Kew Gardens Temperate House and Evolution House

Scope

Decarbonisation of the Temperate House and Evolution House, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew — (ASHP) Air Source Heat Pumps and (WSHP) Water Source Heat Pumps

Project Overview

Decarbonising the Grade I Listed Temperate House at Kew Gardens

Alternative Heat has successfully completed the decarbonisation of the Temperate House, the world’s largest surviving Victorian glasshouse, and neighbouring Evolution House at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Part-funded through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS), the project supports Kew’s ambition to reduce carbon emissions while protecting one of the UK’s most significant heritage assets.

The Temperate House, a Grade I listed Victorian landmark, has been transformed through the delivery of a new low-carbon heating solution. Acting as Principal Contractor and Principal Designer, Alternative Heat helped secure the building’s sustainable future while preserving its historic character for generations to come.

Delivering Decarbonisation in a Sensitive Environment

Delivering infrastructure within a world-renowned UNESCO World Heritage Site required a carefully considered approach. Working within a live visitor attraction, home to internationally important plant collections and historic landscapes, the project demanded collaboration, innovation and meticulous planning throughout.

As part of the wider decarbonisation programme, Alternative Heat was tasked with delivering new HV infrastructure to support the site’s transition to low-carbon heating.

The Challenge

A traditional trenching approach would have required more than 650 metres of excavation through busy public routes, creating disruption for visitors, events and the surrounding landscape.

The Solution

Working closely with the client team and project partners, Alternative Heat implemented Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD), allowing critical infrastructure to be installed with minimal surface disruption while maintaining the day-to-day operation of the gardens.

Project Benefits

• Visitor experience remained unaffected throughout delivery.
• Major events continued uninterrupted.
• Surface disruption was kept to a minimum and fully reinstated.
• Infrastructure was delivered faster than would have been possible through traditional trenching methods.
• The project provides a blueprint for future low-disruption decarbonisation projects in sensitive environments.

Marking Project Completion To celebrate the successful completion of the project, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew hosted an official opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony, bringing together representatives from Kew Gardens, Salix, the project design team, Alternative Heat and key delivery partners. Guests heard from project stakeholders before taking part in a walkaround of the completed works, highlighting the collaborative effort that made the decarbonisation of the Temperate House and Evolution House possible. The event marked an important milestone in Kew’s sustainability journey and recognised the expertise, partnership and innovation required to successfully deliver low-carbon infrastructure within one of the world’s most renowned botanical and heritage sites.