We've been awarded £4.3 million by the Government’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme to transform our environmental sustainability and place zero carbon technology at the heart of our visitor experience.
In the 1800s, a well was built in the lower ground floor of the world’s first railway warehouse (the museum’s Grade I listed 1830 Warehouse), to harness the power of the ground water. This natural resource will now once again be utilised by the installation of a new water source heat pump network including bore holes along with the latest green technologies.
This is a visionary, sector-leading project where the original and modern combine for a sustainable museum of the future.
The Power Hall and Decarbonisation project is to be delivered as one project. However, the required Planning and Listed Building Consent applications must be split into several separate applications due to the different Listings of the buildings and the deadlines for the Government’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme. This project was funded by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategies as part of Phase 1 of the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, delivered by Salix Finance.
Splitting the consent packages will also allow construction work to start on site earlier and ensure we can meet the Government deadlines.
All current and proposed planning applications can be viewed and accessed in the Planning applications section on our community page.
The funding will:
- Enable an annual reduction in CO2 emissions for the museum of 515 tonnes (equivalent to the average C02 emissions of over 30 UK homes per year) on completion of the works, improving every year as the electricity grid decarbonises through increased zero carbon generation.
- Support the Science Museum Group’s goal to reach a net zero target of 2033 (announced today as 17 years ahead of the national target) and Greater Manchester’s goal to become carbon neutral by 2038 (12 years ahead of the national target).
- £2.6 million will enable the Power Hall to reduce C02 emissions by 60% by 2030 through enhanced roof insulation and glazing to improve energy efficiency, an electric boiler and water source heat pumps to heat the space and now power the historic engines sustainably, and a new building management system to monitor and control energy use of this iconic gallery.
- £1.7 million investment site-wide will pave the way for total electrification of the entire museum’s heating system, through an additional air source heat pump and a new electricity substation, enabling the museum to increase power to its seven-acre site sustainably (with 100% of electricity already purchased from renewable sources).
- Additional measures include LED lighting for the historic 1830 Warehouse and instant hot water and a new building management system to monitor and control energy use of the New Warehouse. This will enable a 65% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2030 of this key space, which houses the main visitor welcome, Revolution Manchester, Textiles and Special Exhibitions galleries and the museum’s shops, café, bistro and conference centre.
