10 Maidstone Borough Council Museum’s East Wing work is heating up


They have been digging deep beneath Maidstone Museum; not to unearth a glimpse of history but to tap into an underground energy source.


Fifteen boreholes, 120mm deep have been drilled into the ground which will be linked to the three new ground source heat pumps in the East Wing Extension. The project will allow the museum to generate its own low carbon energy. It will reduce the museum’s reliance on fossil fuels and reduce carbon emissions.


The work, part of the new East Wing extension, is being carried out by construction company Morgan Sindall with the help of a £30,000 grant from EDF Energy’s Green Fund.


Ground source heat pumps work by transferring heat from the ground into a building to provide a clean way of meeting the heating and cooling demand.


Pipes are buried in boreholes to pull heat from the ground in the winter to heat the building. In cooling mode in the summer the system works in reverse by removing heat from the building and depositing it into the ground.


What you can do!


There are a number of things you can do to save energy and money at home. Some of the tops tips are below:


 Turn your thermostat down – reducing your room temperature by 1ºC could cut your heating bill by 10%


 Make sure your water isn’t too hot – your cylinder thermostat should be set at 60ºC / 140ºF


 Turn the lights off when you leave a room


 Don’t leave your appliances on standby or on charge unnecessarily


 Fill up your


washing machine, dishwasher and


tumble dryer – one full load uses less electricity than two half loads


 Only boil as much water as you need


 Fix all leaking taps and make sure they are turned off


 Use energy saving lightbulbs – they last up to 10 times as long as ordinary bulbs


 Call the Energy Saving Trust on 0800 512 012 for free advice and information on a home energy check


Help for local charities


Three charities have received a welcome boost from the Mayor’s Charity Fund.


The former Mayor and Mayoress, Cllr Eric and Mrs Janet Hotson hosted many events throughout their year in office to raise funds for their charities. The events included a garden party, the


Mayoress’ Ladies Lunch, a Murder Mystery Evening, fashion show, Spring Ball and the annual quiz night.


Sobell Lodge, based in Staplehurst received £4,000; Crossroads, a young carers project, £6,000 and the Heart of Kent Hospice, £4,000.


Electric and Gas suppliers - ARE YOU PAYING


TOO MUCH FOR YOUR GAS AND ELECTRICITY? If you have never changed energy supplier or not compared prices recently, you could make huge savings by switching to a more competitive company. The difference between the cheapest and most expensive gas and electricity supplier can be as much as £100 per year.


– www.facebook.com/maidstoneboroughcouncil


As well as the ground source heat pump, solar photovoltaic panels will also be installed at the Museum. These panels convert energy from the sun into electricity which can then be used by the Museum.


Of course, these renewable energy technologies are not the whole solution. The refurbishment and extension of the East Wing has been designed to be as energy efficient as possible within the restrictions imposed by the Grade II* listed status of the Museum. For example the glass being used has been designed to minimise heat loss to an extremely low level, energy efficient lighting will be installed and wherever possible, additional insulation will be added.


How do ground source heat pumps work?


The only energy used by the ground source heat pumps is the electricity required to power them. They will deliver approximately three or four times as much energy as is required in electrical energy to drive them. They will be installed instead of a gas fired boiler, so reducing the carbon footprint of the Maidstone Museum’s East Wing extension.


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