New homes at Seaham Garden Village are being heated using treated water from abandoned coal mines, bringing a former industrial resource into a low-carbon energy network.
The system draws treated water from the Dawdon mine Water Treatment Scheme. Heat exchangers and a pump then distribute warmth and hot water through a district network serving residents moving into affordable homes.
Heating 750 affordable homes
Karbon Homes is developing 750 affordable units on former mining land, all of which will eventually connect to the system. Solar panels and battery storage are also being installed at the properties.
The project is being delivered with Durham County Council, Vital Energi and construction partner Esh Group, with support from the government-backed Heat Networks Investment Project. It is described as one of the UK’s first large-scale mine-water heating schemes.
The network will eventually supply half of the planned 1,500 homes at the garden village. It is expected to save around 2,600 tonnes of CO2 each year, or nearly 65,000 tonnes over 25 years, while helping households avoid some exposure to changing energy prices.
Why it matters for Britain
Seaham shows how former coal-mining areas can support new housing and lower-carbon heating at the same time. With an estimated quarter of UK homes located above former coal mines, similar schemes could offer another way to make use of the countryโs industrial legacy.
