Can you install heat pumps in an old building? What if that building is solid stone walled, A-listed, situated in a UNESCO World Heritage Site and subject to noise restrictions?
This Edinburgh dentist has the answer.
Edinburgh Endodontist is a growing specialist dental business operating in the city. When they purchased premises for their latest clinic on the cobbled streets of Edinburgh’s new town, they wanted the new site to live up to their business ethos – to provide modern dentistry services in a way that makes their clients comfortable, relaxed and as stress free as possible.
The new premises would host clients for the business’s specialist Saving Teeth clinic. But before the team could get to work saving teeth, they had to first save the building. Built in 1810, the former ironmongery and leatherworks was nothing more than a shell, badly in need of an energy saving upgrade.
Dr Navid Saberi, director said:
“We had obtained planning permission and listed building consent to convert the site into a modern, low carbon dental clinic – as both comfort and sustainability are important to our team and our customers.
“We had several ideas on how to do that and got in touch with Business Energy Scotland to tap into their expertise and to access funding to turn our energy-saving vision into a reality.”
Working closely with Navid, our team quickly got to work assessing options and producing a report summarising our energy saving recommendations. The report estimated that total annual cost savings of £5,500 and 5.1 tonnes in carbon savings could be achieved.
Unsurprisingly, a key recommendation was to insulate the site’s 200-year-old solid stone walls and floors by retrofitting internal wall and floor insulation. Likewise, the report demonstrated the savings that could be achieved by upgrading the old, single-glazed sash windows with modern double glazing.
With the support of the Scottish Government’s SME Loan Scheme, our advisors calculated that the payback for these two projects would be slashed from around 30 years to just 7 years.
For any building that is well insulated, the potential to capitalise on low carbon heating systems becomes a reality. Therefore, our report also recommended the installation of air-to-air heat pump systems for the main reception of the clinic and the surgery. With the support of the SME Loan Scheme the payback for an investment of £8,000 for a suitable, low noise heat pump model would be less than 10 months.
With the conversion of the building now complete, Navid’s team has already implemented these recommendations as they get the new clinic ready to welcome their clients.
Navid said:
“The support of the team at Business Energy Scotland and the funding from the Scottish Government has helped us transform this old building into something that I hope will last for another 200 years, and with the smallest carbon footprint possible. The new windows look great and the new insulation and heat pump system are performing wonderfully – easily providing all the heating we need without the carbon impact of other systems.”
Help for your business
Business Energy Scotland is funded by the Scottish Government to provide free, impartial support and access to funding to help small and medium-sized enterprises save energy, carbon and money
Whether you are just starting out on your energy-saving journey and need some pointers or are looking for expertise and funding to support your current plans, our team of experienced business advisors and energy-saving consultants are here to help. Get in touch today.
Get the case study sent straight to your inbox
If you liked this case study, make sure you sign up to our regular ezine, The Bottom Line. It’s an easy way to keep up to date with all the latest updates including grants and funding, free training, case studies, the latest blogs and other useful resources that can help your organisation improve its environmental performance, save resources and save money.