As a council committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2030 through its Climate Change Plan, Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council needed to take practical steps to decarbonise its estate – while facing increasing pressure to deliver value quickly and safely. As with any public sector body, funding is critical, and the council needed a feasibility assessment and evidence to support a bid for Welsh Government Local Authority Low Carbon Heat Grant funding scheme.
Having reviewed its property portfolio, the council identified three sites that were more suitable for the lower temperature flows associated with low-carbon heating solutions. Features such as underfloor heating systems and high standards of insulation made these buildings stronger candidates for heat pump installation.
They needed a comprehensive scoping document that would:
LASER provided detailed site decarbonisation surveys for the three sites. This involved assessing the current buildings’ use, fabric, systems and controls, as well as the opportunities for improving these or taking advantage of new technologies.
Following the site visit, specialist industry software was used to construct a detailed, digital model of each building, allowing for an accurate assessment of heat loss, as well as the impacts of changes to the building fabric and heating systems. The model is also extremely helpful when assessing any shading of proposed solar PV systems.
Utilising the information gathered on the surveys, calculations and models, assessments were carried out to identify the most effective, feasible solution to decarbonise each building. The models helped to calculate current and predicted heat loads and enabled the accurate sizing of the proposed low-carbon heating systems. Other features of the output were:
LASER’s detailed approach helped ensure the final recommendations were practical, compliant and tailored to Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council’s specific needs. All work was structured around the requirements and submission timelines for the Welsh Government Local Authority Low Carbon Heat Grant, with surveys, modelling and recommendations completed within tight timescales.
LASER remains committed to supporting the council: providing detailed system designs, including arrangement drawings, radiator schedules, control philosophy and schematic drawings. This early design development will help move the projects forward by giving potential installers clearer information, reducing delivery risks, improving system efficiency and supporting lower costs for the council.
Key takeaways
As a council committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2030 through its Climate Change Plan, Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council needed to take practical steps to decarbonise its estate – while facing increasing pressure to deliver value quickly and safely.
For local government, the conversation about net zero is changing. The ambition has not disappeared, but the language around it is becoming more practical, more local and, in many cases, more focused on the day-to-day pressures facing councils and communities.
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