Yeovil library towards carbon neutral
Yeovil Library has undergone a transformation funded by Somerset County Council. The idea was to make the building greener and more energy efficient. SCC has committed to a programme of decarbonisation for all of its buildings. SCC will spend around £9.7m on the project. That follows a successful bid bid for £4.1m from the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. SCC has committed a further £5.6m of its own money. This will see 12 projects including Taunton Library, Frome Library, Glastonbury Hub, and County Hall in Taunton.
Work started on the Yeovil project in May and was completed at the end of November. Despite the long period of work, the library only closed for two weeks.
So what did they do?
- a new air source heat pump installed to heat the building in a more sustainable way,
- lamps changed to LEDs, new thermally efficient windows,
- improved ventilation with carbon dioxide monitors, and significant additional insulation.
All in all SCC estimates these measures will save approximately 27 tonnes of carbon each year.
Councillor David Hall is Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Community Infrastructure. He told us: “I was delighted to see the finished project at Yeovil Library. The decarbonisation work will reduce energy bills while also reducing emissions and helping the environment. The library has excellent ventilation which help makes it extra Covid-safe. And I know the superb library staff here are looking forward to welcoming visitors once more.”