An Evaluation of Heating Strategy, Thermal Environment, and Carbon Emissions in Three UK Churches

ABSTRACT

Churches are an important part of our cultural heritage, and many now provide community activities in addition to worship. This requires reconsideration of environmental needs, to provide efficient, comfortable and healthy conditions. Churches contain many culturally valuable artefacts and materials that are sensitive to the environment, yet have survived for centuries in their natural conditions. Most churches in the UK have had heating installed, causing damage as a result of fluctuating conditions during intermittent occupancy. This study evaluates environmental needs for comfort and conservation and shows both can be optimized if carefully considered.

The findings show that system selection has a significant impact on energy consumption, and that occupancy issues must be considered. In order to reduce carbon emissions, responsive heating systems are most appropriate in intermittently occupied churches, and in high occupancy churches, continual use heating systems, coupled with thermal mass are more appropriate strategies to limit carbon emissions.

KEYWORDS:

• Building conservation
• building preservation
• carbon emissions
• church heating
• energy efficiency
• environmental design
• thermal comfort
• thermal stratification