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NHS Borders, NHS Lanarkshire and NHS Tayside are all set for considerable energy and carbon savings as their energy conservation schemes reach completion and go live.

Now complete, the three projects are set to reduce NHS Scotland’s carbon footprint by over 12,000 tonnes over the course of their lifecycles.  Additionally, NHS Forth Valley has just completed its first 12 months, adding another 2,470 tonnes of carbon reduction to Scotland’s decarbonisation targets.

The three projects were delivered by Vital Energi through the Non-Domestic Energy Efficiency Framework and include an energy performance contract which guarantees energy and carbon savings, which are verified over a 12-month period.

NHS Borders

Our team surveyed the existing energy infrastructure at Borders General Hospital and designed a range of measures which are projected to save £279,302 whilst generating 344 tonnes of carbon reduction per year.  This was achieved through a mixture of upgrades to the lighting, HVAC, valves and building management systems as well as insulating pipework across the hospital and a few smaller satellite sites. We also delivered a 680 kWp solar array, generating clean energy and making the health board more self-sufficient.

NHS Lanarkshire

The health board is set to save 191 tonnes of carbon whilst achieving £172,135 of financial savings through a comprehensive mix of energy conservation measures across 2 sites which included  rooftop solar PV, heating pump upgrades and building fabric improvements such as insulation, draught proofing and door glazing upgrades.

Two separate heat recovery systems have been added to the West of Scotland Laundry site, these bespoke systems have been designed to recover waste heat from both the internal space and mixed effluent of the washing machines.  This achieves 715,174kWh of gas savings and 122TCO2 carbon savings annually from these measures alone.

NHS Tayside

NHS Tayside undertook a range of measures which will reduce their carbon emissions across 3 of their sites (and councils) by 186 tonnes per year whilst saving £27,389 per annum.  To achieve this a range of energy conservation measures were installed, including 269 rooftop solar panels installed across 2 of the sites, a total of five  air source heat pumps to provide heating and hot water to each of the sites and improved building fabric performance through measures including insulation, door and glazing upgrades and LED lighting upgrades across 2 sites.

NHS Forth Valley Completes First 12 months

In addition to three new projects entering the monitoring and verification phase, the NHS Forth Valley energy conservation project just completed its first 12 months of being live and achieved each of its key performance indicators, saving 116 tonnes of carbon per year, almost £60,000 in energy savings and reduced energy usage by over 600,000 kilowatt hours per year.

After securing additional funding, works were expanded to also include Battery Energy Storage Systems across three sites and an air source heat pump to further help decarbonise the Health Board’s estate.

Mr Walsh concludes, “These projects exemplify a fundamental step transition to Scotland meeting its net zero targets, so it is imperative that they deliver as promised and the NHS realises the full carbon savings.  We’re delighted to show our commitment to the decarbonisation of the NHS by helping to deliver four more projects which will make a real difference to the Health Boards and local communities.

The newly upgraded pipeline for the Duffryn Heat Network officially went live on Monday 13 May 2024 with Owain Roberts (Director of Property and Place, Newport City Homes) and Dave Hutchinson, Vital Energi’s Operations Director for Heat Networks, ceremonially opening the main valve.

The Duffryn Heat Network Replacement Project is one of the largest heat network upgrades in the UK and saw Vital Energi replace 7.5km of district heating pipework. The project received £3.7m towards the cost of replacing the pipework from the Heat Network Efficiency Scheme (HNES).

With the original installation coming to the end of its life, the new network will deliver sustainable heating and hot water to over 1000 customers for decades to come.

Sonia continued, “Duffryn Energy Centre is a central part of the Duffryn community. The new pipework secures the future of the Energy Centre and will continue to deliver sustainable heating and hot water to our customers for decades to come.”

The Duffryn estate was constructed in the 1970’s, with the Energy Centre installed at the same time. In 2015, construction began on the innovative 2.5MW biomass boiler which uses locally sourced wood chip to deliver low-carbon heat to residents.

Ashley Walsh, Vital Energi’s Managing Director of Heat Networks explained, “This network has a core part in people’s day to day lives so we’re extremely happy to have been involved in upgrading it, making it more efficient, reliable and bringing it into the 21st century.

