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Action Outdoors, Falkirk - Outdoor Activity Centre Uses Canal Water To Keep People Warm

An innovative heat pump has been installed at Falkirk’s newest outdoor activity centre, Action Outdoors and was switched on Wednesday 10 February 2010.

Located on the bank of the Union Canal, the activity centre is making the most of the surrounding environment in every sense with pipes laid in the canal providing hot water for the centre. The heat pump works on the same principal as a fridge – cooling one part of the environment and thereby generating heat. In this case, using pipes submerged in the canal, a refrigerator plant cools the canal water and makes use of the heat recovered to provide hot water and central heating for the Action Outdoors building. Heat generated in this way has much reduced carbon emissions compared with conventional gas or oil boilers.

Funding for the energy saving heat pump came from The Waterways Trust’s Green Fund which has been established by Britain’s leading canal hire boat company, UK Boat Hire, who have a base in Falkirk, and The Waterways Trust to specifically invest in low carbon technologies and other environmental projects to help mitigate for the carbon emissions caused by holidays taken along our canals and rivers. For every holiday booking received, UK Boat Hire makes a donation to the Green Fund and invites holidaymakers to do the same for their travel to and from the start location.

10 February, Ed Helps, Managing Director of UK Boat Hire and Steve Dunlop, Director of British Waterways Scotland, joined Roger Hanbury, Chief Executive of The Waterways Trust to inspect the new heat pump and to meet young people taking part in the Trust’s environmental and tourism self-development programme, Green Action.

Roger Hanbury, Chief Executive of The Waterways Trust, said: “From ecological developments to water treatment and renewable energy sources, the Green Fund has been set up to help develop a wide range of projects to benefit the environment of our canals and rivers. The installation of this energy-saving heat pump which utilises the canal as a heat source is just one example of the type of project that we are championing through the fund.”

Each year, over 6,000 families and groups of friends get closer to nature and experience a slower pace of life by holidaying aboard one of UK Boat Hire’s narrowboats from one of its twelve start locations including Falkirk. Through this partnership, UK Boat Hire offers a truly green alternative to holidays abroad and all holidaymakers hiring a craft through the company are able to enjoy their trip secure in the knowledge that a percentage of their hire fee is being used to benefit the environment through which they are sailing.

Edward Helps, Managing Director of UK Boat Hire, says: “Our reliable, quiet, smooth running diesel engines make modern narrow boating one of the most relaxing and rewarding holidays as well as one of the greenest. We care passionately about the wellbeing of our boaters, our waterway environment and the precious wildlife that help to make waterways holidays so special. That’s why a percentage of every holiday goes to ‘The Waterways Trust Green Fund and I am delighted to be able to see first-hand how this money is being spent.”

There are over 3000 miles of rivers and canals across the UK which are recognised to be one of the country’s most important environmental assets. British Waterways look after 2,200 miles of the network including 137 miles of canal in Scotland.

Steve Dunlop, Director of British Waterways Scotland, said: “It is important to find new ways by we can create a greener and more sustainable future, be it through renewable energy sources such as this heat pump, wildlife habitat improvements or reducing waste. British Waterways is determined to play its part in creating a better future for our children and the Green Fund is making a valuable contribution towards protecting the unique environment of the waterways.”

Green Action gives 16-24 year olds in from Falkirk and surrounding areas the opportunity to enrol on an environmental or tourism 12-week volunteer training programme, contributing to the local area and developing skills for life.

Niall Hannon, from Falkirk and a Green Action volunteer, said: “It is great that places like Action Outdoors are thinking about their impact on the environment. I couldn’t believe that water in the canal could be used to heat up a building, but it is really warm in here. I am really pleased that there is money to help with environmental projects like this, instead of just talking about being greener, we are able to do something about it.”