The Royal Institution (Ri) has appointed Coniston Limited as the principal contractor for multi-million-pound works to substantially reduce carbon emissions from the Ri’s Grade I Listed building, it was announced today.
Made possible thanks to £4.35m funding from the Mayor of London, and with planning permission granted by Westminster City Council, Project FootpRint works are set to reduce carbon emissions by an initial 35% – and secure the Ri’s environmental future – thanks to more efficient energy consumption and improved insulation.
With expertise in the preservation and management of heritage properties, Coniston Limited has successfully completed major projects in other iconic London heritage buildings including Somerset House, The British Museum, and The National Gallery. Coniston was appointed from a strong field through a competitive tendering process.
Ian Smith, Director of Finance and Project FootpRint lead at the Ri, said: “Coniston have a significant track record in heritage conservation and sustainable practices, and we were impressed by the team’s modern expertise combined with their commitment to ensure that our unique building receives the care its heritage deserves.
“We look forward to starting on site at the Ri over the summer, working with Coniston to accelerate along our own road to net zero, while protecting the important heritage of our Grade I Listed home.”
Deano Georgiou, Managing Director at Coniston, said: “We are delighted to have been selected as Principal Contractor for this important scheme, and we are really looking forward to working with the team to deliver this innovative and exciting retrofit project within this beautiful Grade I listed building.
“Lessening the environmental impact and improving the long-term resilience of these properties is one of the fundamental principles of the Coniston business and this project is particularly significant in that regard.”
It was in the research laboratories of the Ri, in 1861, that John Tyndall identified what we know today as greenhouse gases – the primary cause of climate change – while today, the Ri is a founding partner, with Imperial College London, of Undaunted. A UK hub for climate innovation, Undaunted’s programmes include The Greenhouse accelerator – supported by the Mayor of London – which helps high-potential, early-stage start-ups develop tech to tackle climate change.
Project FootpRint – the refurbishment works approved by Westminster City Council – will see the installation of new air source heat pumps, a new chiller and new air conditioning units, all controlled by a new intelligent building management system (BMS). At the same time, improved thermal integrity will be achieved through making the Ri more airtight, preventing the loss of energy through adverse heat loss and heat gain, including via solar reflective film for the Ri’s listed windows.
Works are scheduled to begin at the Ri in late July, with the Ri building being closed to the public from Monday 28 July to Friday 12 September (inclusive) to enable efficient access for the Coniston team and meet important health and safety limits on the number of people permitted to be in the building while the most substantial works are undertaken.
All Project FootpRint works have a targeted completion date of 31 December 2025.