Orkney Islands Council has installed a new sustainable heating system to keep one of the island's newest buildings warm.

Kensa Heat Pumps have supplied a sea-source heat pump at the Warehouse Buildings in Stromness, which will use warmth absorbed from Stromness harbour to provide heating.

The scheme will also result in a greenhouse gas emissions being reduced, calculated to be six tonnes of CO2 per year.

Coils of pipes fixed to 12 stainless steel platforms known as 'pond-mats' are sunk beneath a nearby pier and draw heat from the surrounding water.

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The pipes feed this to a heat pump, which elevates the temperature of the water supplied to radiators and an underfloor heating system to 55°C – sufficient to keep the Warehouse Buildings comfortably warm.

Overall, the islands produce more electricity from renewable sources than is actually used by the local community, with the surplus exported to mainland Scotland.

James Stockan, Chair of the Council's Development and Infrastructure Committee, said the scheme is an example of how the local authority is committed to creating buildings that are "virtually carbon neutral in terms of their energy consumption".

"As the Warehouse Buildings stand close to the sea, it made sense to opt for this innovative approach to keeping them warm and I am very pleased that the system is proving to be efficient and effective," he said.

"This investment clearly demonstrates our commitment to making best use of one of Orkney's greatest assets – the abundant renewable energy we can harness from the wind and seas around us."

(LM/MH)