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Dunbar Parish Church Hall
LOCATION: Dunbar
CLIENT: Dunbar Parish Church Property Committee
CONTRACTOR: Hutton and Read
Located in the Dunbar Conservation Area, the Halls provide a base for a complex programme of users and associated activities; weekly users such as Dunbar Foodshare, a local foodbank, various community groups and a playgroup, hosting annual events such as the Dunbar Music Festival and operating as a private hire venue. Today, the building is a welcoming and thriving hub, recognised as a place to gather and to avail of the emotional and pastoral support of the volunteers who work hard to preserve the history and secure the future of this historic building. The church halls date back to 1908 and are constructed from traditional materials typical of that time: red sandstone solid masonry walls, timber windows and doors, suspended timber floor and a sarked timber roof with slate finish.
The need for a restoration project was driven by the congregation’s desire to create a fit for purpose and future proof community facility for Dunbar to meet contemporary expectations and to showcase sustainable investment. Despite fairly recent works to improve access and insulate the roof, it was recognised that the interior presentation of the hall had lacked investment for some time along with some key Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP) systems, specifically the heating system which was well past its service life.
The key objectives for DPC Church Halls were:
Working within a restricted budget, works were funded by the Scottish Power Energy Networks (SPEN) Net Zero and the Scottish Government’s Community and Renewables Energy Scheme (CARES) funding programmes, as well as private donations by members of the congregation. The focus was on reducing spiralling fuel costs and greenhouse gas emissions whilst creating a fit for purpose community facility that could contribute to the income generation of the church.
Following initial assessment, the funder’s consultant suggested replacing the gas boilers with Air to Water Heat Pumps (ASHPs); replacing radiators on a like-for like basis; replacing the historic single glazed windows for standard, double-glazed units; replacing the lighting with LED fittings; and mechanical extract ventilation.
However, our detailed analysis sought to improve upon this, proposing a hybrid solution that was more efficient than Air to Water Heat Pumps alone. This method was more cost-effective but achieves almost equivalent carbon savings. Calculations confirmed that installing 3 smaller ASHPs would cover 97.5% of the annual heat load, achieve 93.3% of operational carbon savings and cost 23% less to install and run than an ASHP-only system. Therefore, the ASHPs would be sufficient 361 days of the year, with the gas boiler as a back up in extremely cold conditions. Annual emissions of this system were 3.15(tCO2e) against 11.48(tCO2e) for the existing system, resulting in a 75% reduction of operational carbon. Rather than reinstall the Main Hall’s radiators, which would be inefficient due to their location below the benches, we proposed hydronic fan convector units to be installed within the window bays.
Our detailed survey also revealed that the existing windows were in good condition, constructed from historic North European redwood. Our strategy was to therefore retain and splice-repair the windows using high quality hardwood and install slim line glazing to achieve uvalues of 1.9W/m2/K, vastly reducing the embodied carbon that would have resulted from completely new windows.
Analysis of air tightness confirmed inefficiencies in any mechanical ventilation strategy and revealed that all rooms could be adequately naturally ventilated, even during capacity events. The existing windows had been sealed shut as a means of draughtproofing. Our strategy was to therefore reinstate all opening windows, avoiding the costs of a mechanical ventilation system and achieving operational carbon savings. Existing solum venting was retained and low-level grilles built into the reinstated benches to create a displacement ventilation system.
Whilst respecting and acknowledging the past, the restoration strives to respond to future sustainable design challenges. As a team, we set out to show how conservation can embrace the wider challenge of environmental conservation and engage with the science and politics of sustainability, embodied energy and carbon accounting.
Key challenges during the build included:
Works were completed in early March 2026, with Dunbar Parish Church hosting an Opening Ceremony to celebrate the building’s hand over and to thank all of those involved in delivering the project.
he building is now kept warm by Air Source Heat Pumps and fitted with low-energy LED light fittings, whilst repairing and installing thermally-efficient glazing to the original heritage windows. The care taken to restore the historic interiors and finishes reflects the value the building has brought to the community for generations.
This project has effectively reduced operational carbon emissions of the building by over 75%, securing a sustainable future for this historic building and ensuring that the community will continue to benefit from its facilities.
Inside, a bold but limited colour palette has been implemented to bring richness and texture to compliment the existing interior palette of terrazzo, plasterwork and timber panelling.
In summary, the conservation-led retrofit of Dunbar Parish Church Halls is driven by necessity, both in terms of a restrictive budget but also to work within the parameters set out by key funding bodies. We have attempted to show that merging conservation methodologies with rigorous interrogation of low and zero carbon analysis, can result in a project that exceeds the client and funders requirements and provides an enhanced facility for vital community use.