Three Milton Keynes public buildings are set to be connected to an innovative heat network thanks to £4.35m secured by Milton Keynes City Council through the Government's Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme.
The city council has now approved a contract for Fair Heat to carry out the building works needed to prepare the Civic building, Central Library and Woughton Leisure Centre for connection to a low-carbon heat network.
The move will reduce reliance on gas heating for the buildings by using heat that would otherwise go to waste. This would cut carbon emissions and help protect against future spikes in gas prices.
As well as supporting the city council's net zero ambitions, the work will help lay the foundations for a wider heat network that could eventually provide low-carbon heating to local homes and businesses.
"This is a really exciting step forward for Milton Keynes. The funding secured by the city council is helping us make better use of energy that would otherwise be wasted, reducing carbon emissions while creating a more sustainable future for the city.
"The Civic building, Central Library and Woughton Leisure Centre are set to become among a relatively small number of public buildings in the UK connected to a heat network. This investment will not only benefit these much-used community facilities, but also help lay the groundwork for a wider network that could bring long-term environmental and energy benefits to Milton Keynes."