“New products and techniques are now far superior to the technology around when the network was first established, so not only will this heat network last longer, it will also lose less heat and deliver better value for money for its customers.”

Extending the Leeds PIPES project to our furry friends at Lotherton Wildlife World

Vital Energi in partnership with Lotherton Wildlife World, and Leeds City Council, are sponsoring the newest animal enclosure at Lotherton, on behalf of the Leeds PIPES project. The latest enclosure will ensure its new primates have a warm place they can call home offering comfort without compromise.

Lotherton Wildlife World is a key community space in Leeds, and a fun, educational facility for young people. As part of our ongoing mission to inform and engage, we’re continuing to raise awareness about the Leeds PIPES project through this latest initiative.

The enclosure was officially opened on Tuesday 30^th September by Councillor Mohammed Rafique, Leeds City Council’s executive member for climate, energy, environment and green space, and Regional Director at Vital Energi, Andrew Wightman. Young people from local organisation ‘CATCH’ also attended to assist with a ribbon cutting ceremony, followed by a ‘Meet the Wallabies’ session.

The CATCH (Community Action To Create Hope) organisation is a Leeds-based charity dedicated to helping young people unlock their potential through positive mentorship, community support, and engaging activities.

The new enclosure is one of several initiatives completed as part of the project. Throughout the scheme, the team has actively engaged with the local community and beyond, via a range of drop-in events, educational sessions, and involvement opportunities within the project.

• 30 stakeholder engagement events held
• 14 school & college Climate Education workshops hosted
• 15 net-zero apprentices on the project
• 430 green jobs created
• 560 young people reached via our initiatives (so far)

The Leeds PIPES network provides homes, businesses, and public buildings with affordable, reliable, low carbon, heat and hot water, saving up to 6,450 tonnes of carbon each year. With the network rapidly expanding, now connecting to historic buildings such as Leeds Civic Hall, it was only right to extend our support to the neighbouring species at Lotherton, because a greener future should belong to every species.

The new space is now officially open and available to visit at Lotherton Wildlife World.

Find out more about the Leeds PIPES project here Leeds PIPES Case Study

On 17th September, Vital Energi hosted its Future of Energy event at Kings Cross, London, bringing together over 100 leaders and stakeholders from housing associations, universities, consultants, developers, investors, and policy makers. The day explored one central question: what is the future of energy?

The event was chaired by Strategy & Partnerships Director, Elliott Sharpe, who shares a roundup of the event, along with his reflections and highlights.

We wanted to bring the industry together to share insights, challenge assumptions, and inspire collective action. Decarbonisation is not just a technical challenge, it is a social one too. Our role (collectively) is to deliver solutions that benefit people, communities, and future generations.

Our panel of “Tomorrow’s Trailblazers” – opened the event with our very own group of apprentices and graduates who shared their expectations of today’s decision-makers and their call for a clear and urgent pathway to net zero. Their insight and resilience highlighted that the future of the industry is in capable hands.

A heavyweight discussion followed, featuring representatives from AECOM, Triple Point, DESNZ, the National Wealth Fund, and Vital Energi, examining how investment, policy, and technical modelling can align to unlock value in energy networks. A key takeaway was lets not make social value a box ticking exercise and lets create meaningful impact! We also have our fingers crossed that the Warm Homes Plan will announce support in the cost of heat challenge hat networks are currently facing.

In the afternoon, attendees heard stories from Leeds PIPES customers, with speakers from the public and private sectors emphasising the importance of trust, alignment, and a framework for engagement in delivering lasting decarbonisation. Regulatory challenges were also debated in depth, with a focus on how housing associations and the wider sector must prepare for a rapidly evolving policy landscape.

We then showcased real-world case studies, from Islington Council and the City of London demonstrating that decarbonisation does not have to come at a premium. By combining bold strategies with practical action, we illustrated how meaningful reductions in carbon, consumption and cost are already being achieved and can help fund future decarbonisation works and pay for themselves.

We wrapped up by sharing why we do what we do, not just what we do, or how we do it – it’s not just the technology, but the purpose behind it. A social value video (below) reminded us that the energy transition is about more than networks, batteries, or heat pumps: it’s about making a tangible difference to communities and future generations.

