The University of Bristol’s new Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus (TQEC) has officially connected to Vattenfall’s Bristol heat network, marking a major milestone in low carbon energy innovation.
The Academic Building will be among the first in the UK capable of exporting excess heat from its computer servers and cooling systems back into the citywide network. This will help heat nearby homes and businesses, supporting Bristol’s transition to net zero.
The system is now live, allowing testing and commissioning to begin ahead of the campus opening in September 2026. By using heat pump technology, the university can capture, reuse and recycle energy that would otherwise be wasted, significantly cutting carbon emissions.
Dom Barton, Director of Bristol Heat Networks at Vattenfall, said: “We’re delighted to be working with the University of Bristol to provide heating, hot water and cooling to the new Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus. This project shows how versatile and innovative heat networks are, recycling excess heat from a range of different sources like computer servers and using it in the University campus as well as in the citywide heat network.”
Stephen Runicles, interim Temple Quarter Project Director, added: “We are committed to reducing our carbon emissions and the city-wide Bristol heat network offered an opportunity for lower carbon heat energy that is commercially viable long term.”
The TQEC project demonstrates how collaboration and smart infrastructure can create a resilient, low carbon energy future for Bristol.
University of Bristol campus connects to Vattenfall’s low carbon heat network appeared first on Energy Live News.