The only way for Essex
Improving the energy performance of The Chelmsford Diocesan House of Retreat, located within a conservation area in the historic Essex village of Pleshey, had the potential to challenge church leaders guiding the diocesan estate to carbon neutrality in line with the Church of England’s 2030 objective.
Not only is the retreat within a historically sensitive location, its buildings include a listed Georgian farmhouse, an Edwardian Arts and Crafts property and a chapel, collectively creating a real challenge in terms of energy efficiency upgrades and precluding many mainstream energy efficiency approaches. The diocese had previously installed revolutionary heat transfer fluid Hydromx at more than 30 of its voluntary aided primary schools and considered it the right approach for Pleshey due to its relative simplicity to install and no requirement for major plant or system changes.
In total some 635 litres of Hydromx were installed at the retreat by specialist contractor Lyndon Ingram-Palmer, of Highcliff Mechanical Services in Southend, Essex, working with UK distributor HMX UK. Energy and carbon savings of between 20% and 35% can be expected from Hydromx.
