University House Begins Major Low-Carbon Heating Upgrade

Built in 1992, University House is a large and well-used campus building, covering 12,144 m²-roughly the equivalent of 46.5 tennis courts. A major refurbishment project has now commenced to improve the reliability of the mechanical and electrical systems, improve the building’s energy performance and reduce carbon emissions.

As part of the University’s wider decarbonisation programme, and funded through Salix Finance’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS), the refurbishment will support reductions in University carbon emissions. The works include disconnecting University House from the existing gas-based district heating network*, representing a major step away from fossil fuel heating while enhancing the building’s overall energy efficiency.

As part of the refurbishment, the building’s glazing will be upgraded to triple glazing, significantly improving thermal performance and reducing heat loss. In addition, the internal heat distribution and controls system will be upgraded throughout the building, replacing older infrastructure with more efficient, modern systems. These upgrades will allow heat to be delivered more effectively, improve heat recovery and enable better control of temperatures across different spaces, improving comfort for building users while reducing energy consumption.

Commenting on the project, Gez Hunter, Associate Director of Energy and Infrastructure, said "By combining fabric improvements with upgraded heating distribution and control systems, the project will reduce maintenance, improve comfort conditions and deliver long-term reductions in energy use and carbon emissions, while future-proofing University House for the transition to low-carbon heat.”

Works are now commencing, and the project will contribute to the University’s ongoing efforts to modernise its estate, improve building performance, and support its sustainability and decarbonisation commitments.

* Over time, the University heat network will also be decarbonised, and designs are being developed for the first phase of this. The potential for the new air source heat pump at University House to feed back into a future decarbonised networks is being retained by keeping the underground pipes in place.