A district heat network for a new community, built in a historic area of Uxbridge, in the London Borough of Hillingdon.
Metropolitan is contracted under a 30-year agreement to design, build and operate the district-heat infrastructure for the development. This encompasses a heat network and a gas-fired Combined Heat and Power (CHP) energy centre.
Value of design and build installation contract
Total number of connected properties at full build out, plus 30,000sqm of commercial
Size of on-site CHP engine
![A ground view of St Andrews looking through a metal fence](https://www.metropolitan-uk.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/9410_Metropolitan_St-Andfrews_HR-92-684x1024.jpg)
A whole new community
- 656 residential units
- 2,540m² retail space
- 13,860m² of office accommodation
- 5,000m² hotel
- 4,217m² assisted living accommodation
- 2,900m² of leisure space
One-stop-shop solution
VSM Estates Limited, a joint venture between Vinci and St. Modwen, selected Metropolitan for the project due to its combined design and build experience, along with its proven district-heating operational capabilities. Metropolitan is also able to offer Guru heat metering, which will improve efficiencies in the design and commissioning of the heat network.
Flexible solution
District heat is a very flexible heat solution, enabling networks to be extended and heat sources to be changed as and when required. At St. Andrew’s Park a temporary energy centre will supply the initial 350 homes until the main energy centre is operational in 2021. This phased approach allows the solution to grow with the development.
Low-carbon solution
Metropolitan’s solution will provide a 30% saving on carbon emissions compared with the traditional solution of generating electricity separately and providing heat from individual boilers in homes.
End-user benefits
Residents and commercial customers at St. Andrew’s Park will directly benefit from efficient heat generation. Typically, district heat networks result in lower fuel bills for customers, and Metropolitan has guaranteed that at St. Andrew’s Park heat costs will never exceed those incurred by a traditional gas-boiler solution.
Furthermore, the installation of heat interface units with smart in-house displays as part of the network will allow customers to keep track of exactly how much heat they are using and will enable Metropolitan to monitor the efficiency of heat delivery, ensuring that customers are billed on actual real-time readings rather than estimated.
![A ground view of a parking garage at St Andrews](https://www.metropolitan-uk.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/9410_Metropolitan_St-Andfrews_HR-179.jpg)
Historic links
The Uxbridge site is a former RAF base with a rich military history. Hillingdon House forms a focal point of the site and is being refurbished as part of the development. It was originally built in 1717 but destroyed in a fire. The present house was built in 1844. In 1915 it became a military hospital and, two years later, a Royal Air Force station was established in the grounds. In World War II it became the site of the famous Grade I-listed Battle of Britain Bunker – the home of fighter command No. 11 Group from 1939 to 1958. The Bunker remains as a museum and an important visitor centre.
“We are delighted to be working with Metropolitan on the St. Andrew’s Park development, as we are committed to improve the sustainability and efficiency of our projects. Metropolitan has a very strong track record in implementing district heat networks that deliver both carbon-emission savings and lower fuel bills for residents.”
Robert Draper, Development Director, Vinci St Mowden Estates