In many churches, often strapped for cash, a heat pump switch can be afforded from necessity. Staff at St Peter Mancroft Church in Norwich, which already had solar panels, opted to jump to a heat pump system when one of their old gas boilers failed.
“The church decided it was a good time to try and make a commitment,” says Nicholas Jackson of architectural design firm Nicholas Vanberg Ltd. Jackson is also a fabric officer of the church. Last year, two table-like, upward wind source heat pumps were installed in a small courtyard next to the 15th century building. These are connected to an Edwardian cast iron radiator system, and the heat pumps are currently running at a COP of 4.
The church also opted for a battery storage system. Jackson said he’s still not sure how heat pumps will cope during a real cold snap – with a gas boiler as backup.
“We were very blessed to be one of the early adopters of some of these things,” said the Rev. Edward Carter, vicar. He added that within the church is an “Earth Chapel,” intended to focus Christian minds on the importance of the environment. We’re trying to say something here to the city of Norwich, and maybe to the wider world,” says Carter.
British Churches Are Putting Their
Churches are currently far from the only community-centred buildings in the UK re-engineering how they function. Village halls, covered marketAnd Public transport hub Also, in some cases, providing solar panels, LED lighting, and electric-powered heating.
For some believers, however, the spiritual component of decarbonization is key. There is something deeper at work here, and perhaps such incentives could accelerate a broader shift in society toward cleaner technologies. Knott’s view is that Christians should be inspired, by scripture, to care for the planet.
“We’re not jumping on the bandwagon,” he says. “It’s been a message for 2,000 years.”