Heating

Faculty granted for Air Source Heat Pumps, to replace an old electric boiler heating system.

The petition requested a confirmatory Faculty to regularize the unlawful installation of 6 combination light and heating chandeliers to replace the previous chandeliers and the current oil-fired heating system. The new chandeliers had been installed after the proposals had been recommended by the Diocesan Advisory Committee, but before the petition had been referred to the Chancellor. There was one party opponent. The Chancellor considered that the new chandeliers were not quite as attractive as the ones they replaced, but were efficient and cheap to run. He was, however, concerned that the new wiring was “deplorable”. He granted a faculty, subject to conditions that steps should be taken to mitigate the damage cause by the wiring; photographs of the original chandeliers should be archived, and the original chandeliers should then be sold.

The Parochial Church Council wished to install an oil condenser boiler in a position outside the church which would be screened from view. The new boiler would replace a boiler system installed in 2019, which by 2022 had become unusable. Attempts had been made to correct defects, but without success. In spite of an objection to the contrary, the Chancellor was satisfied that the PCC had considered alternative eco-friendly options. An electrical heating system was not possible as the electricity supply to the church was inadequate. Although oil would be used for the new boiler system, the PCC envisaged converting to biofuel when available. The Chancellor granted a faculty for 5 years, with liberty to apply at the end of that period for an extension, when consideration would be given as to whether biofuel or an improved electrical supply would be available at that time.

The petitioners wished to replace the gas boilers at the Grade I listed church with new gas boilers. The existing gas boilers had been damaged by flooding. An initial request for like-for-like replacement was delayed because it failed to demonstrate “due regard” to the Church of England’s Net Zero Carbon guidance, which is mandatory under the Faculty Jurisdiction Rules. After criticism from the Diocesan Advisory Committee (DAC), the petitioners produced a detailed revised options appraisal assessing a wide range of low-carbon heating solutions. The appraisal concluded that a fully electric system was currently impractical due to inadequate electricity supply and cost, but proposed a phased approach: short-term replacement of gas boilers, followed by medium-term integration of air source heat pumps, and longer-term carbon offsetting. The Chancellor held that the petitioners had now properly engaged with the Net Zero guidance and that immediate heating was necessary for the church’s mission and community use. A faculty was therefore granted, but only on strict conditions: the new gas boilers must be hydrogen-ready, supplied on a green tariff, subject to carbon offsetting, and approved for a limited period of five years to 2030, during which progress towards low-carbon alternatives must be demonstrated.

The Chancellor granted a faculty for a new heating system.

The Parochial Church Council ("PCC") wished to replace the existing heating system with a new condensing boiler and wall-mounted fan convectors and radiators in the ungraded church. The Chancellor granted a faculty, being satisfied that the PCC had considered all alternative options and that the chosen system, "whilst not perfect in terms of carbon emission, was nevertheless a significant stride forward compared to the current system."

The vicar and churchwardens sought permission to replace the existing gas fuelled heating system with a new one, including a new boiler, pipework, radiators and controls in the unlisted, twentieth century church. The Chancellor granted a faculty. The judgment contains some comments by the Chancellor about the need for churches to work towards carbon neutrality.

The petitioners wished to replace the existing three gas heating boilers with three new gas boilers. Whilst the amended Faculty Jurisdiction Rules 2015 provided that due regard must be paid to the Church of England’s net zero guidance, the petitioners had been unable to find an alternative system at reasonable cost, and the proposed new boilers would be more efficient than the old ones. The Diocesan Advisory Committee had accordingly recommended the proposed system. The Chancellor granted a faculty. Although some Chancellors have in similar cases imposed a condition relating to offsetting, in order to meet the challenge of meeting carbon neutrality, the Chancellor decided not to impose such a condition in this case.

The Parochial Church Council (PCC) wished to amend a faculty granted in 2023, for the installation of electric heating so as to substitute Near Infrared ‘Couronne’ chandeliers for the Far Infrared ‘Halo’ chandeliers which had been approved. The advantage of the Couronne chandeliers was that they would save the PCC £40,000; the disadvantages that they were not as attractive as the Halo chandelier and they would give off a red glow. The Chancellor considered that the proposed variation would be a major departure from what had previously been approved and would affect the character of the church as a Grade I listed building of special architectural or historic interest. He accordingly dismissed the petition.

The Chancellor granted an interim faculty for a new church boiler, in view of the urgent need to replace the old boiler. The Chancellor had reservations about approving a gas-fired boiler, bearing in mind the policy of the Church of England to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030. However, a new gas-fired boiler would have an estimated life of 15 years, at the expiration of which period new carbon neutral options may be available and affordable. The evidence was that the current annual cost of running an electric boiler would be over four times the annual cost of running a new gas-fired boiler.