‘Vertically Integrated Decarbonisation’

Earlier this month a multi-disciplinary team from the University of Bath visited the Bishop’s Palace in Wells to take their first look at the buildings which will form part of their study project. Each year the ‘Vertically Integrated Decarbonisation Project’ brings together students and staff from a range of disciplines to think about how energy usage in buildings in different places can be decarbonised. This year, the team have agreed to look at the Bishop’s Palace. 

Led by Professor Marcelle McManus and by Dr Rick Lupton, the team were welcomed by Bishop Michael and by Jan Wallwork Clarke, Chief Executive of the Palace Trust. Professor McManus is Bath’s Professor of Energy and Environmental Engineering and Co-Director in the Centre for Sustainable and Circular Technologies to the Institute for Sustainability. Dr Lupton is Senior Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering. They were joined by students and staff from Bath’s Departments of Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Data Science, Robotics and Economics.

Bishop Michael said, “The Palace presents both big challenges but also huge opportunities for decarbonisation. At one level it’s a large, cold mediaeval building that’s governed by all the heritage legislation of being a Grade 1 Listed Building. But at the same time it contains multiple opportunities for hydro power, solar power, improved insulation and the use of heat pumps.”

Speaking after the team visit to The Bishop’s Palace, Professor McManus said, “The Bishop’s Palace is a fascinating place to study as it can help us learn about how to decarbonise historic buildings, which make up a significant part of our building stock. The Bishop’s Palace is more protected than most, but it’s not alone in having leaky windows and large spaces to heat. 

“The students involved come from multiple disciplines and therefore we can work together to address multiple challenges, for example exploring how much energy onsite renewables might produce, and where the biggest demand reductions might be applied.”

Read Professor Marcelle McManus’ blog about the study project.