GEOTHERMAL

First borehole for Square Mile's first standalone geothermal system

The first of more than 60 240m deep geothermal boreholes has been completed on the Salisbury Square Development, a new civic hub in the heart of London, making it the first scheme in the Square Mile to embrace a standalone closed loop cooling and heating solution which removes the requirement of gas.

 The Salisbury Square Development in the City of London will be off the gas grid thanks to the use of a standalone closed loop geothermal cooling and heating solution

The Salisbury Square Development in the City of London will be off the gas grid thanks to the use of a standalone closed loop geothermal cooling and heating solution

The boreholes for the ground source heat pump solution are some of the deepest to ever be constructed in the City of London - at a depth of over three-quarters of the height of the Shard - and are being installed by the scheme's main contractor, Mace, and subcontractor, G-Core.

The development, funded and delivered by the City of London Corporation, will house a flagship facility for His Majesty's Courts and Tribunal Services (HMCTS) and a new state-of-the-art headquarters for the City of London Police. It will also include grade A office accommodation, a remodelled listed building, and an enlarged and improved public realm.

The completion of the first geothermal borehole is a major step forward for the Salisbury Square Development. The borehole will help to reduce the development's carbon emissions and play a part in the City of London Corporation's commitment to Net Zero by 2040.

Project director for Mace Construct, Jeremy Eavis, said: "We are pleased to be supporting the City of London in delivering their high sustainability ambitions for the Salisbury Square development through embracing innovation.

The Salisbury Square Development will be off the gas grid

"This network of deep geothermal boreholes is the starting point for the ground-breaking installation of a closed loop system ground source heat pump in the City of London. This will mean the Salisbury Square Development will be off the gas grid, dramatically reducing its operational carbon."

Policy Chairman at the City of London Corporation, Chris Hayward said: "This is a significant milestone for the Salisbury Square Development. The completion of the first geothermal borehole is a major step forward in our plans to create a sustainable and low-carbon development.

"We are committed to using innovative technologies to reduce our carbon emissions, reach our Net Zero 2040 target and create a more sustainable London."

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