Manchester Metropolitan University is one of four universities situated in Greater Manchester. With over 34,000 students, the University has made a commitment to create a sustainable campus. The University are continuing to create sustainable campus energy levels, and integrates environmental sustainability into all areas of their Estate and Operations. Birley Fields Energy Centre is able to provide energy for heat and electricity across a variety of campus buildings and halls of residence. The projects focus is the decarbonisation of it’s heat network.
We aim to provide a successful transition to low carbon technologies as Manchester Metropolitan University are committed to becoming a net zero university by 2038. Our works started August 2023 and are anticipated to finish Winter 2024, after installing six, 170kW ground source heat pumps and one 170kW water source heat pump, creating a new abstraction bore hole. Our commitment to Manchester Metropolitan University goes beyond our decarbonisation work, by investing in apprentices and providing them with experience in the industry.
The decarbonisation scheme saw the existing energy centre modified so current gas-fired systems
are electrified. This involved the replacement of gas boilers and a CHP unit with ground and water source heat pumps providing a 27% reduction in gas use. Additionally, the replacement of existing plastic district heating pipework with steel pipes. These upgrades to the district heating network will also improve heat losses within the network and enable lower temperatures to be used across the site, improving the overall efficiency of the district heating network.
