July 17 2024

Work to replace a former public toilet in Inverness with an energy centre is proceeding apace with the installation of decorative 'bronze' cladding.

The metallic sheath has been designed by LDN Architects using a distinctive 'saltire and diamond' pattern to help frame the Town House car park on Castle Street.

Installed by Bancon Construction and specialist cladding contractor Maple the symbolic facade draws inspiration from the ramparts of Inverness Castle.

Cllr Ken Gowans, chair of Highland Council’s economy and infrastructure committee commented: “Everyone is aware of the necessity to reduce our carbon footprint.

“As a council, we have a crucial role to play in this challenge and it is only by prioritising renewable technologies within projects in the Highlands that the path to net zero can be achieved. It is great to see this project taking shape as the castle project comes together.”

When complete the £4.4m hub will meet the heating demands of the Inverness Castle Experience with a steady supply of renewable energy.  

7 Comments

#1 Posted by Fat Bloke on Tour on 17 Jul 2024 at 10:13 AM

£4.4mill -- for what exactly?
Looks like a bit of BoJo inspired Westminster PR.
When do the wind turbines / PV panels get installed?
At best it looks like a showroom for heat pumps.
Plus a bit of middle class welfare by way of fancy cladding.
Interesting but looks a bit undercooked.

#2 Posted by Lovely on 20 Jul 2024 at 13:15 PM

Where to begin? £4.4m for a 'renewable' boiler house is not really good value is it? Using bronze, which is a very very expensive metal and managing to make it look like painted steel? Saltire patterns in the cladding funded by London? Maharajas eat your hearts out, what a load of wasteful corrupt nonsense...

#3 Posted by Bemused_Citizen on 21 Jul 2024 at 17:02 PM

It isn’t bronze cladding.

#4 Posted by Lovely on 22 Jul 2024 at 10:55 AM

Was only going by what is written in the article and visible in the video but happy to be potentially enlightened by a fellow citizen, especially a bemused one? Bronze 'coloured' maybe? Still a fail even if so...

#5 Posted by UR on 22 Jul 2024 at 11:00 AM

Yes, the 'bronze' cladding is powder-coated aluminium, coloured in shades of pink, red and grey to match the castle.

#6 Posted by Lovely on 22 Jul 2024 at 13:36 PM

So it literally has nothing to do with bronze then whatsoever neither the metal nor the colour. Interesting that words now often have no connection to meanings any more and is perhaps symptomatic of such a powder puff project.

#7 Posted by Bemused_Citizen on 23 Jul 2024 at 12:30 PM

Why is it a "fail"?

"powder puff project" ... how so?

"boiler house" - as far as I can see there are no boilers? It appears to be an ASHP array that will supply heating to the redeveloped Inverness Castle.

I'm bemused by many things.

Post your comments