Hawthornden Castle fire upgrade and net zero installation works

Abstract

Hawthornden Castle, perched on a cliff edge overlooking the North Esk river, Midlothian, south of Edinburgh, has been operating as an international writers’ retreat since the early 1980s. Complex works to the Category A listed building were carried out in 2024 to bring the building up to current fire safety standards without destroying its character and significance. A large part of the work included the introduction of fire hydrants and a misting system which allowed the castle to retain historic architectural features. Taking advantage of the works, a new heating system and other services designed to achieve net zero annually were installed at the same time. These include air source heat pumps and a large photovoltaic array concealed within the walled garden, away from the castle, involving over 100m of insulated pipework. The result is a warm and significantly safer internal environment, with no visual impact on the character of the historic building. This article is also included in The Business & Management Collection which can be accessed at https://hstalks.com/ business/.