Swansea Council is developing a multi-year project to reduce the £1,600-a-day energy bill at the Guildhall and make the building more environmentally friendly.
The Guildhall is the council's most energy-intensive building and one of the most challenging to upgrade because of its grade one-listed status. Its current heating and lighting bill is estimated at £611,000 per year, or £1,673 per day, according to a council report.
Four-phase decarbonisation plan
A four-phase decarbonisation plan is being developed, including new rooftop solar panels and eventually new heating systems, subject to funding and necessary approvals. The early focus will be on improving energy efficiency through better building management.
Costs are not yet known but will be significant, and funding will need to be identified before spending commitments are made.
Cllr Andrea Harrington, cabinet member for service transformation, told a scrutiny meeting the Guildhall was very challenging in terms of retrofitting. "However, because it's such an iconic building it's only right and proper that we try to make it as energy-efficient as we can," she said.
Recent repairs and heritage considerations
A lot of roofing work has taken place recently to make the building watertight, and plastic sheeting in the foyer that was there for months to protect the stonework has been removed. "It's drying out very nicely," said Cllr Harrington.
Councillors on the nature and climate change scrutiny panel asked about funding sources and how dependent the project was on them, how much impact the work would have in terms of carbon reduction, and what lessons might be learned that could be applied to other council buildings.
Cllr Harrington said the authority's building services budget of £3-£4m a year could be eaten up by replacing the pipework in just part of the Guildhall.
Consultation and long-term outlook
Simon Aspland, the council's property manager for carbon reduction, said consultation with Welsh heritage body Cadw and conservation officers would be critical. Cllr Harrington said she felt it was important Cadw was flexible given the wider need to reduce carbon emissions, although she said the Guildhall's heritage would be respected.
The Guildhall already has some rooftop solar panels but relies on fossil fuel heating. Some of its windows are single-glazed and it leaks heat.
The neoclassical Art Deco-influenced building, with its Portland stone façade and striking clock tower, was completed in 1934. It is home to the Brangwyn Hall, former county law courts, and hundreds of council staff.
It is hoped the decarbonisation project will gain insight from a scheme carried out by Cardiff council on a grade one-listed building. The Welsh Government's energy service is also assisting. "It's not going to be an overnight quick fix. It'll take some years," said Cllr Harrington.
