The National Trust is a highly respected, forward-thinking charity. The organisation invests in many of its barns and buildings with structural issues, bringing them back into use and protecting them for future generations to enjoy.

In August 2019, Infinitas was awarded the National Trust’s barn conversion project. The brief was to design a low carbon heating solution for several barns across the UK.

Many of the buildings owned by the National Trust are not connected to the gas grid, making gas use a challenge. Oil, LPG, and direct electric heating were not feasible options due to the high carbon footprint. After consultation with the client and consideration of the barns, locations and future needs, it was agreed that air source heat pumps would be the best solution for the project, addressing the environmental and financial requirements of the client.

To ensure we could meet the customer’s aims and needs, we:

• Carried out heat loss calculations on each barn to find the peak heat load and correct heat pump size required
• Gathered performance specifications for the heat pump, thermal store, hot water distribution and underfloor heating
• Determined the location of the heat pump, considering available external space, building aesthetics, proximity to internal water cylinders and underfloor heating manifolds
• Developed a general arrangement drawing of each property

As a result, the performance specifications and drawings enabled installers to quote for the supply and installation of the heat pumps and supporting equipment.

The conservation projects by the National Trust are truly admirable. Preserving the buildings for future generations and moving towards low carbon solutions set the standards for others to follow. It was an honour to support such an important cause and help the organisation make a difference. 

Are you interested to see how we could support your low carbon project? Look at our services page or contact us here to book an initial 30-minute consultation.