Innovation Exchange challenge: Net Zero Heating of Heritage Public Buildings

Alton Town Council, in partnership with the Greater South East Net Zero Hub, is seeking solutions to achieve Net Zero heating for a Grade II listed building. The building presents challenges, including limited space for heating systems, poor thermal performance, and large internal spaces. These solutions will be directly applicable to Alton Town Hall and will help guide the approach for a wide range of similar local authority assets, as well as potentially informing strategies for other national heritage buildings.

About this challenge

Alton Town Hall, originally constructed in 1871 as a fire station, has since been converted into council offices and a council chamber on the top floor, with rentable spaces on the ground floor, including small businesses and shops. The building’s current challenge is upgrading its fossil fuel-based heating systems to meet Net Zero targets while maintaining its heritage integrity.

Current energy performance:
Main heating fuel – Natural Gas
Total useful floor area 173 square metres
Electricity used – 9420 kW h
Gas used – 35903 kW h

Work on replacing the heating system is constrained by the construction of the building, its conservation status, a requirement to maintain various period features inside and outside, limited space for equipment, and other requirements for heating flexibility due to building use. Further details on Alton Town Hall and the specific issues with heating it are available on the Innovation Exchange site at the link below.

Wider context and future work

This challenge is supported by GSENZH who have identified similar issues with many local authority buildings – limited external space, restrictions on changes to the fabric due to conservation status, which may prohibit any outside machinery or structures.

The challenge encompasses how to decarbonise the heating, within the heritage and external space constraints, to meet Net Zero target by 2030. Cost is a key aspect, and solutions need to be cost-viable; different cost models such as “heat as a service” are welcomed and open to consideration.

The winning solution(s) will be integrated into the design and showcased as a demonstrator project. Since many aspects of this challenge are shared by large heritage buildings managed by other Local Authorities and private owners, solutions that are shortlisted but not implemented will be added to the GSENZH Solutions Knowledge Base for heritage buildings. This will help other stakeholders facing similar challenges to access potential solutions.

The total number of listed buildings in the Greater South East Net Zero Hub’s area is 148,230 which have similar challenges and could exploit solutions found by this challenge.

Rewards & Market Opportunity

Successful applicants will be given the opportunity to pitch to Alton Town Council and the Greater South East NZ Hub and will be favourably considered for incorporation in the GSENZH Knowledge Base and Heritage Buildings Toolkit, a resource used by many local authorities and other parties.

Selected solutions following Pitch Day are expected to be pivotal to the design of the new heating system for Alton Town Hall.

The benefits package for a successful applicant may also include:

• Documented Case Study as a Demonstrator Project
• Support from Innovate UK Business Connect
• Support in the development of a prototype or pilot
• Technical support
• Invitation to attend or present at Innovate UK Business Connect events
• A potential business collaboration
• Investor introductions (if investment is required)
• Support if any Innovate or similar competitions are relevant
• Inclusion in the GSENZH Knowledge Base and Heritage Buildings Toolkit

Entrants to this competition must be established businesses, academic institutions, start-ups, SMEs, or individual entrepreneurs, and must be UK based or have the intention to set up a UK base.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Amy.Waite@iukbc.org.uk.