Mitchell Library gets £2m funding to replace heating

Glasgow’s Mitchell Library, one of Europe’s largest libraries, is set to receive more than £2m in funding to replace its existing heating systems.

The cash from Scotland’s Public Sector Heat Decarbonisation Fund will see the existing gas boiler replaced with a new system of air and water source heat pumps.

The aim of the fund is to support upgrades to public buildings such as new windows, solar panels and clean heating systems in an effort to help Scotland reach its target of net-zero emissions by 2045.

The library project is one of 10 schemes that will receive grants totalling £12m from the Scottish government fund.

Climate Action and Energy Secretary Gillian Martin said the projects “show the scale of ambition on our journey to net zero”.

Ms Martin said: “I have seen first-hand the hard work and commitment of the public sector to transform Scotland’s buildings by taking action to decarbonise and improve the energy efficiency of public buildings, like the Mitchell Library.”

The Mitchell opened its doors at its current site on North Street, just west of the city centre, in 1911.

It houses more than a million items and serves as the heart of Glasgow’s library system.

Andy Taylor, from Glasgow Life, the organisation which runs the Mitchell Library, said the heating upgrade “proves that large historic and complex buildings can be decarbonised”.

The other projects include grants being given to:

• University of St Andrews – £950,000 for works to three buildings in the Madras College
• Perth and Kinross Council – £41,052 for building management and insulation upgrades at Arngask Primary School and Nursery
• Clackmannanshire Council – £2,200,000 for future heat network connections at Alva and Banchory Primary Schools
• South Ayrshire Council – £1,718,998 for the installation of roof/wall cladding at Troon pool
• Midlothian Council – £2,500,000 to replace gas boilers at Midlothian House
• Stirling Council – £415,506 to install new air source heat pumps at Cornton Primary School
• Shetland Islands Council – £167,873 to install loft insulation at Lerwick Town Hall
• Fife Council – £1,591,468 to replace existing gas boilers at Aberhill, St Agatha’s and Carnegie Primary Schools.
• Orkney Islands Council – £120,000 to install three air source heat pumps in the Library and Archive building