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Diocese’ eco approach for heritage site Net Zero project


Improving the energy performance of The Chelmsford Diocesan House of Retreat, located within a conservation area in the historic Essex village of Pleshey, had the potential to challenge church leaders guiding the diocesan estate to carbon neutrality in line with the Church of England’s 2030 objective


F


or not only is the retreat within a historically sensitive location, but its buildings also include a listed Georgian farmhouse, an


Edwardian Arts and Crafts property and a chapel, collectively creating a real challenge in terms of energy efficiency upgrades and precluding many mainstream energy efficiency approaches, as Diocese spokesman Peter Palmer explained: “Many of the buildings within our estate are more modern than those in Pleshey, making it possible to incorporate air source heat pumps and solar panels etc as part of our net zero agenda. But this approach couldn’t be considered for The House of Retreat due to the restrictions of a listed heritage site and the complexities of upgrading heating and plumbing systems within older buildings given their age and lay-out,” said Peter. The diocese had previously installed


revolutionary heat transfer fluid Hydromx at more than 30 of its voluntary aided primary schools and considered it the right approach for Pleshey due to its relative simplicity to install and no requirement for major plant or system changes. Energy and carbon savings of between 20% and 35% can be expected from the solution. “Hydromx provided an outstanding solution,


allowing us to upgrade all buildings at The House of Retreat with minimal impact on the day-to-day running of the operation and deliver an almost instant impact on fuel bills and carbon emissions,” added Peter. This feedback was echoed by retreat warden the


Rev Graham Dowling, who confirmed reduced fuel consumption and ‘warmer rooms overall’. The Rt Revd Roger Morris, Bishop of Colchester and chair of the Diocesan Net Zero Carbon Management Board, believes the positive impact of the solution goes beyond reducing The House of Retreat’s fuel bill, as he explained: “Responding to the climate crisis is an essential part of our mission to safeguard God’s creation and achieve a more just world for everyone. We can already see the devastating impact of climate change across the world, often hitting hardest the poorest countries and poorest people of the world. “For The House of Retreat, this new venture witnesses to our communities across Essex and East London that the Diocese of Chelmsford is fully committed to addressing climate change — in faith, practice and mission. We have also been bold and innovative in the use of this solution. It has already proven hugely effective across our school estate


12 March 2025


and the early signs are that it is already a game- changer for The House of Retreat - reducing running costs, ensuring the building is warm and hospitable and significantly cutting carbon emissions.” In total some 635 litres of Hydromx were installed


at the retreat by specialist contractor Lyndon Ingram-Palmer, of Highcliff Mechanical Services in Southend, Essex, working with UK distributor HMX UK. He said: “Each of the properties had different challenges but the process of adding Hydromx remained the same and relatively simple - drain the system, check it’s clean and in good condition and, in the case of the main building, replace some TRVs and add valves to ensure system isolation if a drain down is required.”


Hydromx is a heat transfer solution that improves the thermal conductivity of fluid within water-based heating and cooling systems. It is in use worldwide (New York’s Empire State Building has been benefitting from it for years, reducing chiller run time and cutting plant electricity bills) and is compatible with most HVAC systems. It is inert, guaranteed for 20 years and performs the tasks of an inhibitor, protecting against calcification, corrosion, freezing, bacteria and algae growth. Depending upon the application and system characteristics, building operators and owners can expect carbon and cost savings of between 20-35%.


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