Plymouth's Civic Square is set to get even greener thanks to the expansion of the district energy network.
It follows on from the currently-under-construction first phase of the Civic District Energy Scheme which shares low carbon resources to heat as well as partially power buildings around the Civic Square.
This currently serves the Guildhall and the Council House by using air source heat pumps that will ultimately replace the use of gas, as well as solar panels to contribute to the renewable electricity demand of the pumps.
Now, the network is being expanded even further, to serve the Plymouth Combined Courts and the nearby Theatre Royal, while also incorporating the regeneration of the Civic Centre, so that future occupants, both residential and commercial, can benefit from low carbon living.
Councillor Tom Briars-Delve, Cabinet Member for the Environment and Climate Change, said: "The Civic District Energy Scheme is so important to making sure that Plymouth's most prominent buildings are as eco-friendly as they possibly can be.
"By heating not only Council-run buildings, but also nearby developments, we can set an example for the successful use of viable alternatives to fossil-fuels and encourage partners and even some residents to make the changes needed for a more sustainable future."
Heat Networks are part of the strategy to reduce the carbon emissions of buildings, as they can share larger sources of renewable or waste heat across areas, but can also improve energy security and air quality.
The use of air source heat pumps, which transfer heat from the outside air to provide internal heating, is far more environmentally friendly than gas with significantly reduced carbon emissions.
The expansion of the current system to the Civic Centre development will be made via grant funding to its developer. A total of £600,000, made up from Section 106 funding and government D2 Grids funding, will be transferred to the developer on completion of the work.
There is also future scope to expand the network further with capability for connections that could enable other nearby developments in the city centre and Millbay.