HEATING, VENTILATION & AIR CONDITIONING
DECARBONISATION HEATS UP AT CHESTER ZOO
Critically endanger animals such as Eastern Black Rhinos will be kept warm thanks to a strategic partnership with Mitsubishi Electric to decarbonise heating at Chester Zoo
C
hester Zoo has announced a strategic partnership with Mitsubishi Electric to
decarbonise heating across its not-for-profit conservation zoo in Cheshire as part of its drive to reach Net Zero. Mitsubishi Electric’s experts will work with
the zoo’s facilities and design teams to keep the animals warm, while also providing heating, cooling and ventilation equipment in other buildings across the 128-acre site, while reducing the charity’s carbon emissions. The partnership was announced by George
Clarke, TV presenter, architect and Mitsubishi Electric Ecodan brand ambassador.
DECARBONISATION POTENTIAL Chester Zoo, which is committed to preventing extinction and dedicated to raising awareness of
conservation and environmental challenges, aims to be Net Zero in its scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030 and Net Zero in its scope 3 emissions by 2050 at the latest. As part of this, it is actively working to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels. Each of its buildings, however, have very different requirements, based on their use, including the animals and species cared for in them. Jennifer Kelly, head of Sustainability at Chester
Zoo, commented: “Mitsubishi Electric is helping us understand the decarbonisation potential on buildings across our site to help us meet our Net Zero targets. We’re proud to be leading the way on sustainability and inspiring others to do the same – the future of our planet depends on it.”
HVAC SOLUTIONS The partnership was developed following two successful projects utilising Mitsubishi Electric equipment. The first involved air source heat pumps, air conditioning and ventilation installed in the zoo’s new conference and events venue, The Square. The second saw one of its rhino habitats, home to the critically endangered Eastern Black Rhinos, heated by six Ecodan air source heat pumps, which are manufactured in Scotland. The indoor rhino habitat needs to be kept at
temperatures between 18 and 24˚C, however their home has big open doors which allow free movement to their outdoor habitat. This can lead
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to significant heat loss. The air source heat pump solution shows the potential for heat pumps to be successful in challenging and unique environments, the company explains. Clarke commented: “I’ve been talking for
years about the power and versatility of heat pumps for different living environments. The air source heat pumps deployed at Chester Zoo demonstrate what’s possible and show that if heat pumps can work in our rhino habitats, they can work in residential and wider settings too!”
SUSTAINABILITY PARTNERS “We are absolutely delighted to be working with Chester Zoo as a key Sustainability Partner, and we see so many synergies with their ethos, especially on the sustainability and educational fronts,” said Chris Newman, Net Zero design manager at Mitsubishi Electric. He added: “We’re working
with the zoo’s facilities teams to reduce carbon emissions and deliver energy efficient comfort across a diverse range of buildings
with internal climates – from African savannahs to South American rainforests. This shows beyond doubt that there is a renewable solution that can help all of us get to Net Zero.”
Mitsubishi Electric
https://les.mitsubishielectric.co.uk/ https://www.chesterzoo.org/
ENERGY & SUSTAINABILITY SOLUTIONS - Summer 2024 29
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