Sustainability stories - New Milton

Quaker House, New Milton

Quaker House is a care home for 40 elderly residents in New Milton, Hampshire. In 2010 the board authorised the installation of solar water heating as its first step in improving energy efficiency and hence reducing energy costs. As a not for profit housing association Quaker House fees for residents are lower than other care homes in the area. Sustainability is therefore a means to retain modest fees.

Solar water heating was chosen as it is well established, and there is a large established base. This technological and installation risks were minimal.

Luckily Quaker house has a large south facing roof. New Milton is just one mile from the sea and is fortuitously located in one of the sunniest parts of the UK.

We ran a competitive tender process and were surprised at the wide variation in bid costs. We selected a contractor who offered value and who demonstrated a pro active understanding of our needs. The contractor had extensive experience of installing solar water heating.

We were fortunate in obtaining grant finance for 75% of the project. We received one of the last grants from the Department of Energy and Climate Change and were blessed by the receipt of a grant from the Quaker Housing Trust.

We have an energy monitor close to reception so that residents can see the temperatures of the solar panels on the roof and the resulting temperature in the hot water tank. Some residents are quite excited by “their home” becoming greener.

The local paper printed a story on the project. We felt that the visibility of Quaker House as well as its sustainability has been enhanced.

By Anthony Woolhouse

We’d love to hear the story of you or your meeting too. Just email sunnivat@quaker.org.uk and tell us about it.