Location: Bath Street, Stonehaven
Technology: Solar PV panels, energy storage, air-to-air heat pumps, LED lighting, insulation
CARES funding: £79,973 and £37,347
Date installed/operational: November 2024
Background
Fetteresso Church’s hall is the largest community facility in the Stonehaven area. The hall serves as a combination of offices, games and utility spaces for the community and is used several times a day. In 2018, the hall’s 40-year-old flat felt roof and twin gas boilers were assessed to be approaching the end of their life cycles. This was seen as an opportunity to explore renewable heating options and energy efficient improvements to create a sustainable future for the hall.
Project objectives and aims
The main objective of the project was to help safeguard the hall as a community asset by:
- decarbonising the hall’s energy system
- reducing energy costs
- minimising heat loss through the walls and windows.
To achieve this, the hall roof covering was replaced with a Sika polyvinyl chloride (PVC) membrane combined with 110mm of polyisocyanurate (PIR) insulation. Once the roof was refurbished, 23.5Kw solar photovoltaic (PV) panels were installed with a 17.6kWh battery storage. The hall’s gas boilers were also replaced with air-to-air heat pump units.
Fetteresso Church funded the insulation and roof work with support from Garfield Weston and the Benedict Trust. The church also applied for support from the Scottish Government’s Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES) and received a grant of £79,973 to install solar photovoltaic (PV) panels with accompanying battery storage and six air-to-air heat pump units in the hall.
Based on the success of the hall project, Fetteresso Church installed similar air-to-air heat pump units in it’s church sanctuary in November 2024 assisted by a grant of £34,347 from CARES. The church building was constructed in 1806 and has a grade A Listed Building status.
Outcomes and achievements
Following six to eight months of preparatory work, the projects commenced in May 2023 and were completed in November 2024. Fetteresso Church note that the solar PV panels have significantly reduced the hall’s energy costs from spring through autumn. The air-t0-air heat pumps also warm the buildings quickly. The insulation work carried out on the roof, walls and windows has also increased the hall’s heat retention.
The project has meant that the hall and main building will be sustainable for the foreseeable future with an improved level of comfort. As a result, Fetteresso Church and the hall users are very pleased with the project outcome.
The completion of both projects has led to a result of 50% reduction in energy costs, driven by the switch from gas to electricity, along with the use of solar panels and batteries.
Lessons learned
Fetteresso Church note that as the building is listed the local authority was cautious, however, site visits to discuss key aspects with planners were always worth the effort.
Fetteresso Church felt there was a shortage of qualified installers for air source heat pumps, solar PV panels and cavity wall insulation at the project’s required scale. As the project was between domestic and commercial, it was difficult to find contractors willing to quote. However, the church found that by talking to other organisations with similar projects, it was able to find experienced and certified contractors.
The church also felt that having close contact with the CARES development officers was very helpful. The development officers helped to manage the project in a way that met CARES rules and maintained the cash flow. This was important as CARES released funds against evidence of paid invoices, so Fetteresso Church needed to have capital to pay contractors before being reimbursed by CARES.
Published in February 2025.