Stromness Library

Overlooking Stromness Harbour, the town's library is home to one of Orkney's pioneering renewable heating projects. Part of Orkney Islands Council's Warehouse Buildings development, the library became the first building in the islands to use sea-source heat pump technology when the facility was completed in 2015.

The system harnesses heat from the surrounding seawater using a network of pipes attached to twelve stainless steel platforms, known as 'pond mats', which are submerged beneath a nearby pier. Heat collected from the harbour is transferred to a 40kW heat pump, which raises the temperature of water circulating through radiators and an underfloor heating system to around 55°C, keeping the building comfortably warm throughout the year.

By drawing on a renewable source of heat that is available right on its doorstep, the library has significantly reduced both energy costs and carbon emissions. Annual emissions associated with heating the Warehouse Buildings are estimated at around six tonnes of carbon dioxide, compared with more than 15 tonnes per year if a conventional oil-fired boiler had been installed.

The project demonstrated how Orkney's coastal location can be used to support innovative low-carbon heating solutions. More than a decade after its installation, the sea-source heat pump continues to provide an efficient and reliable source of warmth, showcasing the potential of marine-based renewable energy technologies in island communities.