Mine water heat network wins national award

The Seaham Garden Village heat network, powered by water from the Dawdon mine water treatment scheme, received the Gamechanger Award at the 2026 Accelerate to Zero Awards. Judges selected the project from entries across the UK and presented it at a ceremony in Glasgow as part of BE-ST Fest. The award recognises initiatives that support a just transition in the built environment. The scheme demonstrates how former coalfield infrastructure can be repurposed to benefit local communities.

The project uses naturally warm water, between 18°C and 20°C, pumped from the flooded Dawdon Colliery. A 733kW water source heat pump raises the temperature before distributing it through a heat network to 750 affordable homes. The network is expected to reduce carbon emissions by 505 tonnes annually while maintaining the mine water treatment scheme’s safety role.

Durham County Council, the Mining Remediation Authority, Karbon Homes and Vital Energi collaborated to develop the heat network. Vital Energi designed and built the energy centre and network infrastructure, while the project is operated as a long-term energy services company. The scheme forms part of a broader masterplan for Seaham Garden Village, which will eventually include 1,500 homes.

Dawdon Colliery began coal production in 1904 and closed after 85 years, leaving flooded mine workings that now supply the heat network. The Dawdon mine water treatment scheme continues to pump and treat water to protect the local aquifer, with the heat network providing an additional community benefit. The UK Government operates over 80 mine water treatment schemes, highlighting the potential for similar low-carbon heat projects nationwide.