Walthamstow Fire Station in North East London is no longer powered by gas and is now using an electric air source heat pump with power provided by solar panels capable of producing 50kw of electricity every day. This power is enough to meet the station’s needs and export power to the national grid; for every unit of energy put into the heat pump, three-and-a-half units of energy are released, boosting efficiency significantly.
Added to this, the station uses LED lighting and has a green roof with wild planting keeping the building cool in the summer and warm in the winter. As a result, Walthamstow becomes London’s first carbon zero fire station.
The Brigade has also recently been awarded funding of around £1.4 million from the Government through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme to undertake similar work at five more fire stations by the end of 2024.
Photo credit: London Fire Brigade.
