Client Name: Wilton’s Music Hall
Type of Project: Energy Audit
Location: 1 Graces Alley, London
Scope of Energy Audit
Sustain Quality were instructed to carry out an Energy Audit for Grade II* listed Wilton’s Music Hall, the oldest grand Music Hall in the world. The purpose of the project was to outline their current practices and building state and recommend actions to improve their energy performance.
Tools for Implementation
An Energy Audit was conducted to analyse their current building fabric and systems at Wilton’s Music Hall in conjunction with a full Eco-Audit to establish all environmental and social impacts.
The site visit informed a Simplified Building Energy Model Report based upon iSBEM that was used to model the building as it stands currently, and then in four scenarios to demonstrate what savings various changes could make. These scenarios were as follows:
Fabric Approach: secondary glazing and improvements to external wall insulation;
Lighting Improvement: replacing the current tungsten lighting rig with an LED alternative;
Installation of solar panels; and
Heating system replacement.
Please refer to our section on SBEM for further information.
Challenges for Task
As previously mentioned, Wilton’s Music Hall is Grade II* Listed. Therefore, within our recommendations, we needed to ensure compliance with heritage and aesthetic requirements.
Furthermore, Wilton’s Music Hall relies greatly upon funding from the public and support organisations.
The report reflected a Simple Building Energy Model (SBEM), which makes assumptions that replacing old lighting with LED will increase carbon emissions. This increase in carbon emissions is because efficient LED lighting produces less heat than old, inefficient lighting, and so the space needs more heating to compensate for less heat generated by the lighting system. This increases energy demand on the heating systems, which outweighs lighting savings and consequently increases carbon emissions. This proved challenging to communicate to audiences and added complexity to the report.
Solutions to Task
To ensure our recommendations were appropriate and contextual, we researched Listed Garde II* Buildings and Energy Efficiency requirements. Furthermore, we received and incorporated feedback from the client and their design team into our reports.
To allow for funding opportunities, a phased approach was formulated as an action plan to implementing the recommendations.
Despite the increase in emissions and consumption in the SBEM Model, the lighting replacement is still recommended to reduce carbon emissions as per the Greenhouse Gas Protocol calculation methodology. Furthermore, as gas is consumed to low quantities currently, and will be phased out, it can be expected that this consumption will not increase following the replacement.
Key Project Achievements
Following the actions recommended, Wilton’s Music Hall replaced their lighting rig with an LED alternative and reported a large saving in their electricity costs.
They are currently in the process of fundraising to replace their heating system in line with the recommendations outlined within our report.
Benefits for Clients
An Energy Audit and consequent energy model identified weaknesses within the building fabric and their energy systems and allowed for tailored recommendations for improvement to be simulated. This provided our client with the opportunity to improve the energy efficiency of their listed building, reduce their impact on the environment, and reduce their energy costs.
Location
1 Graces Alley, London