The Dogs Trust home in Shropshire will have its heating and hot water powered by a wood pellet boiler.

Organic Energy have installed the boiler which has cost the charity £5M as part of an eco-building programme at the centre, in Roden, which also includes wall insulation, triple glazing, rainwater harvesting and recycling and solar PV panels on the roof.

The charity was spending about £500,000 a year on heating and lighting bills for its 18 centres across the UK.

Specifically this site, in Roden, had energy consumption comparable to a luxury office development according to the Trust.

The overall redevelopment features extensive refurbishments to two of the parasol kennel areas as well as more investment in sustainable technology such as the build of an earth mounded building.

A new neutering suite has been built onsite which means dogs can be treated at the centre to avoid the stress of transportation. Major emphasis has also been put on the design of the building to reduce our capital and operational expenses in the area of heating, lighting and ventilation.

Dogs Trust Shrewsbury has been designed to Passivhaus standards and has achieved the highest BREEAM accreditation possible and is according to Trust, the world’s most eco-friendly rehoming centre.

Other green additions include:

· Super insulation – air tightness, triple glazed windows and mass insulation from recycled paper are some of the features that help us create a regulated environment and minimize heat loss.

· Our own electricity will be generated from solar photovoltaic panels.

· We also have a Biomass boiler.

· Natural vegetation in the form of grass and wildflowers on the roof will provide additional insulation. Enhancement of the landscaping and biodiversity of the site by planting of native trees,

· Rainwater harvesting and water recycling will produce all the water needed to keep the kennels clean.

Following the project’s completion, the target is to cut energy consumption to less than 150kWh per square metre – 62% less than a conventional building.

Organic Energy has supplied an energy box for the site – a complete heating system delivered ready for installation which can be connected to the heating system within a matter of hours.

The timber box houses a 56KW wood pellet boiler as well as a fabric fuel store, flue and ash compression system.

Organic Energy managing director, Andy Boroughs, said the installation could also provide an income stream for the charity, with the Government’s Renewable Heat Incentive offering a payment for green energy installations.

He said: “We have carried out many large installations, in hotels, schools, on farms and for charities, but this is the first for a dogs’ home.”

“The Dogs Trust has taken a strategic decision to include the use of renewable energy, realising it pays to be green because there is no doubt that a wood pellet boiler will save on their energy bills.”

Luke Walsh

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