A new heat pump system that will replace the
105-year-old piping system and inefficient furnace at the Basilica of
St. John the Baptist will require 63 per cent less energy to help the
cathedral meet its heating requirements. With support of $200,000 from
the Newfoundland and Labrador Green Fund, the heritage structure will be
equipped with a new energy efficient multi-zone heating system.
"This initiative demonstrates how we can integrate new
technology with architecture that has existed for many years and produce
an environmentally friendly and energy efficient alternative," said the
Honourable Charlene Johnson, Minister of Environment and Conservation.
"This is a wonderful example of how green approaches can benefit all
aspects of our lives, and a project like this one with the potential in
annual greenhouse gas reductions as high as 427 tonnes, when compared to
an equivalent electric boiler, is very significant."
The proposed split heat pump multi-zone heating system
involves the installation of a number of outdoor units which takes heat
from the outside air through the use of a refrigerant. The new system
will replace the two existing oil-fired hot water boilers which are more
than 20 years old and use more than 120,000 litres of oil on an annual
basis to operate. It is estimated that the new energy efficient heating
system will result in annual fuel and maintenance cost savings of
approximately $50,000.
"It is a critical undertaking that will meet both the
needs of the environment and the needs of our church," said Father
Charlie Kelly, Pastor of the Basilica. "Paramount in considering any
type of restoration work at the Basilica is the protection and
preservation of its character, and we feel this new heating system will
help us maintain the heritage value of the building. We are delighted
with this support, and it will bring us a step closer to our goal of
installing a green heating source at our historic church."
The Basilica of St. John the Baptist was designated a
National Historic Site in 1984 and is considered to be one of the best
repositories of Irish and English ecclesiastical art in North America.
The Basilica houses much of the history of early St. John's and
chronicles the evolution of the province from a colony.
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