Building for life, building for low-carbon energy

Swaffham Prior, a village of some 300 houses in east Cambridgeshire, has become one of the first villages in the United Kingdom to install a geothermal heating network. Up until then, Swaffham Prior was not connected to the gas network, and 70% of its homes relied on fuel oil for heating. 

To address this challenge, Cambridgeshire County Council embarked on an ambitious project with Swaffham Prior Community Land Trust to provide a sustainable energy solution for the village. The goal was clear: to put an end to energy poverty, reduce fuel dependency and provide affordable, sustainable heating for all residents.

It was against this backdrop that Bouygues Energy & Services (a subsidiary of Equans, part of the Bouygues Group), acted as the County Council’s technical partner. Bouygues Energy & Services called on teams from VSL, a specialist subsidiary of Bouygues Construction, to carry out the deep drilling required to install the underground heat exchange pipes. The project was massive – they drilled 87 holes to a depth of 205 metres, filled them with a special geothermal mortar and then installed the heat exchange pipes.

The teams were able to showcase their expertise by employing as many as four specialised drilling rigs, manned by highly qualified operators. To reduce carbon emissions, VSL also introduced innovative measures, including replacing diesel with hydrogenated vegetable oil, which cut CO2 emissions by almost 90%.

This technical feat, made possible thanks to VSL’s expertise and commitment, marks a major step forward in Swaffham Prior’s energy transition and attests to the importance of innovation in tackling today’s environmental challenges.