Birley Energy Centre

Located at the Birley Fields campus in Hulme, Birley Energy Centre is a key part of the University’s sustainability strategy. It currently provides heating and electricity to various campus buildings and student residences. 

In December 2023, we announced a major decarbonisation initiative for the centre, which aims to transition from gas-fired heat generation to electric heat pumps – significantly reducing carbon emissions and improving air quality across the campus.  

Key goals include: 

• Reducing gas use by 27%. 

• Saving 800 tonnes of carbon emissions in the first year, rising to 1,500 tonnes as the electricity grid decarbonises.

• Enhancing energy reliability and resilience for campus buildings and student accommodation. 

• Supporting the University’s commitment to achieving net-zero carbon by 2038, ahead of the UK’s national target of 2050.

Consultation and engagement 

Public engagement has been a consistent theme throughout the development of the Birley Fields campus. 

During the initial enabling works in 2012, we conducted consultations with the local Hulme community that influenced the design and environmental priorities of the site, including: 

• Two-thirds of the site was preserved as green space, including landscaped areas, a community orchard, and cycleways.

• A tree survey was conducted to retain 60% of existing trees and plant over 170 new ones.  

• The Energy Centre was designed as an educational resource, allowing schoolchildren to visit and learn about energy generation and sustainability. 

• We engaged local councillors and community groups to ensure the development aligned with local needs and environmental goals.

Key dates 

• March 2012: Enabling works began for the Birley Fields campus, including plans for the Energy Centre.

• 2014: Completion of the Brooks Building, part of the Birley development, which is served by the Energy Centre. 

• December 2023: Announcement of the decarbonisation project for the Energy Centre. 

• 2024 onwards: Implementation of electric heat pumps and other sustainability upgrades (work underway).