State-of-the art energy saving measures have made Whitehill Village Hall almost completely energy independent, thanks to support from East Hampshire District Council (EHDC) and Whitehill Town Council (WTC).
Trustees of the hall resolved to replace the building’s roof and took the opportunity to make the building more efficient at the same time.
They installed solar panels and batteries to store energy for when the sun isn’t shining and replaced the gas boiler with a more environmentally friendly heating system which can also cool the hall on hot days.
Air conditioning units have been installed in the small meeting room, café room and kitchen and the main hall.
To fund the works they drew on developer contributions, Whitehill Town Council and EHDC’s Climate Community Action Fund, a grant scheme to help local communities reduce their carbon emissions.
Cllr Andy Tree, Cllr Catherine Clark, Cllr Kirsty Mitchell and Cllr Mike Steevens provided funding from their EHDC councillor grants to change old inefficient heaters in the cloakroom areas for more efficient temperature-controlled ones.
After £38,000 of investment, the hall is now almost completely energy independent.
Alan Waterhouse said: "Over a period of just over two years, working together with councillors at both EHDC and WTC we have moved the heating of the hall to a more environmentally friend system which, thanks to the grants awarded, will help us maintain and control the expenditure on electricity and gas, which is almost nil now, and in the years to come."
Councillor Penny Flux, Climate Action Assistant portfolio holder for EHDC, said: “This project shows the transformative effect that community grants can have.
“The village hall is now a shining example of a building fit for a carbon neutral future. I hope it will provide inspiration to other community groups around the district of what is possible with the right support.”