University of East London (UEL) extends Siemens strategic partnership to design and deliver a water source heat pump situated in the River Thames
Project will fully decarbonize UEL’s Library and Royal Docks Centre for Sustainability buildings, saving 258 tons of CO? per year
UEL aims to generate the lowest carbon emissions per student nationally by 2026 and is on track to achieve its 2030 net zero targets
The University of East London (UEL) is extending its strategic partnership with Siemens Smart Infrastructure in a contract that will see the business design and install a Water Source Heat Pump (WSHP) to help power its net zero campus of the future. The new WSHP is set to be the largest fitted at any university in the UK and will power the university’s Docklands Campus Library and Royal Docks Centre for Sustainability buildings, replacing existing gas boilers.
Submerged in the River Thames, the closed-loop system will use a series of pipes to extract natural heat from the water in the Royal Albert Docks, providing a cost-effective heating system which will reduce annual CO? emissions by 258 tons without removing vast quantities of water from the river. The system is scalable to allow the university to extend in the future similar heat pump systems across the Campus and the wider Docks, which is the only Enterprise Zone in London. The project is part of a long-term partnership with Siemens, supporting the university’s transition to net zero by 2030.
UEL has reduced its CO? emissions and carbon-producing energy consumption more than any other modern London university already, and by 2026 will achieve the lowest emissions per student in the UK. As well as saving the university over £500,000 per year in utility costs and reducing emissions by over 1,000 tons annually, it has driven a unique range of successful green employability, enterprise and research initiatives, including student internships, MSc sponsorships, hackathons, and the creation of a ‘Living Lab’ for training and research on sustainability. This project also directly supports the Mayor of London’s vision for a greener, more sustainable capital, advancing his commitment to cleaner air, renewable energy, and achieving net zero by 2030.

Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “London is leading the way in the fight against climate change, and projects like this pioneering partnership between the University of East London and Siemens are key to our city’s transition to a greener, more sustainable future. By harnessing the power of the River Thames to heat university buildings, this initiative demonstrates how innovation and collaboration can drive real progress towards net zero. It not only reduces carbon emissions but also sets a powerful example of how London’s institutions can embrace cutting-edge, clean energy solutions to build a better, fairer and greener city for all Londoners.”
UEL Vice-Chancellor & President, Professor Amanda Broderick, said: “We are committed to driving forward sustainable innovation that not only reduces our environmental impact, but also creates a living laboratory for the next generation of climate leaders. This Water Source Heat Pump demonstrates how universities can be at the forefront of the green energy transition, harnessing our natural surroundings to drive real change. Through our strategic partnership with Siemens, we are accelerating towards our 2030 net zero targets, delivering cutting-edge solutions that will benefit all the communities we serve, and the planet.”
Constantin Ginet, Executive Vice President, Sustainability, Siemens Smart Infrastructure Buildings, added: “The collaboration is a great example of how academia and the private sector can work together to achieve sustainability targets. Leveraging data is key when aiming to better understand buildings and energy consumption. And this long-term partnership demonstrates how data creates the basis for gaining more confidence in deploying large-scale tech.”
The partnership, which was formed in 2022, has already seen Siemens deploy a variety of decarbonization technologies including solar photovoltaic, building management systems, the digital building platform Building X, and electric vehicle charging infrastructure across the campus.
Building X is part of Siemens Xcelerator, an open digital business platform that enables customers to accelerate their digital transformation easier, faster and at scale.