A 16th-century country house in Warwickshire has undergone a £1.8 million refurbishment to lessen its impact on the environment.
The National Trust’s Charlecote Park, built in 1558, will use a new biomass boiler, which uses sustainably-grown wooden pellets, to heat its Victoria radiators.
The move will see it reduce its CO2 emissions by 140 tonnes a year, equivalent to the carbon saving of planting 6,000 trees.
As part of the new system, specific rooms can now be heated when needed. Its Victorian style radiators have been restored, with additional radiators cast in the same design to retain the historical heritage of the building.
As part of its sustainability efforts, its visitor car park is currently having eight electric vehicle charging points installed.
Rebecca Watson, General Manager at Charlecote Park, said the upgrades will help to secure its collection.
“Many of the paintings and other cultural artefacts that were collected by our initial Victorian owners George Hammond Lucy and his wife, Mary Elizabeth, on their European travels were at risk of becoming damaged by mould and pests, as the old heating system could not regulate the temperatures in each room accurately,” Watson said.
“Climate change is the single biggest threat to precious properties like ours due to the fluctuating temperatures, so we are thrilled to have benefited from this investment as it will also reduce our reliance on using gas and oil.”