We started the day by asking the audience what their vision was for the future of energy. But little did they know, the answer was sat right in front of them all the time, hidden inside their goodie bag. Our amazing children at the Youth Zone in Blackburn created the artwork that became the keyrings in our delegates’ gift bags. Each with a little message, a reminder right from the start that the future we’re building is not just technical – it’s about people and communities too.

Throughout the event, one clear theme emerged: technology is vital, but purpose is essential.

The day closed with networking and a strong sense of shared optimism, proving that the Future of Energy is not just a vision, it is already taking shape through collaboration, innovation, and purpose.

What stood out to me on the day was the strong sense of unity in the room. It felt as though everyone had come together with a shared determination to tackle the energy challenge we face – one that goes beyond climate to include affordability and the wellbeing of our communities.

There was also a powerful reminder that this transition is about people as much as technology. From the importance of supporting communities today to empowering the younger generation who will shape tomorrow, the event had a real human spirit running through it. That spirit of collaboration and purpose is what I’ll carry forward from the Future of Energy.

Cost & Energy Efficiency

Think of your heating system like a delivery service.

• A HIU with high standby ‘keep warm’ volume is like a van that idles all day, burning fuel while waiting for its next job.
• A HIU with lower standby volume, like the vTherm˚e, is more like an electric bike ready when needed, but not wasting energy when it’s not.

Keeping excess water warm and circulating it unnecessarily is like paying to heat rooms no one ever enters. Multiply that across multiple sites and years, and the costs, both financial and carbon, add up fast.

Inevitably, this leads to the excess costs being passed onto the end-user by way of higher bills.

Lower Annual Volumes

As confirmed by the BESA 2023 test regime, the vTherm˚e Heat Interface Unit  annual water volumes are lower than the nearest competitor unit, topping the table in using significantly less water, even at high temperatures.

The vTherm˚e HIU ‘keep warm’ standby volume results at 70˚ C: 15.6m³/a (closest competitor unit based on the VWART result is at 20.6m³/a)

Although a difference of 5m³/a may not seem a huge amount, when this is multiplied by the number of heat interface units on a project, over a year and product lifetime, the water volumes and costs soon increase to huge proportions.

Breaking down the numbers:

• One project’s heating system includes 1000 Heat Interface Units (HIUs).
• The vTherm˚e uses 5 cubic metres less standby water per HIU per year compared to the nearest competitor.
• Multiply that out: 1,000 HIUs x 5m3/pa = 5000m3 water annually.
• That’s 5 million litres of unnecessary water circulating through just one system, every single year.

The vTherm˚e is like filling a bath with just the right amount of water. The nearest competitor? Like overfilling it every time, wasting water, energy, and money.

Over the last six years we have been working with a range of public sector organisations to lower their carbon emissions as they strive towards net zero.  Over this time we have successfully delivered 12 projects ranging from local authorities and universities to NHS Health Boards and Trusts.

One of the most innovative aspects of the RE:FIT framework is that projects are underpinned by an energy performance contract which guarantees carbon reduction and financial savings through energy reduction.  We are delighted to announce that this work now accounts for over 11,500 tonnes of guaranteed carbon savings each and every year.

Chris continues, “This, however, is only one of over 50 frameworks which we sit on, and we were able to announce several years ago that we were guaranteeing over 1 million tonnes of carbon reduction to the NHS.  Passing both these landmarks demonstrates how effective the correct framework can be and we look forwards to working alongside more of the UK’s councils, universities, hospitals and other public sector organisations as they work towards their net zero goals.”

In addition to the environmental benefits, our RE:FIT projects are also delivering £9.8m in guaranteed energy savings per year, which is money which can now be reinvested where it will do the most good.

Projects have seen us install building fabric improvements, lighting upgrades, HVAC improvements, Building Management Systems, heat pumps, rooftop solar PV and major solar farms in buildings ranging from leisure centres, hospitals, and universities to schools and libraries.  We often work with our clients to adopt a phased approach, allowing them to make progress on their net zero journeys as funding becomes available.

