'It's incredible to be back': Leeds community centre transformed after 18 months empty
A charity will now run its activities and popular playgroup from the centre
A community centre in Leeds has been transformed into an energy-efficient space after 18 months standing empty.
Ebor Gardens Community Centre in Burmantofts has undergone a major renovation, with its energy performance rating improving from an F to a B.
The council-owned building has been refurbished to provide a permanent home for charity Project Hope Leeds, which runs community activities and a popular playgroup.
Leeds City Council appointed mechanical, electrical and public health services provider G&H to carry out the upgrades after the centre fell into disrepair and underuse.
The work included replacing the building's gas heating system with an electric air-conditioning system capable of providing heating in winter and cooling in summer.
The team also insulated the roof space above the main hall to reduce heat loss and made the building more weather-tight.
Solar panels and an on-site battery have also been installed to help offset the cost of switching to electric heating.
The system is expected to generate around 30,000 kWh of renewable electricity each year, cutting the centre's annual electricity costs by more than a third.
Any surplus electricity will be sold back to the national grid, generating additional income for Project Hope Leeds.
The improvements are predicted to reduce the building's original carbon emissions by almost 80 per cent, avoiding more than 200 tonnes of CO2 over the next decade.
The centre has also been designed with separate internal zones, allowing different areas to be operated independently.
This will enable community groups to use the building for activities including after-school clubs, evening classes, private parties and local theatre performances.
Ian Kenning, locality manager at Leeds City Council, said the centre was a "much-loved community space in Burmantofts".
He said the community asset transfer from the council to Project Hope Leeds would "breathe new life into the centre", helping it become a hub for the local community once again.
Ian added: "Improving the EPC rating was essential for us to progress the lease with Project Hope Leeds."
Mike McGill, building performance director at G&H, said the project demonstrated what could be achieved by upgrading older buildings.
He said: "Retrofitting an old community building which lifts its EPC rating from an F to a B rating in just 12 weeks shows what is possible with aging estates when design, installation and management are entrusted to one expert team."
Gosia Denham, project manager at Project Hope Leeds, said the charity had previously used the centre around 10 years ago when it was fully functioning.
After it closed, the charity struggled to find a suitable permanent home and relied on local schools and other community venues.
She said Leeds City Council asked her to submit a proposal to help secure funding to decarbonise the building and achieve the minimum energy performance rating required for a community asset transfer.
Gosia said: "G&H's team has done a great job and went above and beyond.
"It's incredible to be back and for all our activity groups to run in a comfortable and cost-effective environment.
"The ability to hire the space out to other organisations and individuals will enable us to generate further income that can be invested back into supporting those most disadvantaged in our community."