Guernsey’s iconic concert and assembly hall, St James, has taken its first steps to realising carbon neutral status by switching to electrical heating in the 200 year old building.
The initial stage has been completed and involved replacing two oil-fired boilers for the main hall and fitting electrical radiators and a heated air distribution system. Designed by local chartered consulting engineers, Henderson Green, and installed by Phase, which part-sponsored the works, the hall is now heated by imported, lower carbon electricity.
The first part of the project has come to fruition following fundraising by the St James Jubilee Foundation together with a small grant from the States. Jon Bisson, Executive Director of St James, said: “We are very excited by this recent development as moving from oil to electricity reduces our heating costs and carbon footprint. The work was also scheduled so that we were still able to operate and keep the doors open to the public whilst the installation took place”.
Vince Smith, Head of Energy Solutions, Guernsey Electricity, said, “It was a fantastic project to be involved in and we are pleased to help this large community space transition to electricity, particularly as the supply is now from 100% renewable sources”.
The project’s second phase will see the Dorey Centre converted to electrical heating.