If you’d like to learn more about RE:FIT projects and how they’re delivered we have case studies available here:

• Swansea Bay University Health Board Energy Conservation Measures
• Swansea Bay University Health Board Solar Farm
• Westminster City Council
• The University of East Anglia
• Aberystwyth University

Please join us in welcoming the new recruits to our Early Careers programme. Over the next few weeks, we will be celebrating an amazing achievement by introducing 59 entrants to the Vital family for our 2025/26 Early Careers intake.

This year, we have re-designed the apprenticeship programme that was originally launched in 2022 and have worked with our Future Leaders to re-model our graduate programme.  We’re enjoying a record-breaking intake, with 30 apprentices and 29 graduates joining us to contribute to our overall mission of protecting our planet for future generations!

The new recruits will be based across Vital Energi’s regional offices, including Blackburn, London and Scotland, whilst working on projects throughout the UK. Our Early Career opportunities span from Technical, Low Carbon, Degree, and Business Services disciplines, with additional opportunities in newly launched specialisms.

With a projected 126 apprentices and graduates joining the Vital family, this will make up more than 15% of our workforce! It’s fantastic to see so many people wanting to make a practical contribution to combatting climate change.

Ella Stokes, People and HR Director for Vital Energi explains, “We’re passionate about our Early Careers Programme as we believe fresh talent and diverse perspectives are the key to building a strong, future-ready workforce. Our apprentices and graduates bring energy, creativity, and adaptability; qualities that help us stay sharp and respond to a fast-changing world.

By offering clear development pathways, we give people the chance to grow professionally whilst building skills that will allow them to make a positive difference in meeting our overall business/ industry goals, including combatting climate change.”

If you’d like to learn more about our award-winning Early Careers Programme, click here:

• Apprenticeships: https://www.vitalenergi.co.uk/careers/apprenticeship-programmes/
• Graduates: https://www.vitalenergi.co.uk/careers/graduate-schemes/

Vital Energi is becoming a member of Energy UK alongside five other heat network companies, as it increases its focus on heating more of our homes and buildings with clean, sustainable energy sources.

Heat from buildings is the UK’s second highest source of emissions, accounting for around one fifth of the total, so converting to alternative, cleaner forms of heating is crucial to meeting the UK’s climate change targets.

With the Government’s Warm Homes Plan and Future Home Standard expected over the coming months, it is also an important time which will shape the role heat networks can play in heating and cooling buildings more efficiently.

A heat network is a broad term that applies to any system that distributes heat, and sometimes cooling, from centralised sources to more than one connected customer. A residential scheme may just serve the residents in a single building, whereas a district heating scheme could service a variety of different customers such as homes, public buildings, shops, offices, hospitals and universities.

Whether supplying a few neighbourhood buildings or entire cities, heat networks can remove the need for individual boilers or heaters in each home, which can be particularly useful in densely populated areas such as blocks of flats. They can also make use of existing heat sources that would otherwise be wasted such as industry, energy-from-waste plants or naturally occurring sources like geothermal.

The companies joining Energy UK include 1Energy, Bring Energy, Gren, Hemiko, Switch2 and Vital Energi. These companies will join Energy UK’s existing membership of 140 companies, around a quarter of which provide products and services in the clean heat space.

Under the Energy Act 2023, heat networks zoning aims to accelerate their growth from the current 3% share to 20% eventually, which will see them fulfil the prominent role they have in some other European countries. The sector has ambitions to invest tens of billions in the UK by 2050, supplying 95TWh of power and saving 15 Mtonnes of carbon dioxide. This will lead to the creation of hundreds of thousands of direct and indirect jobs across the UK, primarily in construction and heat network operation.

Dhara Vyas, Energy UK’s chief executive said:

“Heat is a vital part of the clean energy jigsaw and moving to cleaner alternatives will benefit households and businesses through more efficient energy use, and less volatile energy prices by not being reliant on gas. Heat networks have enormous potential to play a big role in this drive, particularly in urban and industrial areas, and help meet the overall goals of clean, sustainable sources, reduced air pollution and more stable bills, while also boosting the economy with investment, jobs and regeneration.

“So it’s a great time to welcome these new members. We look forward to promoting their work and the contribution they can make to the energy transition as well as supporting them with our policy expertise and close relationships with government, regulators and other stakeholders.”

