We’ve got some good news to share. The Water of Leith Visitor Centre has officially switched from gas heating to renewable heat – our new heat pumps are now up and running.
With support from the Scottish Government’s Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES), we’ve installed a new air source heat pump system, alongside major radiator upgrades. Together, these now provide all the building’s space heating and hot water. The Centre, Community Café, learning spaces and offices are all heated using low-carbon energy from the air – even in our beautiful but challenging Victorian building.
This work is part of our wider Zero Waste and Low Carbon Action Plan. Over the past few years this has included solar panels, insulation upgrades, secondary glazing, electric vehicles and energy-saving fans. Taken together, these changes are helping us to:
• cut carbon emissions
• reduce our reliance on fossil fuels
• lower long-term energy costs
• show what’s possible in older community buildings
Around 25,000 people use the Centre each year – visitors, school groups, volunteers and community organisations. So this change isn’t just about improving our own building. We hope it also offers a visible, practical example of how community spaces can take real steps towards tackling climate change.
Over the coming months, we’ll be sharing more about how the system works and what we’ve learned from installing it. The project cost around £40,000 in total, with 80% funded by CARES. This represents a significant investment in the building, on top of the energy-efficiency work we’ve already carried out. With our gas boiler nearing the end of its life and an old, inefficient radiator system, we expect these upgrades to make the Centre a warmer, more comfortable and more welcoming place for everyone.
Thank you to CARES and our project partners, IMS Heat Pumps, for making this possible – and to our community for being part of our journey towards a Zero Impact Centre.