Hounslow District
Heat Network
Cleaner, smarter heat for a growing borough
Hounslow is creating a new low carbon energy network that will help homes, businesses and public buildings access cleaner, more affordable and more resilient heat.
At the heart of the project is a simple but powerful idea: turning an existing local resource, waste heat from Thames Water’s Mogden Sewage Treatment Works, into low carbon energy for the borough.
The network will distribute heat through a new underground pipe system, reducing reliance on individual gas boilers and supporting Hounslow’s transition to net zero.
This is practical climate action at scale, combining infrastructure investment, long-term energy resilience and growth in the green economy.
Phase one
Hounslow Council is bringing forward a borough-wide District Heat Network, starting with a first phase focused on Isleworth and Brentford.
The proposal will create a new low carbon heat network using recovered waste heat from Mogden Sewage Treatment Works to serve homes, businesses, public buildings and major local institutions.
Phase one will establish the core infrastructure, connect early anchor customers and create the platform for future expansion across the borough.
The proposal includes:
£52 million Phase 1 investment opportunity
8.8km of new heat network pipeline
Potential to heat more than 3,000 homes
Connections to public, commercial and residential buildings
Anchor demand from NHS trusts, schools and public buildings
A scalable model for wider borough expansion
The District Heat Network will also sit at the heart of a wider Strategic Energy Partnership, a long-term public-private partnership to design, finance and deliver low carbon energy infrastructure across Hounslow.
Why it matters
The way buildings are heated is changing.
As residents, businesses, developers and public services look to reduce carbon emissions and future-proof their buildings, heat networks offer a practical route to cleaner energy at scale.
For Hounslow, the District Heat Network will support:
Lower carbon heat for homes, businesses and public buildings
More resilient local energy infrastructure
Reduced reliance on fossil fuels
Long-term support for net zero and ESG commitments
New opportunities for green jobs, skills and enterprise
This is not just an energy project. It is part of Hounslow’s wider plan to grow the green economy and create sustainable infrastructure for the future.
Phase 1: Isleworth and Brentford
The first phase of the network will focus on Isleworth and Brentford, where demand, infrastructure opportunity and major local heat users come together.
Phase 1 will connect public, commercial and residential buildings and establish the foundations for wider expansion.
By connecting major public and institutional buildings early, the network can build reliable demand, reduce delivery risk and create a stronger platform for future connections.
This first phase creates both an immediate delivery opportunity and a long-term growth proposition.
For homes, businesses and public buildings
Connecting to the network could help building owners, occupiers and developers reduce carbon emissions without managing complex standalone energy systems.
The network has the potential to support:
New residential and mixed-use developments
Public sector estate decarbonisation
Commercial buildings with long-term heat demand
Schools, health facilities and community buildings
Organisations seeking to meet ESG or net zero targets
As the network expands, Hounslow will work with local partners to identify future connection opportunities and support a coordinated approach to decarbonising heat.
For investors and delivery partners
The District Heat Network forms part of a wider Strategic Energy Partnership opportunity: a long-term public-private partnership to design, finance and deliver a borough-wide portfolio of low carbon energy infrastructure.
Anchored by the heat network and supported by retrofit and renewable energy projects, the partnership offers a scalable investment platform with strong public sector backing.
The wider proposal includes:
A £5bn+ long-term infrastructure and decarbonisation pipeline
A long-term partnership with Hounslow Council
Phased delivery across heat, retrofit and renewable energy
Potential for long-term contracted revenues
A coordinated borough-wide approach that reduces delivery risk
This creates an opportunity to deploy capital at scale while supporting one of London’s most ambitious local net zero programmes.
Strategic Energy Partnership
To deliver this ambition at scale, Hounslow is proposing a Strategic Energy Partnership with a private sector partner.
The partnership will provide the structure to design, finance and deliver a borough-wide portfolio of low carbon energy projects, anchored by the District Heat Network and supported by retrofit and renewable energy.
This approach creates a long-term delivery platform rather than a single-project opportunity, enabling investment to be phased, coordinated and scaled over time.
Hounslow will undertake early market engagement in summer 2026 to test market appetite, refine the proposed delivery and governance model, and shape the initial project pipeline ahead of formal procurement in 2027.
Next Steps
Hounslow is seeking partners, investors, developers and major energy users who want to help shape and benefit from the borough’s low carbon future.
Whether you are looking to connect to the network, invest in long-term infrastructure or support the delivery of borough-wide decarbonisation, this is an opportunity to be part of a scalable clean energy programme with strong public sector backing.
Partner with Us
Future Hounslow is a partnership & businesses have a key role to play.
Whether you are an established company, a growing SME or an investor looking at Hounslow, this is an opportunity to be part of a borough that is investing in its future.