Deborah Devonshire Award Win for Sustainable Revival of The Grammar

EP Consulting is proud to celebrate the award-winning transformation of The Grammar in Heanor, after the project secured the Deborah Devonshire Award, the highest honour at the 2025 Derbyshire Historic Buildings Trust (DHBT) Architecture Awards. The scheme also won Historic Building in an Urban Setting and earned a commendation for Reuse of a Historic Building.

As the lead mechanical and electrical design engineers, EP Consulting delivered a fully electric, EPC A-rated building that balances sustainable performance with the sensitive restoration of a Grade II listed landmark. Our designs integrated air source heating, enhanced insulation, fibre-ready infrastructure and discreet M&E systems that preserve key heritage features including the restored copper cupola, original parquet flooring and ornate plaster-moulded ceilings.

Commissioned by Amber Valley Borough Council and supported by the Future High Streets Fund, the project has transformed a once-vacant historic school into a modern civic and business hub. The recognition from DHBT highlights the impact of collaborative design, sustainable engineering and heritage craftsmanship in securing the long-term future of important community buildings.

EP Consulting is proud to have contributed to the revival of this much-loved local landmark, ensuring The Grammar continues to serve Heanor for generations to come.