Healthy steps taken at Hackney to meet climate goals
Net zero projects demonstrating council’s ambition and progress towards decarbonising heat
Net zero discussion was top of the agenda when energy and delivery experts joined forces for thousands of healthy steps taking them on a tour around Hackney.
The London Borough of Hackney is one of many public sector organisations across England that has tapped into the popular Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme to make strides towards achieving the decarbonisation of heat in council buildings.
The scheme is run by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and delivered by our teams at Salix.
Our team, including senior programme manager Laura Couldrey, programme co-ordinator George Richards and senior energy and carbon analyst Farhana Hussain, couldn’t wait to see the work first hand.
During a whistle stop tour of the vibrant borough the team was able to see for themselves how the decarbonisation work has necessitated creative solutions in response to challenges and technological progress.
Laura, George and Farhana were joined by Hackney’s head of energy and carbon management, Jeremy Martin and energy project manager Angela Okoh for the tour of 14 sites. These included popular London Fields Lido, Clissold Leisure Centre, Hackney Town Hall, as well as Stoke Newington Town Hall and Library.
In total, 27 of Hackney’s council buildings are set to have low carbon heating systems installed, with air source heat pumps already commissioned at Queensbridge Leisure Centre and Homerton Library. This programme of works will significantly reduce emissions across the council’s estate thanks to the funding under the scheme.
Walking tour
George has been collaborating with Hackney for more than a year and couldn’t wait to pound the pavement and see for himself how the new measures work across the sites.
He said: “Hackney’s decarbonisation programme is certainly an ambitious one, and the team has been relentless in driving forward the works under the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme.
“On a one-day walking tour visited we managed to see 14 sites, there’s plenty of amazing work that has been happening here in Hackney, and still more to see!”
Hackney’s decarbonisation programme is certainly an ambitious one, and the team has been relentless in driving forward the works under the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme.
Projects visited received their funding under Phase 3b and Phase 3c of the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme. It’s provided the funds to help install heat pumps which provide heating by taking heat from the air or ground and converting it into energy and heating water for domestic use and space heating, as well as swimming pools.
Hackney’s head of energy and carbon management Jeremy Martin said: “This is vitally important work, and this autumn things are really ramping up. By next summer a significant impact on our carbon will be being realised.
“The combined reductions from our live projects, both Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme projects and the Colville heat network – 3,300 and 2,500 tonnes respectively - equals nearly 1% of the borough’s entire estimated annual carbon emissions.
“Since the council represents approximately 5% of the borough’s emissions, these projects are cutting 20% of the council’s annual carbon emissions.
“As well as cutting on emissions, our main focus with these projects, we’re also making some savings on bills which is important for any council at this time.
“We’re doing this whilst updating our systems and thinking about futureproofing, with every Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme project being made heat network ready.
“In the longer term we are going to rely upon district heating networks to deploy low-carbon heat at the required scale to meet carbon targets.”
This is vitally important work, and this autumn things are really ramping up. By next summer a significant impact on our carbon will be being realised.
Challenges
Like councils throughout the country, Hackney is committed to a Climate Action Plan.
It claims to be one of the most ambitious councils in the country on climate change and declared a climate emergency in 2019.
As the heating decarbonisation projects have progressed, Jeremy and his team have faced a number of challenges. For example two sites, which were originally set for ground source heat pumps have switched to air source heat pumps.
Jeremy explained this was necessary because of constraints in working with listed buildings and with Environment Agency concerns over water table levels in some proposed borehole locations.
He added: “Since submitting our phase 3b application two years ago there has been significant advancements in air source heat pump technology allowing us to propose adaptations with air source heat pumps achieving high temperatures and maintaining the same carbon reductions as ground source without the expense and risks surrounding drilling boreholes.”
The team also faced unexpected challenges in some schools where emergency boilers had to be installed after failures, therefore excluding these buildings from the scheme. The council is currently finalising designs for proposed replacements to these sites.
Community engagement
And as with all good engineering and project work, the teams have had to be creative and ensure the community is on board. These kinds of large-scale works can involve local disruption so it’s important that good working relationships are maintained.
The team is particularly proud of its plans at Clissold Leisure Centre, Clissold Road, where it’s been agreed that two of four deep boreholes will be drilled in Stoke Newington School on Clissold Road just across the road from the leisure centre site.
Angela Okoh said: “We have had to look for some creative solutions in locating boreholes where space is limited, which is often the case in Hackney.
“Cooperation with the school has been key in this instance and we hope to be able to include them in a future project where they will be able to further utilise the boreholes for low-carbon heat.”
We have had to look for some creative solutions in locating boreholes where space is limited, which is often the case in Hackney.
Two boreholes are also situated in Daniel House, another building that will be served by the Clissold Leisure Centre system. This is another example of driving efficiencies by combining larger heating systems across multiple buildings, again relying upon cooperation between users.
During the recent visit, our Salix team also managed to visit Millfields Community School, Hilsea Street, which gave them an opportunity to see how a typical Victorian school building can be made more energy efficient and improve the environment for children and staff alike.
The team was able to see how creative designs were employed to install a new heating distribution system using existing ducts, achieving minimal impact to the structure and avoiding disturbing the asbestos that was used widely in the construction of these period buildings.
Hackney is proud of the project with the decarbonisation funding helping it reach its climate goals.
Earlier this year Mayor of Hackney Caroline Woodley celebrated and said: “We’re always looking for external funding to help us reach our climate goals, and it’s exciting to have been successful in securing substantial grants from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Fund that will bring real impact, not only helping to cut emissions at many of our buildings but saving heating costs at the same time.
“This forms part of some of the most ambitious action on the climate of any local authority in the country… Together, we’re creating a greener and healthier Hackney for all of our residents.”
Our team cannot wait to return to the London Borough of Hackney to see how further net zero progress is being made.
In the meantime we would like to thank Hackney’s head of energy and carbon management Jeremy Martin and energy project manager Angela Okoh for the fascinating and inspiring tour.
The sites visited by the team:
- Clissold Leisure Centre
- Daniel House Pupil Referral Unit
- Clissold House
- Stoke Newington Town Hall and Library
- Princess May Primary School
- Millfields Community School
- Kings Hall Leisure Centre
- Morningside Primary School
- Hackney Town Hall and Service Centre
- London Fields Lido
- Gayhurst Community School
- Queensbridge Leisure Centre
- Queensbridge Primary School and Tomlinson Centre
Other buildings to benefit from Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme funding include:
- Homerton Library
- Holmleigh Primary School
- Median Road Resource Centre
- London Fields Primary School
- Shoreditch Park Primary School
- Mandeville Primary School
- Daubeney Primary School
- Sir Thomas Abney School
