Formartine’s near Tarves, has taken extra steps to create a state-of-the-art eco-friendly building, relying on 100 per cent renewable energy and creating its own hot water and heat. It is a joint business venture between John Cooper, who runs The Smokehouse in Methlick and Lord and Lady Aberdeen.
Formartine’s has recently been awarded Gold by The Green Tourism Business Scheme* for building an environmentally sustainable visitor attraction in Grampian, Aberdeen, the only one to be awarded to a private building in Scotland on first application
Secker & Sons state-of-the-art heat recovery system captures the wasted heat from refrigeration plant and recycles it to provide heating and hot water for the 3300 square foot building.
The hot water requirements of the restaurant, butchery and toilet areas are served by a high performance food grade standard heat recovery system. Secker’s used waste heat from the refrigeration system delivering over 250 litres of hot water per hour and a 500 litre storage tank of preheated hot water heated overnight at no cost. Additional energy was recovered using a second heat exchanger to provide comfort heating to the office areas and the entrance lobby, using the latest low water content radiator systems.
Owner John Cooper said: “From the initial concept of this project we had a clear objective to create one of the most environmentally responsible builds possible.
Traditionally businesses such as ours throw all this heat away, and from the start it was clear to me we had to find a way to keep it.. against all the early advice and after lots of searching and sketching, we have integrated a truly exceptional heat recovery solution. Our hot water is free and our equipment is more economical to run, it is a true example of environmental sustainability benefits that have nothing to do with subsidies and tariffs, it’s good business just for the sake of it.”
With support from Scottish Enterprise a study is being carried out to determine if Formartine’s has attained a Carbon Neutral status on day 1.
