Over £2 million set to unlock pathway to net zero at top UK university

Government grant scheme supports multi-building project at the University of Edinburgh 

A large-scale heat decarbonisation programme at the world-renowned University of Edinburgh has been given a boost thanks to more than £2 million in government grant funding.

The project, which focuses on reducing heat demand in four key buildings across the university’s estate, has been awarded a grant totalling £2,079,459 under Scotland’s Public Sector Heat Decarbonisation Fund. 

The project takes a particularly innovative approach to the use of currently redundant heat generated by computer equipment in a data centre on their King’s Campus, and upgrades and repurposes it for use across their district heating network.

Robert MacGregor, energy engineering manager at the University of Edinburgh, said: “It’s a major step forward on our journey to decarbonising our heat.”

Launched in July 2023, Scotland’s Public Sector Heat Decarbonisation Fund made grant funding available for projects to decarbonise heating systems by replacing them with zero direct emissions systems. It also includes funding for retrofit energy efficiency measures to support the overall decarbonisation of heat in buildings. Funding is delivered by Salix on behalf of the Scottish Government.

The scheme will deliver funding to successful applicants for projects due to complete by the end of financial year 2024/25. We expect to publish a full list of successful applicants later this spring.

The University of Edinburgh have set the ambitious target to achieve net zero by 2040, five years ahead of the Scottish Government’s goal. 

Earlier this year, we were on site at the King’s Campus in Edinburgh to meet with stakeholders from the university and discuss the vision for the works and how the funding will support successful outcomes for the university community. 

Watch the video below to hear more about the projects from Robert MacGregor and Peter Hodgson from the University of Edinburgh, and read on as we delve further into the vision of the works.

The University of Edinburgh was founded in 1583 and occupies more than 500 administrative, academic and residential buildings across five campuses throughout the city of Edinburgh.

Funding delivered through Scotland’s Public Sector Heat Decarbonisation Fund will enable the university to undertake works at four buildings across their estate, namely the James Clerk Maxwell Building and Christina Miller Building at their Kings Campus, and halls of residences Grant and Turner House at Pollock Halls campus.

The King’s Buildings Campus is home to the College of Science and Engineering, comprising of over 30 teaching and research buildings. 

The works at the James Clerk Maxwell Building will focus on the installation of a heat recovery heat pump which will take previously under-utilised heat generated by computer equipment in the data centre and re-purpose it for use in the heat distribution network.

Works in the Christina Miller Building will focus on upgrading the ventilation systems used in key chemistry teaching laboratories. The upgrades will match ventilation to demand based on use of fume cupboards, which then reduces the heat to be generated to keep the space to temperature and also the electricity used by the fans.

Additional energy efficiency works will be undertaken at halls of residence Grant House and Turner House, focusing on fitting roof insulation which will support not only a reduction to heat demand, but will also make the halls a warmer, more comfortable living environment for the students who reside there. 

University of Edinburgh energy engineer Peter Hodgson said: “The projects are going to really help us reduce the overall carbon footprint of the campus and are going to improve the operational carbon impact of the district heating network.”

The schedule for the works, particularly in the functioning teaching laboratories, is particularly rigid, with all undergraduate teaching requiring fume cupboards relying on the spaces to be operational for the students who need it. The university attributes good communication and cross-department coordination as fundamental to ensuring success. 

For more information on the university’s climate strategy, please visit their website. For more information on funding opportunities in Scotland, please visit our website.