David Miliband MP attended the unveiling of the latest installation in South Shields of heating systems manufacturer Viessmann.
Viessmann was tasked by building contractor Thomas Armstrong (Construction), working for housing and care provider, Places for People, to revamp the heating for 31 flats which make up Bents Cottages in Mowbray Road, South Shields.

Built in the early 1980s, the flats were previously heated by a plant room containing gas boilers as much as thirty years old, as well as an aging control board of limited capabilities. It is predicted that the various energy improvements installed in the redevelopment will lead to a 90 per cent reduction in the heating system's CO2 emissions, with cost savings of around £12,000 per year, which equates to savings of £384 per property.

With the support of a back-up gas boiler and with solar thermal panels, a Vitoligno 300-P pellet biomass boiler now provides around 75 per cent of the annual heat load for the buildings, equating to around 243,000 kWh per year. The pellet store is sunk into a geothermal unit underground to maintain the appearance of the residential area. In addition, a solar PV system generates 8,200 kWh electrical energy per year, saving on electricity bills and 4,300kg of CO2 annually.