NZ Defence Force targets solar
The New Zealand Defence Force is embracing the use of sustainable energy systems by installing solar hot water heating into new barracks being built around the country.
The first of these opened recently at Trentham Military Camp near Wellington. The project qualified for funding assistance from EECA under the Grants for Public Buildings scheme, which offers government grants to help offset the cost of feasibility studies and/or installations for solar water heating for publicly-owned buildings.
Integrated approach
The new Trentham barracks is fully self-contained, providing accommodation for 24 personnel. It includes four wings with six bedrooms and bathroom facilities, a centralised living area, kitchen, laundry and drying room.
Staff Sergeant Rob Mowatt, Project Engineer from the Joint Logistics and Support Organisation, Property Group, who managed the building project explains:
“We wanted to integrate an energy efficient central heating system into the new building to help reduce the consumption of gas – the main energy source for providing hot water and space heating throughout the barracks.
“What we have installed into the new building is a composite solar/natural gas unit which utilises free solar energy in the warmer six months of the year for approximately 70 per cent of the system’s energy needs, and reticulated gas for the remaining 30 per cent. In the cooler months, the ratio reverses.”
The solar water heating installation comprises two banks of panels feeding four 300-litre tanks – enough to satisfy the barracks’ hot water requirements for showers, kitchen facilities and space heating via radiators throughout the common living areas and bedroom wings. Any excess is diverted to the laundry and drying room facilities.
Broad applications for funding
EECA’s Frances Hudson says it is good to see the Grants for Public Buildings fund assisting with a range of feasibility studies and installations which to date includes those for the Department of Corrections, Landcare Research, Waiariki Institute of Technology, Rotorua and the University of Otago. The New Zealand Defence Force also intends to install solar water heating systems on its other new barracks being built at Linton and Papakura Military Camps in the near future.
For further information on grants for solar water heating email solarfinance@eeca.govt.nz or call 0800 749 782.
