Since St Frideswide’s Church, Water Eaton, and Spurgeon Baptist Church in Milton Keynes installed a new energy system a year ago they have reduced their gas use by 94%.
While electricity costs have risen by £3,000 for their shared church building, over the course of the year their gas costs have reduced by £5,000. Overall gas and electric kWh reduced by almost 50% from 65,585 in 2024 to 36,427 in 2025.
Working in partnership the two churches completed a significant upgrade to their shared building last year. The installation included:
- Heliotherm 40kW Air Source Heat Pump
- Viessmann 60kW Boiler
- 900‑litre Buffer Tank
- Solar panels installed on the church roof
This hybrid system provides reliable, low‑carbon heating throughout the year while significantly reducing energy usage and costs.
Revd Catherine Butt, Vicar of St Frideswide’s, described the project as:
“a really good opportunity for us to align ourselves with the Church of England’s commitment to energy efficiency and carbon neutrality.”
She added:
“We have a relatively modern building, which meant we were well‑placed to make this transition. Our old gas boiler was more than 20 years old and urgently needed replacing, so the timing came together perfectly. This system supports both our environmental goals and our long‑term financial sustainability.”
Rob Grindley, Secretary to the Joint Church Council and an architect, explained the impact of the project:
“We’ve now got a hybrid heating system that’s performing well, even through cold snaps. The Heliotherm unit was the quietest of all the heat pumps we assessed, important since we’re close to residential homes. The new system provides a much more consistent, comfortable heat for the whole building compared to our old setup.”
Given the tight timescale set by the grant funders, we prioritised the application and worked with the parish to quickly process the necessary consents for this large multifaceted project. Catherine emphasised that the strong partnership between the two churches, their architects (Grindley Architects), and Custom Renewables made the project possible:
“The visibility of the renewable system, particularly the prominent solar panels, has already become a talking point for visitors and community groups exploring sustainability in church and community buildings.”
Rob added:
“Seeing the system in action has helped people understand the value of investing in renewable technology. It’s a significant step, not just replacing something old, but choosing something that will benefit both the church and the environment long‑term.”
With plans to insulate the building in a future phase, the churches see this as the start of an ambitious move toward full energy efficiency.
Both Revd Catherine and Rob strongly encourage other churches to explore renewable options:
“Every building is different, but with the right planning and the right team, the benefits are clear. Allow enough time, get the system tailored to your needs, and it’s absolutely worth doing.”