Midlands trio add to installer’s portfolio

existing doors can be kept closed? When considering more intrusive options, as these can be disruptive and sometimes controversial the benefits must justify the impact.

For instance, while underfloor heating can create a more comfortable climate for the congregation and be visually less obtrusive once complete, the works themselves can be costly and the loss of historical fabric may be an impact that is difficult to justify.

Insulating church roofs is a complex and costly undertaking and likely to only be justifiable as part of a re-roofing project. If a church is rarely heated, does roof insulation make sense? If so, where are the largest energy losses and where would additional insulation provide the most benefit? It can be difficult to heat poorly insulated buildings with traditional radiators and electric radiators can be expensive to run and stretch the power supply. Could heat pumps be the answer?

Which source of energy is more suited to the longevity of a particular building? Should we consider direct electricity, gas or bio-fuels such as wood chip.

On-site electricity generation would be optimal and the east-to-west orientation of a south-facing roof provides great opportunities to utilise solar energy; however, solar generated electricity tends to offer little benefit for space heating generation due to being off season, and so we must consider where that generated energy is being used.

At MTA we have a genuine interest in the preservation of historic fabric and the concept of repair rather than replacement. We aim always to integrate modern services with minimal intervention and fabric loss. Projects have included new boiler installations, traditional radiators and/or underfloor heating and environmental controls where important artefacts are stored or displayed.

We have worked on projects at the cathedrals of Leicester, Wakefield, Arundel, Rochester, Salisbury, Westminster and Winchester. Church projects include St Alfege’s Church in Greenwich, St John the Baptist in Cirencester, St Jude’s in Brompton, St Mary de Crypt in Gloucester and many others. q

[A TRIO OF CHURCHES in the Midlands are set to find winter more comfortable in the future. They are the latest additions to those benefitting from the expertise of specialist installers Mellor and Mottram of Stoke-on-Trent, who have been installing heating systems into churches for more than three decades.

St Mary’s in Royal Leamington Spa (right) is a Grade Twolisted building designed by J G Jackson and built in 1838-9. It is complemented by two adjoining halls, all suitable for hiring out.

Heating, therefore, is a major concern. The new system will be powered by a Remeha Gas 220 Ace boiler, complemented by fan convectors.

The two other churches that Mellor and Mottram have recently been appointed to install heating systems into are within a stone’s throw of each other in Leek, Staffordshire – the company’s own home county.

The Church of St Edward the Confessor (below) is a Grade Two*-listed church which dates back to the 13th century and is Leek’s original parish church. It contains notable stained glass by Morris & Co, including a Burne-Jones window. The church is thought by some to have been placed there to ‘Christianise’ an earlier pagan site: the churchyard is a place from which a notable ‘double sunset’ can be seen on and around the summer solstice, when the sun seems to set twice behind a nearby hill.

An obsolete Concorde boiler is being replaced by a Remeha 90kW output boiler. Following a flushing of the system a new control panel will be installed, allowing maximum control of the heating for optimum efficiency.

Some 150 metres from St Edward’s is Trinity Church (right), the union of the Central Methodist and United Reformed Churches in Leek. The current church with its slender steeple was built in 1863 as a Congregational Church, although there had been dissenting worship on the site as far back as 1695.

The new system will comprise two Remeha 90kW boilers to heat the large space, although the control panel will be retained.

Meanwhile, the team at Mellor and Mottram have taken delivery of the components of the innovative radiant heating panels to be installed in All Saints in Harbury, as featured in the last issue. q • For further information call 0800 644 6240 or visit the website at www.mellorandmottram.com.