Marshland Primary Academy’s transformative renewable heating installation, delivered by British ground source heat pump manufacturer and installer Kensa, has been awarded ‘Energy Project of the Year – Public’ at the 2025 Energy Awards.
The major decarbonisation project, which saw Kensa replace an ageing gas boiler system with seven ground source heat pumps, has helped the Venn Academy Trust school in South Yorkshire secure its heating future, keep classrooms warm, and cut carbon emissions by close to 80 per cent.
The Energy Awards recognise and celebrate innovation and achievement in the energy sector. When awarding the Marshland Primary Academy project, judges described it as a “good technology solution with an excellent environmental improvement.”
The six-month project, completed in October 2024, involved drilling 18 boreholes beneath the school’s playing field to provide the heat energy used by the ground source heat pumps. New radiators were also installed as part of the retrofit, which was partially funded by the Department for Education’s Condition Improvement Fund.
Marshland Primary Academy has also become one of the first schools in the UK to integrate solar PVT (Photovoltaic-Thermal) panels with ground source heat pumps. These panels generate both electricity and thermal energy, increasing the system’s efficiency and reducing overall installation costs.
The result is a low-cost, low-carbon heating system that has significantly reduced emissions and improved classroom comfort. It also provides a scalable blueprint for other schools across the UK looking to decarbonise their estates and tackle rising energy costs.
Wouter Thijssen, Commercial Director at Kensa, said: “We’re absolutely delighted the Energy Awards have awarded this installation the Public Energy Project of the Year. It’s a shining example of how forward-thinking schools and trusts like Venn Academy Trust can lead the way on climate while giving their pupils a reliable, effective heating system all year round.
“Marshland Primary Academy now has a heating system that is better for pupils, better for the environment and sets the standard for what’s possible in schools up and down the country. Thousands of UK schools still rely on gas heating – we hope this award-winning project can serve as inspiration for those looking to start their decarbonisation journey.”
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