The Eden Project - Cornwall

About

The Eden Project, located in Cornwall, is a unique visitor attraction that showcases the world’s diverse ecosystems through its iconic Biomes and expansive gardens.

Once a former clay mine, the huge sterile crater has been transformed into a vibrant 30 acre global garden. Its mission is to inspire visitors to appreciate nature and promote environmental stewardship.

Ambitions

The Eden Project is situated in an area rich in geothermal activity, prompting the Eden team to investigate how they could harness the naturally occurring energy to support their net zero ambitions and become climate positive by 2030.

Their ambition was to tap into deep geothermal heat wells over 5km below the ground’s surface and use the fluid pumped from the ground (at around 100°C) to create electricity, heating and hot water for buildings.

The project

Following the contract award in December 2021 to design and construct a new heat network to realise the site’s geothermal energy ambitions, HI Group were asked by OnSite to conducted comprehensive surveys and design to RIBA stage 4 of the primary heat network in January 2022.

Key steps in the project included:

· Creation of detailed and accurate 2D CAD drawings for the pipe routes, including chainage.

· Development of 3D modelling for above ground pipework, linking the buried heat network to the energy centre.

· 3D modelling of awkward junctions, including branch tees, to address spatial challenges.

· Use of Lean Heat software to produce a digital model of the heat network, which helped verify levels and pipe lengths.

· Production of as-built drawings and modifications as the installation progressed to ensure project fidelity.

Results

The ambitious geothermal energy project now connects deep geothermal boreholes to the existing gas-fired energy centre, enabling the provision of low-carbon heating and hot water across the site, including the iconic Biomes.

Working with OnSite to realise these objectives was not only a significant technical achievement, but also allowed us to contribute to a wider environmental cause, which means a great deal to us.

Conclusion

The Eden Project team have set a precedent for the use of low-carbon heating solutions in a distinctive and iconic location, exemplifying how innovative approaches can support sustainability goals. We were delighted to work with such an important natural showcase.