Chester Zoo in northern England has partnered with Mitsubishi Electric to introduce more sustainable heating across its 128-acre site, with a focus on improving the habitat of the endangered eastern black rhino. ing.
The partnership, announced on Tuesday, May 21, aims to meet the specific heating requirements of rhinos while also contributing to the zoo’s broader sustainability goals.
“We have some very unique users of our buildings with very specific environmental conditions,” Jennifer Kelly, Chester’s head of sustainability, told Reuters.
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“Each of the buildings on our site has different environmental conditions. We need to set the conditions.”
Eastern black rhinos will be the first to benefit from this new technology, as they require a carefully controlled environment for their health. Rhino habitats are equipped with large open doors to allow free movement, but this design can lead to significant heat loss. Mitsubishi Electric’s heat pump technology aims to counter this by providing a stable temperature range of 18 to 24 degrees, creating a comfortable environment for rhinos while minimizing energy waste.
But did the rhinos notice the change?
Ten-day-old black rhino cub Embu takes his first steps outside with his mother Zuri at Chester Zoo in northern England. The zoo partnered with Mitsubishi Electric to upgrade the heating system in the black rhino enclosure. (Peter Byrne/PA Images via Getty Images)
“Not at all. We haven’t had any feedback that they’ve noticed any change in their heating at all. If anything, I’d argue we’ve had a real success in terms of maintaining the high heat demand that they have. So they seem to be very happy and settled on the air source pump system,” Kelly added.
This partnership with Mitsubishi is part of Chester Zoo’s commitment to its aim to reduce fossil fuel use and promote sustainability.
The zoo hopes to demonstrate what an air-source heat pump is capable of and show that if heat pumps can work in rhino habitats, they can also work in homes and the wider environment.
“Our zoo will be 100 years old in 2031, so we have some very historic building stock on site that needs renovation,” Kelly added.
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“So far, we have not found any applications where air source heat pumps would not work.”
Reflecting its name, heat pumps are primarily known for their warming capabilities. Even on cold days, it efficiently captures external heat from the air and ground, and uses that heat to heat a special refrigerant liquid and gasify it for operation. Compressing it will make it even warmer. Pumping the resultant throughout the building will raise the temperature to a comfortable level.
Opened in 1931, Chester Zoo is home to more than 37,000 animals representing 500 species and is world-renowned for its conservation efforts.
