Church pioneers net zero heating chandeliers

A church has successfully pioneered a low carbon heating system – and dramatically reduced bills to boot.

St Matthew’s in Kingsdown trialled new radiant heating chandeliers developed by Herschel Infrared, an energy efficient heater supplier based at Avonmouth.

The chandeliers, called ‘Halos’, provide directional heat when needed in order to reduce energy wastage. Their aesthetic is intended to suit the church environment, blending in with traditional architecture and décor.

St. Matthew’s church on Clare Road in Kingsdown, Bristol. Photo – ASH Studios Ltd

Simon Pugh-Jones, chair of Bristol’s Diocesan Advisory Committee, says heating church buildings is a common problem.

“For parishes with failing heating, options such as heat pumps are impossibly expensive and often intrinsically unsuited to large leaky church buildings,” he told Bristol24/7.

As an architect, Simon was well-placed to explore viable “targeted, instant radiant heating” alternatives that he believed “could be a game-changer.”

“They only heat the space you need, when you need it and, if connected to a suitable electricity tariff, are zero carbon,” he explained.

Simon took initial sketches to Herschel who prepared a prototype for trial at St Matthew’s over winter. Despite cold spells, the congregation – committed to the climate cause – chose to keep the gas heating off in favour of the Halo system.

“It exceeded our expectations,” says Simon. “The icing on the cake has been a dramatic reduction in energy cost.”

The Halo heating chandelier in situ. Photo – Herschel Infrared Ltd

The chandeliers reportedly produce a ‘hug heat’ or ‘bubble of warmth’ as the energy they emit falls in the far infrared spectrum, at a wavelength close to that of human energy.

Heating only the space needed rather than the whole building has significantly reduced costs.

St Matthew’s previously required 178kW of gas from a boiler switched on three to four hours in advance, costing £75-100. The Halos are turned on ten minutes before a service and use less than 30kW of electricity, costing just £10-15.

Simon was also instrumental in plotting the Church of England’s Route Map to Net Zero, including actions needed to decarbonise churches.

“A viable way to make cold churches warm again, with lower bills and zero carbon, is not only a good thing in itself but also an expression of a church doing something central to its beliefs,” he says.

“The trial shows that this works. Halo could be an excellent means of zero carbon heating for other churches – of which there are 16,000 Anglican and around 42,000 of all denominations in the UK.

“In the context of a climate crisis, this could be a huge step towards net zero – a means by which parishes can act to make a real difference to the planet.”

The Church of England recently announced it will divest from fossil fuels by the end of 2023. Photo – Herschel Infrared Ltd

St. Matthew’s has achieved silver in the Eco Church award scheme by creating a wildlife garden, improving building sustainability and supporting sustainable development charities.

Reverend Ian Tomkins said: “We’re delighted and very encouraged with the trial.

“This is a huge step forward on our journey towards carbon neutral. Care for creation is at the heart of what we believe, and it’s important to do all we can to support this.”

The Church of England recently announced it will be divesting from fossil fuel companies by the end of 2023 due to their lack of meaningful progress on climate change.

This piece of independent journalism is supported by The Extra Mile and the Bristol24/7 public and business membership.

Main image – Herschel Infrared Ltd.

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