Castle Leslie, located in Glaslough, Co. Monaghan, is one of the few remaining family-owned castles in Irleand. Offering a four-star hunting lodge hotel, self catering village cottages, an equestrian centre, cookery school and Victorian Spa, the castle is a popular venue, with varied energy requirements
A 20-year restoration programmed has already seen Calor Gas install an LPG powered heating and air conditioning system, as well as extensive catering facilities. The latest area of restoration has focused on the Long Gallery Wing of the castle, which required a heating and air conditioning solution that could be sympathetic to the preservation of the castle and would be environmentally sensitive, efficient and economical. Sanyo's Gas Heat Pump provided the ideal solution as it could be installed using the original system and allowed the architecture and features of the Long Gallery to remain unaffected.
The estate has a total of six bulk Calor Gas tanks for its catering and heating requirements. As with the three tanks serving the Hunting Lodge area of the estate, the new tank serving the Sanyo unit has been installed underground to minimise visual impact. All that is visible is a green access cover, allowing the ground above the tank to be landscaped.
The system uses Calor Gas to power an internal combustion engine which in turn drives a belt driver refrigeration compressor, reducing the electricity demand on the building. Heat gathered from outside is coupled with the recovered waste heat produced from the combustion process be used by the system, resulting in heating efficiencies of over 140%. In addition, the Gas Heat Pump cooler requires no defrost cycle as with traditional air conditioning units, but provides a continuous extremely efficient heating performance in severe winter conditions, even when outside temperatures reach as low as -20 degrees celcius.
The Benefits:
- Simultaneous heating and cooling
- Free electricity generated (up to 4kW per hour) which can be used to power other equipment
- 65 degrees free hot water guaranteed
- Increased efficiency = redued running costs
- Offers ventilation and de-humidification
- "Free" heat from environment is captured and redistributed internally
- Reduced CO2 and NOx emissions
- Heating efficiencies over 140%
- Optional water chiller can be fitted
- 100% heating performance in severe winter conditions
- 10,000 run hours between servicing - 3.5 years on average
- Possible government tax incentives
- Product qualifies for the Enhanced Capital Allowance