Eco Centre moves to air-source heat pumps
20 years on since ground-source heating was installed at the Hebburn Eco Centre, it has been replaced with a cascade air-source heat-pump system from Mitsubishi Electric. Designed and built by Groundwork South Tyneside & Newcastle (STAN) and opened in 1996, the Eco Centre was a pioneering venture to demonstrate renewable technologies and sustainable deign.
Jason Oakes, business development director of Oakes Energy, which installed the four Mitsubishi Ecodan units, explains, ‘The ground-source system had worked well, but it was getting on a bit, so Groundwork took the decision to replace it with an air-source system.
‘What was needed was a new system that would work with the existing infrastructure and one that could cope with a variable demand for heating throughout the year.’
The solution was four 14 kW Ecodan air-source heat pumps in a cascade system.
The purpose-built 2-storey building provides tenancies for local start-up businesses, along with support for local jobs, job creation and social enterprise. There are 16 offices to let, ranging from 30 to 104 m2.
Andrew Watts, executive director of Groundwork, summarises, ‘The added benefit of the Ecodan system is that it offers greater control for individual offices and qualifies for the non-domestic Renewable Heat Incentive.’
