University of West London implements low-heating solution to become net zero by 2030
Students and staff at the University of West London (UWL) will benefit from an ambitious scheme to reduce its energy usage whilst allowing the university to become a net zero carbon institution by 2030 – helping address the global climate crisis.
The project was made possible as part of the government's Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme which is delivered by Salix Finance, where the University was awarded just over £5 million of funding as part of the scheme.
The funding has been used by the University on measures across three sites, with the work focusing on the replacement of gas boilers with ground source heat pumps, upgrading lighting fixtures and the installation of 580 solar photovoltaic thermal panels.
The renewable heating solution will mean UWL can reduce its energy usage by saving 529 tonnes of annual carbon emissions with the design of a low-emissions heating system.
The solar photovoltaic thermal panels on top of the University of West London.
Credit: University of West London
As a university, we are taking a leading role in our community and doing our bit to tackle the global climate crisis by building a better future. While there is still a long way to go, this major decarbonisation project will allow us to create our own renewable electricity and run our buildings more efficiently which is going to have a considerable impact here in west London, and further afield.
Benefits:
As well as reducing annual carbon emissions, the project is expected to improve the air quality around the university’s main sites in Ealing and Brentford, supporting the region’s transition to a low-carbon economy. Another benefit was that they managed to build a ‘hotel’ for insects to encourage wildlife back onto the campus, complimenting the different species of plants already growing on-site.
This project is the largest of its kind we have been involved in and this has brought with it some interesting and challenging design features for us to overcome.
Working with the team at Ameresco to bring the project alive has been a great opportunity for JKN Renewables to showcase what is possible if the system is designed correctly from the beginning and quality products and advanced technologies such as the Nibe ground source heat pumps and solar PVT are utilised.
We are looking forward to working with both NIBE and Ameresco on future projects of this kind.
