Aston University Advances Net-Zero Strategy with New Energy Center

GFCC member Aston University has taken a major step towards achieving its ambitious goal of becoming a net-zero institution. The university, located in Birmingham, the second-largest city in the United Kingdom, is building a new Carbon Neutral Energy Center that will be powered by a combination of two technologies: ground-source and air-source heat pumps. The new center will completely replace the current natural gas system, providing heating for 12 buildings across the campus.

This move stems from Aston's commitment to its Climate Action & Carbon Management Plan. Launched in 2025, the document describes the university's vision for climate resilience and outlines critical steps to decarbonize operations and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. The overall strategy holds a comprehensive plan with targets across several areas, including waste management, water consumption, and reviewing purchasing criteria across the supply chain to favor lower-carbon alternatives.

“Aston hosts multiple courses with a focus on sustainability, including a Master’s in Sustainable Engineering. With the new energy center we are trying to practice what we preach to our students,” explains Dr. Vitor Furlong, Environmental Sustainability Manager at Aston. “There is a lot of work involved and a lot of disruption on campus, but we need to do this in order to be energy secure.”

Aston was awarded £35.4 million from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, funded by UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, and delivered by Salix Finance, to finance the project along with Aston's own funds, which will also include thermal performance improvements through infrastructure upgrades to building's roofs and facades.

Aston University is leading a major net-zero strategy which includes a new Carbon Neutral Energy Center to power 12 building across the campus. Credit: Aston University.

Implementation Challenges

A hybrid alternative using ground-source and air-source heat pumps was laid out after reviewing a number of low-carbon technologies, including hydrogen and others.

“When we talk about decarbonization, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. For instance, if we were to use solar panels to power the university, we would need an area larger than Birmingham city center itself. This is the solution that fits us,” says Andrew Crowter, Director of Estates & Capital Development at Aston.

Ground-source heat pumps extract heat stored in the local aquifer by extracting fluid through underground boreholes and returning it once used. A major aquifer underneath Birmingham was a motivating factor to choose this alternative.

However, the implementation phase is far from straightforward. It is financially costly and involves drilling boreholes across the campus to identify the best locations for establishing wells that can reach depths of up to 250 meters.

Site investigations and borehole testing are being used to confirm the optimum locations and manage subsurface risk. Although geologists have mapped the most promising areas, it is impossible to fully predict what lies beneath the multiple earth layers until excavation begins. As Dr. Furlong points out, the program must therefore remain flexible enough to deal with unknown risks.

Drilling activities have already started at Aston University. Credit: Aston University.

After running multiple calculations, researchers also discovered that even in the best-case scenario ground-source heat pumps wouldn't be able to power the entire campus. Air-source heat pumps complement this strategy by drawing heat directly from outdoor air. Both technologies transfer rather than generate heat, making them far more energy-efficient than gas-based systems.

Involving the University Community

The new Energy Center is still in its early implementation phase, with drilling already underway across the campus. The idea is to actively involve faculty members and students throughout the process. “We want it to be a living lab,” says Adam Reilly, Head of Maintenance, Engineering & Infrastructure at Aston.

Managed site visits and learning opportunities are being explored and researchers will collect data to share with faculty members. The goal is to collaborate with the academic community to identify ways to improve operations once the system is fully implemented in 2028.

"We know that Aston represents only a tiny fraction of the UK’s overall natural gas consumption, but these are the parts we can take care of. If we all moved into this direction, we would not be facing some of the challenges we are seeing worldwide today," concludes Dr. Furlong.