St Peter’s Galashiels needed a replacement for the ageing gas heating system that aligned with its environmental objectives towards lower carbon heating.
After an extensive review of available technologies, St Peter’s chose Herschel Infrared Halo heaters. Installed in September 2025, the infrared heaters deliver efficient, targeted warmth and over 50% lower energy consumption, whilst complementing the church’s beautiful historic interior.
Hear about the Halo heating project firsthand, from Peter on the Church Buildings Team, and its successful impact on energy consumption and comfort.
St Peter’s is a Grade C listed church built over 175 years ago, in Galashiels, in the Scottish Borders.
Background
Like many historic churches, St Peter’s faces significant heating challenges. High ceilings, large open spaces and limited insulation make traditional heating systems costly and inefficient.
The church’s existing gas heating system was over 25 years old and becoming increasingly difficult to maintain.
The gas heating system “was very expensive to run, very expensive to maintain, and was getting to the point where we couldn’t get spares very easily.”
The team carried out extensive research, visiting churches and public buildings throughout Scotland and the Borders to compare different heating technologies, including air source heat pumps, air to air heat pumps, electric radiators and infrared systems.
After careful consideration, Herschel’s far infrared technology emerged as the preferred option.
Why Herschel Halo?
With aesthetics being a key consideration in the historic church setting, three Halo 9.6kW heaters were selected for the nave, complemented by two Horizon heaters positioned to avoid obstructing the church’s impressive stained-glass window. The Halos include integrated LED lighting.
“The Halos look pretty spectacular. The congregation loved them.”
The combination of Halo and Horizon heaters provided sufficient coverage throughout the worship space while preserving the visual character of the building. The church were also keen to use British products and British installers.
Fast Installation, Minimal Disruption
The installation was completed in approximately one week by Brian and his team, from Herschel Installation Services. This including cabling, controls, commissioning and the heater installation itself. Compared to many alternative heating systems, the installation process is very straightforward with minimal disruption for heritage buildings.
Reduced Energy Consumption
One of the most significant outcomes has been the reduction in energy use. The previous gas system required a minimum of two and a half hours of pre-heating before services, rising even higher during colder winter periods.
With the Herschel system, comfortable conditions can be achieved much faster. The heaters are typically switched on around half an hour before a service.
“You begin to feel the warmth within ten to fifteen minutes.”
As a result, the church now uses well under half the amount of energy previously required to heat the nave and chancel.
Lower Maintenance Costs
“The maintenance of the gas system was huge. And the maintenance for this system is next to zero.”
Improved Comfort
The congregation feedback has been highly positive. Unlike conventional systems that attempt to heat the entire volume of air within the church, infrared heating warms people and surfaces directly, creating a more comfortable environment where it matters most.
“The feedback has been brilliant”.
Smart Control and Flexibility
The church also benefits from simple and flexible heating control through Herschel’s smart control system.
Unexpected midweek activities can be accommodated easily through remote operation using the App, allowing heating to be activated wherever needed without unnecessary energy use.
Project Delivered on Time and on Budget
St Peter’s installed the new Halo heating system smoothly and efficiently. Replacing a 25+ year old gas system, the church has successfully switched to an electric heating system supporting the transition to a greener climate.
For historic churches and heritage buildings facing similar heating challenges, St Peter’s experience demonstrates the potential of infrared heating to deliver comfort, efficiency and sustainability without compromising heritage interiors.
“Heating old churches and village halls like this with big spaces, poor insulation is tricky. I don’t think that there’s a perfect solution, but I think the infrared is the way to go. Herschel’s system is very good.”
“We had a good project, came in on budget, came in on time. Happy congregation. Even better, a happy minister.”
You can watch a short film on the project here:
This article first appeared at the link below:
Thanks to Herschel for the article and photos, and to Peter, from the buildings team at St Peter’s, Galashiels, for his assistance.
