Marshchapel Arts actively supports the HEATING PROJECT at St Mary's Church.  The object of the Project is two-fold: to help preserve the slowly deteriorating fabric of this 1420 building, and to make St Mary's more comfortably accessible during the winter months.

The first phase of the Project involves the installation of photovoltaic panels on the south-facing nave and chancel roofs.  The electricity generated will serve the existing needs of the building and will also generate income by selling surplus power to the national grid.

Phase two is more ambitious – maybe even ground-breaking.  A biomass-fuelled energy centre will be constructed in the neighbouring glebe, and hot water will be pumped under the dyke into the church vestry and from there be distributed round a new system of radiators.

The Parochial Church Council and Trustees of Marshchapel Arts are committed to the preservation of this historic building but in a manner which properly reflects the environmental needs of the 21^st century.  It is anticipated that, when completed, this Project will facilitate increased use of St Mary's for a whole range of events, both religious and artistic.  Further, it will set a precedent from which many others may benefit in terms of increased understanding of global warming and environmental issues.

HEATING AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Marshchapel Arts and St Mary's Church are fully committed to the principle of  low carbon energy as the basis of a proposed improved heating system in their medieval building.

The project is in two parts, the first of which involves installing solar photovoltaic panels on two of the south-facing roofs.  We are fortunate that the church roofs are clad in stainless steel and the installation  will therefore cause no detrimental visual impact. There is sufficient space to accommodate an 11.52kWp array producing an estimated 9,216kWh per annum. This will more than satisfy our existing electrical needs; it will also generate income from electricity sold back to the grid.

Part two is a highly imaginative scheme which involves  establishing a biomass-fuelled energy centre in the adjacent glebe.  The centre will be sited close to the east end of St Mary's, in a position wholly concealed by trees, and hot water will be pumped thence into a high-efficiency radiator system in the church itself. Revenue generated from the solar panels will be used to purchase wood pellets to heat the Church.

When both parts of the scheme are up and running, our calculation is that we shall be making a saving of 3.9 tonnes of CO² per annum over heating the building by conventional means – equivalent to almost 100 tonnes CO² saving in 25 years.

All these plans are dependent upon obtaining permissions and grants from various sources. The Lincoln Diocesan Advisory Committee, English Heritage, and East Lindsey District Council are to be involved, and applications for financial aid  from the Community Sustainable Energy Programme and the Low Carbon Buildings Programme have been submitted.

Email: marshchapelarts@yahoo.co.uk