Cheshire East Council to install heat pumps in public buildings in bid to meet carbon neutral pledge

Cheshire East Council is continuing to make progress towards its pledge to become carbon neutral by 2025 with the installation of 14 air source heat pumps in public buildings across the borough.

The pumps are being funded by a government decarbonisation scheme grant and two have already been installed: at Wilmslow Library, and at the town hall and the indoor market on Stanley Street in Macclesfield.

Air source heat pumps offer a more energy efficient way to heat large spaces and provide hot water than conventional gas boilers, and could cut CO2 emissions by two-thirds. The council expects that once all 14 heat pumps are installed, it will cut emissions by 570 tonnes a year. To further reduce its carbon impact, Cheshire East Council is also installing photovoltaic (PV) solar panels on public buildings – 17 installations have already completed, with another two underway.

Cllr Mick Warren, chair of Cheshire East Council’s environment and communities committee said:

“It is really positive to see the roll out of these air source heat pumps happening so swiftly this year. This is an important part of our pledge to be a carbon neutral authority by 2025.

“We recently updated the public at the last meeting of our environment and communities committee on the wider scale of our work towards becoming net zero, and I was delighted to be on site at the council’s composting plant in Leighton Grange, Crewe just a few days ago to launch the construction of a large-scale solar farm. These council-led investments in low carbon technology are really starting to pick up pace, which is very pleasing.

“I would also like to take this opportunity to commend my colleagues in our facilities management team for the way they have taken this forward along with our building services partner, Equans, whose drive and support has been instrumental to a successful delivery. I am really looking forward to seeing what carbon savings the council will make as a result of this latest positive step.”