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Heat Network Consultants

London

Westminster (SWAN) heat network zone

The South Westminster Area Network (SWAN) is a large planned heat network in central London, developed with DESNZ and described by the firms involved as the first zonal-scale heat network. A joint venture of Vital Energi and Hemiko was appointed to build it in November 2024. GOV.UK's October 2024 announcement mentions two London schemes without naming this one, so our description relies on the firms' own statements.
Early zone announcedZone not yet designated

Where things stand in Westminster (SWAN)

Zone status
Not designated No zone can be formally designated until the zoning regulations are in force.
Zoning regulations
Awaited Not yet laid before Parliament.
Council area
Westminster
Likely zone coordinator
Not yet known

Announced early zones

If you own or manage a building in Westminster (SWAN)

Nothing is legally required of you yet. Once regulations are in force and a zone is designated, the zone developer can ask the coordination body to send connection notices to buildings in the categories the government has set out: new buildings that receive planning permission after the zone is designated; existing buildings with communal heating, both domestic and non-domestic; and existing non-domestic buildings with a wet heating system and average heat demand above 100 MWh a year.

The sensible thing to do now is to understand your annual heat demand, check whether your heating is a wet system and note any lease terms or planned plant replacement that could affect your position.

Firms with public work in Westminster (SWAN)

  • AECOM

    Unconfirmed

    London · London, North West, Yorkshire & the Humber, South West, South East

    Global engineering consultancy that wrote several of the government's zoning pilot reports and co-developed the SWAN scheme in Westminster.

    • Zoning compliance & exemptions
    • Feasibility
    • Procurement support
    • Design & engineering
  • Vital Energi

    Unconfirmed

    Blackburn · North West, Yorkshire & the Humber, East Midlands, West Midlands, London, South West, North East, East of England

    Designs, builds, funds and operates heat networks, including Leeds PIPES, and is a delivery partner in Plymouth and Westminster.

    • Feasibility
    • Design & engineering
    • Procurement support
    • Metering & billing

Consultants covering London

  • FairHeat

    Unconfirmed

    London · London, North West

    Heat network specialist focused on existing residential networks, from feasibility and design to performance and regulation readiness.

    • Feasibility
    • Design & engineering
    • Ofgem authorisation
    • Procurement support
  • Not stated on website · England-wide

    Specialist heat network consultancy covering metering and billing compliance, commissioning, troubleshooting and training.

    • Metering & billing
    • Design & engineering
  • Rickmansworth · London, South East

    Energy and sustainability consultancy with a heat network commercial team covering ESCo tendering, tariff modelling and design review.

    • Procurement support
    • Legal & commercial
    • Metering & billing
    • Design & engineering
  • Ramboll

    Unconfirmed

    London · London, South West, Yorkshire & the Humber

    Danish-rooted engineering consultancy that built the government's national zoning model and wrote three pilot zone reports.

    • Zoning compliance & exemptions
    • Feasibility
    • Design & engineering
  • Switch2 Energy

    Unconfirmed

    Shipley · Yorkshire & the Humber, West Midlands, North East, North West, London

    Metering, billing and operations specialist for heat networks, mainly serving social and private landlords.

    • Metering & billing
    • Ofgem authorisation
    • HNTAS
    • Design & engineering