment required – particularly for low-carbon heating – would have been difficult to deliver without external support.

As Tom Stewart, charity trustee, explains: “Without the CARES grant, it would have been a real struggle to do the rest of the work without value engineering in the wider project. It made a massive difference in terms of the viability of the project.”

Taking a whole-building approach was also essential. Rather than focusing solely on installing renewable technologies, the project combined heat pumps and solar PV with improvements to insulation, heating distribution and internal layouts. This ensures the building performs efficiently in the long term.

The project also highlighted the importance of careful planning when working in a live care environment. The building had to be temporarily vacated, with residents accommodated elsewhere on the estate. While this created additional pressure on other facilities, it allowed the work to be completed safely and effectively.

Having previous experience of working with CARES proved invaluable. The team was better prepared for the application and reporting process, and able to draw on lessons from earlier projects. This helped streamline delivery and avoid delays.

There was also a strong emphasis on collaboration throughout. The willingness of the CARES team to engage in open dialogue and problem-solving helped the project stay on track, even when challenges arose.

Reflecting on the experience, Senior Development Executive Andrew Reid notes: “The CARES team have been super helpful and really willing to try to make things work… that openness gives you the confidence to have honest conversations and find solutions together.”