Northumberland County Council is pioneering the installation of low carbon ground source heat pumps (GSHPs) in its non-domestic buildings to help reduce emissions in the county. 
 

To date, 20 GSHP projects have been undertaken by the council, including in fire stations, schools and office premises saving 1025.09 tons of CO2 emissions to date – the equivalent of a petrol car driving 2,544,484 miles around the county. 
 

The pumps are being supplied by British manufacturer and installation partner, Kensa and present the best value benefit against the carbon saved which will help accelerate Nothumberland towards its carbon neutral goal by 2030. Especially as GSHPs have a typical lifespan of 20 years and become even more efficient as the grid continues to decarbonise. 
 

Cllr Glen Sanderson, leader of Northumberland County Council, said: “As a Council, we will continue to lead the way by reducing the energy consumption of our estate and installing renewable heat solutions in our buildings.” 
 

“Moving forwards, we will be seeking to further support the implementation of heat pumps across the county through funding streams that we can access, starting with properties where the heating system needs replacement to maximise the benefits.” 
 

Ian Goodchild, Director of Non-Domestic Sales at Kensa Contracting, said: “The success of our partnership with Northumberland County Council demonstrates how ground source heat pump technology can be a mainstream heating solution for public buildings, and how forward-thinking councils and local authorities can capitalise on available funding streams to make these projects happen.” 
 

“Kensa has worked closely with the Council to provide bespoke ground source heat pumps solutions in each scenario, leading to better thermal comfort and drastically reducing emissions. The higher efficiencies provided by the heat pumps lead to lower running costs, which delivers savings for the council across their asset portfolio, helping them get the most value and best delivery from their properties.” 
 

For public sector customers wanting to install ground source heat pumps, Kensa offers a free feasibility report service that can be included within funding applications and it is advised to look at projects in advance of future funding rounds.