Landmark sites on Liverpool鈥檚 waterfront, including the Georges Dock and the Cunard buildings, are to be connected to the Mersey heat network, which is powered by water from the Leeds & Liverpool Canal.
The 拢40m programme will cut carbon emissions at 35 public buildings across the city region, including town halls, leisure centres and libraries 鈥� cutting emissions by more than 50%.
The Mersey heat network is already supplying the Liverpool Waters site, the Titanic Hotel and the Tobacco Warehouse apartments. The network is driven by the Mersey Heat Energy Centre, developed by the Peel Group and Ener-Vate, which uses one of the UK鈥檚 largest water source heat pumps to extract energy from canal water.聽
Connections are planned to the Cunard Building and George鈥檚 Dock Building, with additional funding awarded to National Museums Liverpool to connect the Museum of Liverpool.
Extending the network is the latest step in the Liverpool Combined Authority鈥檚 five-year carbon action plan, approved in 2023, aimed at making the city region net zero by 2035 鈥� a decade ahead of the national government target.
Work is already under way at Bootle Leisure Centre, Bootle Library, Wirral Country Park, Prescot Soccer Centre and Landican Cemetery to install low carbon heating systems and complementary measures, such as insulation upgrades, solar PV, and modern building controls, with eight buildings expected to be completed by March.
Cllr Anthony Burns, Liverpool City Region cabinet member for net zero, said: 鈥淐utting carbon is one of the most important ways we can improve people鈥檚 everyday lives, and this programme shows the scale of our ambition. By transforming our civic buildings, we鈥檙e reducing emissions, lowering energy bills and future proofing public services for decades to come.聽聽
鈥淲e know how big the task ahead is, but we also know the scale of the opportunity. With work already underway across the city region 鈥� from leisure centres and libraries to parks and historic landmarks 鈥� we鈥檙e proving that our commitment to reach net zero by 2035 is real, practical and already delivering results. Public buildings account for a sizeable amount of the total emissions, so it is right that we lead by example.鈥澛犅�
The combined authority has secured 拢36m from the public sector decarbonisation scheme (PSDS). Additional funding is coming from the local authorities.聽聽聽
The expanded network is projected to reduce emissions by around 4,000 tonnes of CO鈧� per year.聽
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