Bradford’s cultural connection: a model for low-carbon district heating

The first phase of Bradford’s new heat network will be able to deliver up to 60GWh of low carbon heat when it comes online in 2026. Andy Pearson speaks to engineer FairHeat and 1Energy, the company behind the project, which plans to invest in 10 similar schemes in British cities

Setting the scene: Manchester’s new arts venue Aviva Studios

Manchester’s new arts venue, Aviva Studios, features two huge events spaces that can host anything from poetry readings to mega-raves. BDP had the challenge of devising a flexible lighting and services strategy that could adapt to any artistic situation, as the consultant’s Steve Merridew and Nick Meddows explain

Network provider: Gareth Jones on the heat network revolution

The Energy Act 2023 paves the way for the mass rollout of heat networks in the UK, and the mandatory connection of many buildings. Alex Smith speaks to FairHeat’s Gareth Jones about government plans to regulate new networks and raise the standard of the 14,000 already in place

Case study: Comberton Village College heat network

The installation of a new heat network at Comberton Village College is set to significantly reduce the heating bill and save 248 tonnes of CO2. Andy Pearson speaks to Bouygues Energies & Services about how two 500kW ground source heat pumps replaced oil-fired boilers scattered across 16 plantrooms

Sponsored roundtable: optimising heat interface units

Better education and skills are key factors in enhancing heating interface unit performance. Sponsored by Ideal Heating – Commercial Products, panellists on a CIBSE Journal roundtable address challenges in their design, installation, and operation

Current thinking: connecting a large all-electric housing estate in West London

To connect the all-electric Convent Way Passivhaus scheme to the constrained local grid in West London, the project team has reduced the load estimate by 53% compared with the conventional Rule of Thumb calculation method. Andy Pearson speaks to QODA Consulting’s Henry Metcalfe about how this was achieved

Digging for Britain: Swaffham Prior’s heat network

Escalating energy prices and the urgent need to decarbonise means communities are looking to move away from fossil fuel as a heating source. A pioneering heat network in the Cambridgeshire village of Swaffham Prior is aiming to use a hybrid heat pump system, coupled with a solar farm, to provide ultra-low carbon, affordable heating for every resident, business and school.
Andy Pearson reports