Catalyst Vineyard Church, a thriving Christian Church community, brings people together from across Aberdeenshire through Church gatherings, events and outreach activities held in a range of local venues.
The organisation’s Gilcomston Park location in Aberdeen’s city centre is open throughout the week and offers a warm and welcoming place for people to meet.
Being a traditional granite building, with minimal insulation, keeping it running comes at a high cost. Joe Shelley, Operations Manager, contacted Business Energy Scotland with a mission to safeguard the future operations of the building by identifying upgrades to the building fabric.
By working with Joe to assess the site and understand its usage patterns, we were able to identify a range of energy saving upgrades. Summarised in an easy-to-read report showing each project’s cost and savings potential, these recommendations gave Joe and the trustees a clear, evidence-based plan to move forward with confidence.
By providing access to an interest-free loan and cashback grant through the Scottish Government’s SME Loan Scheme, the Church was able to act quickly.
“We are very thankful and happy with the results, which have helped safeguard our historic buildings here in Aberdeen for the community and future generations.”
They have now replaced 10 high-level secondary glazed windows with modern double glazing. This upgrade has improved the energy performance of the main meeting hall and reduced the required maintenance for years to come. The Church has already reduced energy use and emissions and is hopeful that future running costs can be reduced through the implementation of this improvement.
Catalyst Vineyard Church had previously utilised the advice, loan and grant funding via Business Energy Scotland for one of their other building refurbishment projects on John Street, also located in Aberdeen. After the success of the measures installed on this earlier project, Joe Shelley returned to us when they began planning improvements at the Gilcomston Park location.
Because of their previous experience with us, they knew support was available. By reconnecting with our team, they accessed tailored advice and further funding through the SME Loan Scheme, allowing them to bring the project forward much sooner than planned.
As Joe explains, “Business Energy Scotland’s support and access to funding enabled us to carry out a project that was urgently needed. The online application process was easy to follow, and the customer service team were very helpful and knowledgeable.”
The installation of new double-glazed windows has delivered immediate benefits. The building now retains heat more effectively, improving comfort for those using the space while reducing energy demand. The new windows also offer better protection from the elements, helping to safeguard the building and reduce long-term maintenance needs.
Looking ahead, the trustees are exploring further opportunities to build on this progress, including modernising the heating system to improve efficiency even more.
Joe adds, “We are very thankful and happy with the results, which have helped safeguard our historic buildings here in Aberdeen for the community and future generations.”
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