02
Apr
The Durham Miners Hall, known locally as Redhills, will soon welcome a range of green energy installations part of a wider £10 million redevelopment of the site.
The Grade II listed building, constructed by the miners of the Durham coalfield during a time when the Durham coalfield supported over 150,000 workers, houses the Pitman’s Parliament and holds great importance in the region’s mining history.
The Durham Miners Association and main contractor, Meldrum Construction Services, has involved several local businesses to help with the site’s revamp, including Houghton le Spring based Oakes Energy, leading the development’s shift to more efficient and sustainable sources of energy.
Currently under construction on site is a new detached 45 sq.m energy centre, which will be home to the site-wide thermal energy generation plant. Soon to be installed by a team of engineers from Oakes Energy will be a new ENERBLUE BLACK HT ground source heat pump, which will generate 107kW of clean energy; enough to meet the annual thermal energy requirements of the entire site.
Nik Smith, director at Oakes Energy Services said: “We’re proud to bring our expertise in renewable energy to the transformation of Durham Miners Hall, a site of immense historical significance. Turning a building once tied to the coal industry into one powered by clean energy is a powerful symbol of progress, honouring the past while embracing a more sustainable future.
“By integrating state-of-the-art ground source heat pump technology, we are ensuring that this iconic building is not only preserved but also future-proofed with sustainable, efficient energy solutions. We look forward to seeing Redhills thrive as a beacon of green energy for generations to come.”
Peter McCormick, Senior Building Services Engineer at Oakes Energy Services said, “As someone born and raised in Durham and the son of a former Durham Miner, this project feels very symbolic to me. It is a building of immense historical importance and it’s a privilege to be involved in helping it live on for many years to come, whilst utilising renewable technologies for a cleaner, sustainable future.”