Winchester Science Centre Reduce Scope 1 Emissions by 98% with Lochinvar Amicus Altus ASHPs
Introduction
Winchester Science Centre, part of the Wonderseekers charity, has completed a landmark sustainability upgrade, replacing its decades‑old oil‑based heating system with a state‑of‑the‑art air source heat pump network. This transformative project marks the largest infrastructure investment in the organisation’s 23‑year history, eliminating fossil fuel heating entirely and dramatically cutting carbon emissions.
The installation which was completed after years of planning and two intensive months of on‑site work, saw five Lochinvar Amicus Altus heat pumps craned into position. The system is now successfully heating the entire 29,000m³ site, demonstrating its scale and capability.
Councillor Martin Tod, Leader of Winchester City Council, endorsed the project:
“It’s a huge priority for us to go greener faster in Winchester, and it’s great to see the Science Centre leading the way.”
Project Objectives
The project set out to tackle several key challenges:
- Eliminate fossil fuel heating by decommissioning the Centre’s embedded 20,000‑litre oil system, a major structural and logistical undertaking. The old system burned up to 1,000 litres of oil per week in cold weather, representing the organisation’s single largest carbon source.
- Dramatically reduce carbon emissions, particularly Scope 1 emissions—over half of which previously came solely from heating. In 2024/25, Wonderseekers produced 135.31 tonnes of CO₂e, with the oil system responsible for 69.59 tonnes (51.4%) of that footprint.
- Replace a high‑risk, ageing heating system that posed operational and environmental vulnerabilities, including increasing maintenance demands and unplanned failure risks.
- Deliver a future‑proof, energy‑efficient heating solution aligning with the charity’s mission to help “people and planet thrive.”
As Joe Bennett, Head of Estates, noted:
“Burning oil for our heating was the single biggest carbon emitter for us… We have eliminated our use of this fossil fuel and the associated CO₂ emissions.”
Solution
Wonderseekers commissioned and installed five high‑capacity Lochinvar air source heat pumps, officially activated on 28 January 2026. This complex engineering project required dismantling the original oil tank by hand and reconfiguring plant‑room infrastructure to support the new system.
The heat pumps now provide all hot water and heating for the 29,000m³ centre and deliver exceptional carbon reduction results:
- 98% reduction in Scope 1 emissions, leaving only the charity’s single outreach van as its remaining source.
- Elimination of all oil consumption, removing a legacy system that once accounted for over half of annual emissions.
The project also delivered operational and organisational benefits. CEO Ben Ward shared the personal impact:
“We’ve just installed Air Source Heat Pumps… taking a massive swipe at our carbon emissions and running costs, and now I’ve got one less thing to worry about at night.”
With the new system mastered, Wonderseekers is already planning the next phase: generating their own renewable energy to further enhance sustainability performance.
Image credit: Provided with permission by Wonderseekers
