The Estate uses renewable energy sources for all house and pool heating, air conditioning and electricity generation.
100 of the latest design solar PV panels, generate over 150,000kwh per year and provide approximately 80% of the Estate’s electricity requirements.
Four 34KW Air to Water heat pumps convert air temperature differentials into cooling or heating for all the house needs.
Four 34kw Water to Water heat pumps keep the pools at 26 degrees, even during the cooler months. Water to Water heat pumps generate heat and throw off cooling as a by product which is in turn used to provide cooling for the air conditioning.
Now used a back up – the Gilles woodchip boiler, which uses woodchips made on the estate – heats three 5000 litre insulated water tanks – which provide thermal energy all the dependent circuits.
There are three main thermal circuits:
– the hot water for baths, and showers
– the fan coil units in the rooms for heating in the winter and cooling in the summer
– the underfloor heating throughout (when needed)
– the swimming pools heating (a little heat is applied all through the summer to maintain the temperature at 26 degrees)
The Estate is close to being carbon neutral with regards to it’s main thermal and electrical energy requirements. We anticipate becoming carbon neutral by 2022.