Visitors to Blenheim Palace have been enjoying the country house’s iconic orangery after restoration on the glass construction was completed a few weeks ago.
Throughout the years, the 18th-century glass construction at the grade I-listed World Heritage Site located in Woodstock, Oxfordshire has been used for a variety of purposes, including as a place to grow oranges and lemons in the winter, as a theatre and an art gallery.
And after undergoing a £2m facelift, it’ll now serve a restaurant, serving afternoon teas, Sunday roasts, corporate meetings and parties.
Kelly Whitton, head of built heritage at Blenheim Palace, added: “This restoration project is extremely important to us and integral to our plan to achieve our ten year goals.
“The choice to rebuild the roof with timber and slate is due to plans to adapt the building to an ever-changing climate and resulting temperature swings, which present a range of challenges for historic buildings.”
Sustainable Future
As well as boosting income for the country house, the renovation is the first step in Blenheim Palace’s pledge to reach carbon neutrality by 2027.
Designers have completely revamped the glass ceiling of the orangery, replacing it with a timber and slate structure that reflects the original layout which was designed by Sir John Vanbrugh.
Senior Sustainability Specialist at Ingleton Wood’s Oxford office, Thomas McCosker said: “Being able to support this project and be a part of Blenheim Palace’s next steps towards sustainability is a privilege. The Palace’s Orangery is such a historical site, and the restoration of the roof will help to ensure the longevity of the building.
“The new energy-efficient roof offers superb carbon saving opportunities, whilst providing greater control over the temperature of the room below.
“Our specialist team carried out thermal modelling to highlight potential energy and carbon saving opportunities and ensure the new roof was designed with all key sustainability practices in mind.”
Making Your Orangery Energy-Efficient
It’s encouraging to see one of the country’s most iconic buildings doing its bit for the environment by setting its carbon neutral target.
If sustainability interests you (or if you’re just keen to save on bills!), there are many ways you can make your own bespoke orangery or conservatory more energy efficient.
The most obvious is to ensure it’s properly insulated. After all, if there are cracks in your roof or panelling, broken seals or large gaps under your doors, warmth will be allowed to escape and cold air will get inside.
Underfloor heating is another energy-efficient way to warm your space. As the warmth is distributed evenly, less heat is lost, unlike radiators which tend to warm up one side of a room more than the other.
Portable heaters can be an expensive way to heat your orangery, so if you’re trying to cut costs then this might be best avoided. And remember to turn off any lights or heating systems if you’re not using your space as this carelessness can have a significant impact on your bills.