{"id":41765,"date":"2025-10-30T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-30T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/?p=41765"},"modified":"2026-02-12T17:48:57","modified_gmt":"2026-02-12T17:48:57","slug":"low-carbon-district-heating-shawfair","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/news\/low-carbon-district-heating-shawfair\/","title":{"rendered":"Low-Carbon District Heating Supporting a Major New Community Near Edinburgh\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Project Context<\/h3>\n

Shawfair<\/a>\u00a0is a new urban development to the east of Edinburgh, planned to deliver more than 3,000 homes, new schools, and around one million square feet of commercial and retail space. The development is part of a wider regional ambition to decarbonise heat and strengthen long-term energy resilience.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Under a joint venture between Vattenfall Heat UK<\/a> and Midlothian Council<\/a>, Midlothian Energy Limited was\u00a0established\u00a0to deliver a district heating network capable of serving\u00a0Shawfair\u00a0and, over time, more than 30,000 homes across the region.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

OCS was appointed as Principal Contractor to design, build, test, and commission the\u00a0Shawfair\u00a0Energy Centre,\u00a0the first phase of the district heating network\u00a0and district heating extension to Newton & Wellington Farm. The appointment covered a complex, infrastructure-scale programme delivered on a constrained brownfield site\u00a0and disused colliery.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/section>\n\n\n

\n

The Challenge<\/h3>\n

The project required the delivery of a resilient, low-carbon heat solution at pace, while coordinating multiple stakeholders and accommodating future development phases. Delivery was shaped by several significant constraints:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n