The Cambridge City Centre Heat Network project focuses on delivering a resilient, affordable, and future-ready heat network for some of the UK's most iconic and constrained buildings.
A heat network supplies heating and potentially cooling to many buildings. It supplies hot water from an energy centre to individual buildings through underground pipes.
We initiated the project as part of our net zero ambition, and have worked with leading local academic institutions to develop it. It is an ambitious project that responds to the city’s unique academic, civic, and heritage context. It will provide a coordinated low-carbon alternative to separate, building-by-building solutions.
Since 2023 we have completed a feasibility study and detailed project development stages to test the viability of a potential network. An outline business case was approved at the Cabinet meeting in March 2026, and the proposal is beginning to take shape.
We have now made a competitive funding bid to the government’s Green Heat Network Fund. If successful, a full procurement process for development partners will begin later in the year, with public engagement to follow.
With thanks for their work on the current design to:
- Sustainability Co – project management
- Buro Happold – design
- Amberside Advisors – financial advisors
- Allies and Morrison – architects
- Sharpe Pritchard – legal advice
Proposed heat network
The proposed shared solution responds to Cambridge’s spatial and heritage constraints. When complete, the network will provide about 73GWh of annual heat demand from:
- heat pumps drawing energy from the River Cam
- air-source heat pumps located at multiple sites
- gas-fired boilers to provide peak and resilience cover in the early phases, with a clear pathway to full electrification over time
The network will enable institutions to transition away from using gas while respecting the fabric and character of the city.
It will serve up to 48 city centre connections as part of an initial minimum viable product, with the potential for future expansion.
It is forecast to deliver a 93% reduction in carbon emissions for the connected buildings over 40 years.
UK cities with heat networks
The UK Government supports the development of heat networks, enabling large-scale decarbonisation of buildings.
Bristol, Coventry and Leeds have already built heat networks. These use a wide range of renewable technologies including air and river-source heat pumps.
Connect your building to the heat network
The heat network is still at the design stage, but you can contact us to express your interest in connecting your building.
Potentially eligible buildings should:
- be within the grey line area
- have an annual heat demand of 100 MWh per year
- have a ‘wet’ heating system or be planning to have one installed
For further technical information, read our future-proofing guidance note [PDF, 0.8MB].
Heat network zoning
In parallel to the heat network feasibility study, we led a heat network zoning study.
Heat network zoning is a new UK policy framework. It helps to identify where heat networks could provide the most cost-effective and efficient solution for decarbonising heat. Eligible buildings within zones would be required to connect to any existing local heat network.
This approach aims to give developers certainty and to speed up the deployment of heat networks, contributing to the country’s net zero targets.
The heat network zoning study has identified nine potential heat network zones in Cambridge. It will inform opportunities to expand the city centre heat network concept.
