Vital Energi has been sub-contracted to support the Palace of Westminster’s Restoration & Renewal Programme.
It is completing an early concept feasibility study on the application of water source heat pumps to reduce the carbon footprint.
Work has started on extensive surveys and inspections throughout the building to better understand its condition.
The restoration project is a huge challenge; the building has 1,100 rooms, 100 staircases, three miles of passageways, four floors and 65 levels. It is described as the “biggest and most complex restoration ever undertaken in the UK”.
Vital Energi will assess and quantify the potential available energy from the River Thames and detail how river heat exchange and boreholes can be used in tandem to ensure the most resilient and robust heating and cooling supply arrangement. It will also review options and make recommendations for the optimum heat pump technologies and arrangement.
The Restoration and Renewal Programme is committed to embedding sustainability across all phases of the works. Sustainability aspirations and objectives have been developed and will be used to steer design, construction and operational decisions.
Through the feasibility study, Vital Energi will be supporting the delivery of one of the programme’s key sustainability aspirations which is, “delivering resilience using innovative technology to maintain operation in a changing climate. Optimising building performance, establishing long term maintenance strategies and sustainable logistics”.
