Making positive changes at Grampian Transport Museum

Grampian Transport Museum supported International Museums Day last month.

The plan was based on maintaining a secure future for the museum and its exhibitions by ensuring that the environs of the museum were of the highest standard to maintain appropriate storage conditions for the collection whilst reducing the museum’s environmental impact and running costs.

Five years later, following the world-wide Covid-19 pandemic and in the middle of the Ukrainian war induced Cost of Living Crisis, the final pieces of the current infrastructure jigsaw were put into place just last week with the installation of three sets of insulated sectional roller doors.

The current museum management and trustees are very thankful for the vision of that 2018 team and the unwavering support of Museums and Galleries Scotland (MGS).

New shop stocks a wonderful range of gifts and can now be accessed without need to buy a museum ticket

It has proven extremely prophetic and came together just in time to celebrate ‘International Museums Day 2023’ on Thursday, May 18 for which The International Council of Museums (ICOM) has set the theme of ‘Sustainability and Well-being’.

The GTM project really started in 2014 when support funds were made available to cover the original museum roof with insulation almost a foot thick.

This made an instant difference helping to maintain a year-round stable internal temperature, cutting out damaging UV light and reducing the cost of running the then oil-fired heating system.

This was a good start but the 2018 plan went much further and since then, with the financial support of Museums and Galleries Scotland, GTM has made huge strides forward.

First, the museum lights were converted to LED for energy efficiency and better lit displays. Solar panels were installed on the roof of the arena grandstand along with a battery storage pack and replacement of the oil-fired museum heating with air source heat pumps. As cutting-edge technology at that time, great support was given by local company Norco to help the museum to once again lead the way towards greater sustainability.

In 2021, During internal refurbishment to encompass necessary changes following the COVID outbreak, new ‘no-touch’ toilets were installed with the latest water efficient systems.

At the same time the tearoom catering equipment was replaced with the most energy efficient available and more food is prepared inhouse to avoid transporting them in. The museum’s cleaning materials have also been audited and more environmentally friendly non-chemical alternatives used wherever possible.

At this stage great strides forward had been made but to understand what efficiencies had been achieved a study was undertaken by GES Environmental, Aberdeen, measuring the effect of the work completed in reducing emissions and assessing what more needed to be done.

New insulated roller doors and air source heat pump (left) contrast with Scottish built 1907 Albion water pump and fire tender

This identified the capacity for a further solar panel array capable of generating up to 9.6kW to be fitted above the recent reception extension and that the greatest source of energy loss remaining were the old roller shutter doors.

The additional solar panels were fitted in the closed winter period 2022/23, with the support of Museums and Galleries Scotland and the three replacement sets of highly insulated new doors just last week.

Current Museum Chairman Jason Dorey is very pleased that earlier decisions have had such a profound effect on the sustainability of the museum.

He said: “GTM is in a position where our carbon footprint has reduced from approximately 48tonnes CO2 p.a. in 2015 before any work was carried out to just 6 tonnes p.a. today, a reduction of close to 90%.

Solar panels were installed in the arena grandstand and foyer roof

"During our closed winter periods we can be electricity generation positive on a bright winter’s day.

"This is an amazing overall result and of course our running costs have been greatly reduced despite our relatively new reception area extension creating more exhibition space, a lovely new shop and additional disabled toilet facilities.

"The museum can’t thank MGS enough for all their help and support through this transformation, and of course the team of staff, volunteers and trustees who had the vision and have supported all the work.”

In answer to the inevitable question of ‘What next’, this has already begun, as Museum Manager Ross McKirdy explains: “The support from MGS is not only for our infrastructure, that is only part of the story.

"GTM has been working with MGS to help in the development of a new programme being rolled out across museums across Scotland. We recently ran a pilot day focussed on diversity and inclusion here in Alford and it proved to be extremely useful and enlightening. We all learned a lot and it is undoubtedly helping us towards making positive changes towards making GTM a more inclusive and welcoming organisation, that we hope will help museums across Scotland in the future. We have been delighted to be involved right at the start of this process too.”