The University of East London intends to power its campus thanks to old Father Thames!
By extending its strategic partnership with Siemens, the uni is set to install a water source heat pump (WSHP) in the Thames. This cutting-edge system, submerged in the Royal Albert Docks, will replace conventional gas boilers serving the Docklands Campus Library and Royal Docks Centre for Sustainability.
By drawing heat directly from river water using a closed-loop design, it will reduce annual carbon emissions by 258 tonnes and help move UEL closer to its goal of becoming net zero by 2030.
Projected to be the largest WSHP installed at any university nationwide, the initiative further advances UEL’s broader aim of attaining the lowest carbon emissions per student in the UK by 2026.
The system’s scalable design will enable expansion to additional campus buildings and potentially into the surrounding Royal Docks area—the only Enterprise Zone in London—ensuring continued progress as the university’s infrastructure evolves.
Supported by the Mayor of London, the project aligns with the city’s Green New Deal and aspiration to achieve net zero by 2030.
UEL and Siemens have already implemented multiple decarbonisation measures across the university’s estate, including solar photovoltaic panels, Building Management Systems and electric vehicle charging stations.
