Durham: Miners Hall to transition to ‘clean green energy’

This change at the Grade II listed building, known as Redhills, is part of a wider £10 million redevelopment project.

The Durham Miners Association has enlisted the help of several businesses for the site’s revamp, including Oakes Energy from Houghton-le-Spring.

Oakes Energy is leading the development’s shift to more sustainable and efficient energy sources.

Currently under construction is a new 45 sq.m detached energy centre.

This will be home to a site-wide thermal energy generation plant.

A new Enerblue Black HT ground source heat pump will also be installed by engineers from Oakes Energy.

The pump will generate 107kW of clean energy, enough to meet the annual thermal energy requirements of the entire site.

Nik Smith, director at Oakes Energy Services, said: “We’re proud to bring our expertise in renewable energy to the transformation of Durham Miners Hall, a site of immense historical significance.

“Turning a building once tied to the coal industry into one powered by clean energy is a powerful symbol of progress, honouring the past while embracing a more sustainable future.”

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Peter McCormick, senior building services engineer at Oakes Energy Services, added: “As someone born and raised in Durham and the son of a former Durham miner, this project feels very symbolic to me.

“It is a building of immense historical importance and it’s a privilege to be involved in helping it live on for many years to come, whilst utilising renewable technologies for a cleaner, sustainable future.”

Constructed by the miners of the Durham coalfield during a time when the Durham coalfield supported over 150,000 workers, the building holds great importance in the region’s mining history.