The project represents the largest Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme Grant made to a London Local Authority.

Westminster City Council is set to make a significant contribution to the decarbonisation of London after awarding us a contract to revolutionise the way they generate and use energy. In February 2021, Westminster City Council was awarded a £13million grant via the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme.

The first phase of the partnership, which is being delivered through the Retrofit Accelerator Framework, will see energy conservation measures installed in up to 70 buildings including schools, leisure centres, libraries and commercial premises, and the improvements will save around 1,700 tonnes of carbon emissions per year.

In 2019, the City Council declared a climate emergency. The contract with us is one of a number of practical steps being taken to meet its ambitious targets to become a net zero council by 2030 and a net zero city by 2040.

The work has involved a comprehensive energy audit on the council’s property portfolio and has identified a range of energy conservation and energy generating measures which will, not only reduce emissions, but also deliver a future reduced carbon footprint for the Council.

The works will deliver energy efficient upgrades to the lighting, heating, ventilation and BMS systems within Westminster City Council buildings as well as harnessing the latest renewable technologies such as solar PV and air source heat pumps.

Iconic London buildings in the heart of the capital to be heated by new low carbon heat network, expected to create 500 jobs and save 75,000 tonnes of CO2 every year.

Just days after the UK Government revealed an Autumn Budget that included significant infrastructure investment plans, a new £1bn low-carbon infrastructure project has been launched in Westminster, signifying a major step towards driving investment and creating well-paid, secure jobs.

Unveiled today, this large new heat network in Westminster will become one of the UK’s first ‘heat network zones’ – places where heat networks are the cheapest and best way to decarbonise compared to each building having its own air source heat pump. On average, heat networks are 40% cheaper for customers than building level heat pumps.

The heat network will supply low carbon heating, sourced from within the local area. The heat will need to come from innovative sources such as the London Underground, the Thames, and the sewer network. It might even be brought down the river on barges.

One of the core benefits of heat networks, is the ability to harness waste heat from within the local area and make use of it. This makes them low carbon, efficient and resilient, not relying on imported fuel.

Heat will then be distributed via a network of underground, insulated pipes filled with hot water. The zone will stretch from around Victoria Station, up to Temple Underground Station near the Strand, bounded by St James’ Park.

Over time, this significant new investment is expected to save 75,000 tonnes of CO2 every year, (equivalent to removing 40,000 cars from the road), create 500 jobs, improve local air quality by reducing nitrogen oxides emissions by 99%, and create 100 opportunities for UK businesses.

The South Westminster Area Network (SWAN) was brought to life by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, and Westminster City Council. To deliver the network, they have brought in the SWAN Partnership, a joint venture between Hemiko and Vital Energi, two of the leading heat networks developers in the UK, who were appointed last month. London Heritage Quarter and AECOM have also been key partners, supporting the network’s growth.

The SWAN Partnership will be funding, building and operating the heat network. They plan to invest £100m within 3 years, £500m within 10 years, and £1bn by 2050 into what will become one of the UK’s biggest heat networks.

SWAN reflects a currently unparalleled scale of ambition for growth and investment into heat networks, but it is something that the government wants to replicate in zones across the country.

By 2050, every major town and city is expected to need district heat networks, requiring over £100bn of private investment and 290k new jobs in total.

It is not yet known who will join up to this heat network, but Project SWAN could serve landmark buildings like the Houses of Parliament and the National Gallery, alongside buildings owned by Westminster City Council and the Government.

Businesses are being encouraged to register their interest in joining the network, by emailing [email protected]. First movers are needed to unlock this least cost decarbonisation pathway and the jobs that come with it, for the benefit of everyone in Westminster. The more who join up, the cheaper it is for everyone.

From start to finish, it took just 4 months from launching the competitive process to signing the contract for SWAN and beginning the development work, five times faster than most procurement exercises run to date.

This new procurement approach for heat networks is expected to speed up the delivery of heat networks, to decarbonise the UK faster, and create a more investable heat networks market. This model, and variations of it, is expected to be replicated by at least 7 projects across the country within the next year alone, with more thereafter.

Construction of SWAN is due to start in 2026.