Silvertown - The Zeroth Energy System
Delivering low carbon hot water, space heating, and for some plots, comfort cooling in conjunction with E.ON's low-carbon network, ectogrid™
The Zeroth Energy System delivering heating and cooling to Silvertown
The Zeroth Energy System will provide low-carbon heating, cooling and hot water for new residential apartments in the exciting Silvertown urban regeneration project in East London. The Zeroth communal ambient loop system will be integrated with E.ON’s ectogrid™ low-carbon district heating network. The winning partnership will provide a revolutionary low-carbon heating and cooling energy system, bringing truly sustainable and comfortable urban living to the residents of this vibrant new community in Newham. The aim for Silvertown is to be net-zero carbon by 2025, carbon neutral by 2030 and absolute zero carbon by 2040.
How does the Zeroth ambient loop integrate with E.ON's low carbon network, ectogrid™?
Both Dimplex’s Zeroth communal network and the E.ON ectogrid™ district network are highly efficient, low-carbon systems. Zeroth’s communal network distributes heat at building level whilst the E.ON ectogrid™ district heating network transfers energy between whole buildings. The ectogrid™ can be connected to the plant room of the Zeroth system to supply the energy it requires to run. As Zeroth can help balance energy within the building and the E.ON ectogrid™ can both balance and share energy within the network, their integration forms a highly efficient and sustainable low-carbon energy solution for Silvertown.
How does Zeroth work?
The Zeroth Energy System has a central ambient loop maintained at 25°C by a central plant connected to in-apartment heat pumps to form a communal heat network at building level. The Zeroth plant can be connected to a renewable source or a low-carbon district heating network. This innovative approach improves energy efficiency, reduces carbon emissions and local air pollution, making Zeroth the ideal solution for modern net zero ready apartments.
Benefits of The Zeroth Energy System for Silvertown
A wide choice of heating and cooling emitters for design flexibility, creating a tailored solution whilst delivering user comfort
Integrated low-carbon comfort cooling helps reduce overheating risk in the building and increases occupant thermal comfort
Integration with ectocloudTM intelligent reporting, analytics and optimisation system for enhanced energy effciency
Connected with ectogridTM via energy centres, reducing plant room sizing
Energy efficient heating, hot water and cooling delivery with CoP of up to 9.3
Significantly reduced distribution losses increase system energy efficiency and reduce the risk of overheating
Compact Zeroth footprint fits standard sized utility cupboard, helping to maximise living space in apartments
Delivered pre-plumbed and pre-wired helps to streamline installation with no requirement for an F-Gas specialist
A design focused on durability and low maintenance, utilising a stainless-steel hot water cylinder without a sacrificial anode
Advanced materials and meticulous design minimise acoustic output for whisper-quiet operation
Provision of heating, hot water and cooling services via a two-pipe network, offering capital savings over traditional four-pipe solutions
No requirement for refrigerant pipework or leak detection devices
The Zeroth at Silvertown journey, plot by plot
106 Zeroth units delivering low-carbon heating to the UK’s largest affordable homes development
Plot 6
The Zeroth Energy System helps to get the Silvertown regeneration off to a flying start by providing low-carbon heating and hot water to 106 truly affordable homes on Plot 6 in the last quarter of 2025. Linked to the E.ON ectogrid™ low-carbon network, Zeroth sets the tone for the whole project by showing that sustainable clean energy can be delivered at scale to multiple residents in an urban environment.
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341 Zeroth units connected to the E.ON ectogrid™, delivering low-carbon heating and cooling to affordable homes
Plot D1-D2
Here, the Zeroth ambient loop system and E.ON ectogrid™ will not only deliver low-carbon heating to 341 affordable homes, but they will also help the residents keep their cool in the summer by providing low-carbon cooling. This enables Silvertown to provide sustainable and affordable low-carbon thermal comfort for its residents all year round.
543 Zeroth units connected to the E.ON ectogrid™ for residential homes
Plot 7 & 8 (78)
On plot 78 of Silvertown, occupiers of 543 residential homes will be able to experience the comfort of Zeroth’s low-carbon heating and cooling capabilities. The Zeroth system, in combination with the E.ON ectogrid™, will set the benchmark for comfortable, environmentally sustainable urban living.
“ectogrid™ is a pioneering system for sharing energy that will be instrumental in helping to make energy more affordable and sustainable. ectogrid™ is a circular energy system that adjusts its temperature to the surrounding environment, only adding new energy – heating in the winter, cooling in the summer – when all available energy within the network has been fully shared.”
- Tony Poole, Head of Business Development at E.ON.
Silvertown partners
Lendlease - Developer
Lendlease are a global real estate group with a core expertise in shaping cities and connected communities. They deliver urbanisation projects and investments that generate social, environmental, and economic value to create places that are meaningful, vibrant and enduring.
Maccreanor Lavington - Architect
Maccreanor Lavington are architects and urbanists firm based in London and Rotterdam. Founded in 1992, they have grown to around 80 people and are big enough to tackle projects of any size yet small enough to remain a close knit, focused and friendly team.
E.ON – Energy company
E.ON are one of Europe’s largest energy companies with the business areas of energy networks, energy infrastructure solutions and energy sales. They have a 1.6-million-kilometre-long energy distribution grid and around 47 million customers. The E.ON ectogrid™ low-carbon energy network at Silvertown will be the first of its kind in the UK.
Bryden Wood – M&E consultants
Bryden Wood are a global strategy and design consultancy with a team of award-winning architects and engineers who deliver projects around the world. Their design process creates smart, sustainable solutions that are shaping the future of construction and the built environment.
John Sisk and Son – Contractors
John Sisk is an international construction and engineering company employing 1800 people across Ireland, the UK, and Europe. Established in 1859, this family-owned business is a total solutions provider in construction and is working on Plot 6 at Silvertown.
The Greater London Authority (GLA)
The GLA is the devolved regional governance body of Greater London and has responsibility over several areas, including development and strategic planning. Silvertown is on land owned by the GLA.
Newham Council
Newham Council have a Just Transition Plan to become net zero carbon by 2030. The plan puts residents at the forefront by considering the impacts of development on their health and wellbeing. The Silvertown urban regeneration is within the jurisdiction of Newham Council.
The Guinness Partnership
The Guinness Partnership operate in 144 local authority areas across England. Most of their homes are homes for rent at prices significantly lower than those charged in the private market. And on tenancy terms which offer far greater security.
The Zeroth Energy Systems
Zeroth and central plant
The Zeroth Energy System can be specified with all types of District Heat Networks as well as low carbon heat pump technologies, including ground, water and air source heat pumps. This helps reduce the central plant footprint and helios delivery efficiencies up to 300% when deployed in conjunction with air source heat pumps.
Zeroth controls
The Zeroth Energy System has on board controls allowing residents to optimise hot water, space heating and cooling settings for maximum thermal comfort. It is possible to control and optimise the performance of multiple emitter technologies through the integration of the system with smart control and intelligent ectocloudTM reporting system. The Zeroth Energy System has MODBUS connectivity to give the specifier and client full flexibility of design and control.
Zeroth emitters
Zeroth is compatible with a variety of emitters, including radiators, under floor heating and fan coil units. This adaptability brings increased design flexibility, allowing developers to tailor the solution to meet specific project requirements, whilst delivering optimal thermal comfort to residents.
Zeroth and ventilation
Zeroth can be linked to Mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) systems that use heat from extracted stale air to warm incoming air for a comfortable indoor environment and increased efficiency.
Images courtesy of © Lendlease Corporation
