A BRIGHOUSE firm has landed a contract to help a care homes company get greener.

Leeds-based LNT Group, chaired by Batley-born tycoon Lawrence Tomlinson, has appointed renewable energy company Q-Gen to install Danfoss-built ground source heat pumps at six of LNT’s Ideal Care Homes across the North and Midlands.

The move came about after Mr Tomlinson challenged his construction company, LNT Construction, to use renewable energy in order to provide a more affordable, sustainable source of energy for the care homes they build.

Christine Cooper, managing director of LNT Construction, said: “We are really proud that we are running sustainable and energy efficient heating systems in our homes.

“Although this has involved a major capital investment, it will be paid back within eight years, which makes good commercial sense for the LNT Group as well as helping us towards becoming carbon neutral in the longer term.”

She said: “We chose ground source heat pumps because we recognised the efficiency they offered, which gave us a much greater energy output over other renewable energy sources.

“We are always reviewing ideas and new technologies to ensure that we deliver the most efficient and cost-effective build to our customers.”

Each care home has been built with energy efficiency and sustainability in mind – with all the six homes also featuring solar thermal, which uses the sun’s energy to generate hot water during the daytime.

LNT Construction used the most energy efficient method of heat distribution for the care homes by using underfloor heating, rather than radiators. LNT’s Ideal Care Homes expects to save 40% on its annual energy bills as a result of the heat pumps.

Q-Gen was chosen to carry out the installation as it is an approved Danfoss installer with experience in both the domestic and commercial sector.

The company is now completing its sixth care home installation for Ideal Care Homes at Haydock in Merseyside. This follows installations at care homes in Newark, Castleford, Leicester, Newcastle-under-Lyme and Wigan.

Q-Gen director Liz MacFarlane said: “We worked closely with Danfoss on this project and their technical expertise has been second to none.

“We have been a Danfoss-approved installer for three years and are well aware of the quality of their products, which gives us the reassurance that Ideal Care Homes will enjoy many years of reliable, efficient service from their heat pumps.”

Chris Dale, director of Danfoss Ltd, said: “By investing in ground source heat pumps, Ideal Care Homes has chosen a highly energy-efficient method of providing heating and back-up hot water to its new residential care homes.

“This will help to minimise the carbon footprint of each building, as well as protecting the company against the rising cost of conventional fuels.”

Ideal Care Homes has 34 care homes across the North and Midlands.