The official ground-breaking ceremony for Lancaster University’s new Net Zero Energy Centre took place last month.
It was a key milestone in the delivery of the new centre, which is designed to virtually eliminate the use of gas for heating on the university’s Lancaster campus.
The centre is projected to generate 39 gigawatt hours (GWh) of low carbon energy, enough to heat 95% of campus buildings using an array of air and water source heat pumps
To carry the heat across campus, 6.5km of additional district heating pipework is being installed. This extension will add 247 buildings to the district heat network, expanding its coverage from approximately 65% to 95% of the campus.
The centre will also include 1,500 cubic metres of thermal stores, which will help ensure consistent heat during peak times of the day.
The project is being delivered by renewable energy company Vital Energi, which is located in nearby Blackburn. Scott Lutton, regional director at Vital, said the new energy centre will save 2,700 tonnes of carbon annually and make a ‘significant contribution’ to Lancaster’s journey towards carbon neutrality.
