Forde House – decarbonisation

Forde House, the headquarters of Teignbridge District Council, was identified as one of the council’s highest carbon-emitting buildings. In a drive toward sustainability and carbon neutrality, the council secured a £672,000 grant to undertake comprehensive decarbonisation works, with EX2 Group leading the electrical and mechanical engineering work.

EX2 Group mechanical engineers designed and installed a modern hybrid air source heat pump system, fully replacing the outdated gas boiler infrastructure.  The installation of a state-of-the-art energy management system and clean air ventilation improved comfort and air quality for building staff.

Our EcoTech division enhanced the building’s efficiency with the installation of energy-efficient LED lighting and an extensive 75.6 kWp solar PV generation system. The solar panels were installed across a complex, multi-faced pitched slate roof. This presented a unique technical challenge, which our team overcame by engineering a bespoke mounting system using precision hooks and rails - ensuring both stability and protection of roof drainage.

To maximise renewable energy output, we created a detailed computer model of the solar system to reduce shading issues and accurately predict energy generation performance. An energy model projected that the complete upgrade, including improvements to glazing and roof insulation, advanced ventilation, and the heat pump installation - would reduce the building’s carbon footprint by 85 tonnes of CO₂ in the first year alone.

Beyond environmental gains, the transformation of Forde House has led to significantly reduced energy bills. The upgrades are now delivering long-term operational savings for the council while helping meet their sustainability goals.