Shawfair’s first homes connected to the MEL heat network

We are happy to announce the latest developments on our MEL heat network; we have now connected the first homes in Shawfair, with first customers benefitting from receiving low carbon heating and hot water.

Just south of Edinburgh, Shawfair is fast becoming one of Scotland’s best-connected new towns. With excellent road and rail links to Edinburgh, it offers the best of both worlds: country living on the capital’s doorstep. A new town centre is also taking shape, designed to include schools, offices, shops, restaurants and much more. 

Green space is at the heart of Shawfair’s design. A network of walking and cycling paths connects residents to landscaped parks, woodlands and open water, creating a thriving community with sustainability built in.  

We are proud to be working in partnership with Midlothian Council as part of Midlothian Energy Limited (MEL) to design, build and operate the MEL heat network. This low carbon system will provide reliable heating to over 3,500 homes and businesses across Midlothian – including Shawfair Town. Once fully operational, this first phase is expected to save over 2,500 tonnes of CO₂ every year – the equivalent of removing around 1,200 cars from the road.

We’re proud to celebrate a major milestone at Shawfair, where our first customers are now receiving heat through the MEL network since June. Several developers on site - including Robertson Homes, Miller Homes, and Cruden - are actively connecting their new properties to the network, marking a significant step forward in delivering sustainable, low carbon heating to the community.

These households are benefitting from: 

  • Reliable heating and hot water at a fair price
  • A hassle-free service – with maintenance included
  • 24/7 monitoring by our expert team to keep the network running smoothly
  • A resilient, future-proofed energy system that improves local air quality and reduces carbon emissions 

By connecting to the MEL heat network, Shawfair residents are playing a vital role in helping Scotland and the wider UK reach net zero. 

As Shawfair continues to grow, we look forward to welcoming more homeowners to the network and building a vibrant, sustainable community together. 

It has been a pleasure working with our partners at Shawfair LLP – a joint venture between Buccleuch Properties and Mactaggart & Mickel. Together, we are shaping a new community – transforming the region’s industrial past into a low carbon future. 

Connecting Shawfair’s first homes to the MEL heat network demonstrates our commitment to long-term sustainability and innovation in place-making. This is a major step in realising our vision for a vibrant, forward-looking town that offers residents high-quality homes, green infrastructure and a lasting legacy of environmental responsibility.

Learn more about Shawfair by visiting their website.

Explore more about the MEL heat network here.

See also

The architecture of heat: designing developments for a low carbon Scotland

Andy Yuill, Director of Asset Management, provides a detailed exploration of the critical factors to consider when selecting low carbon heating solutions for new developments. His insights s...

Read the full article

Sparking young minds: introducing kids to heat networks

Inspiring curiosity today to help grow the next generation of heat network champions.

Read the full article

Vattenfall announce new vision for the Bristol heat network as more homes and businesses than ever now connected to heat network  

As Bristol moves to a low carbon future, Vattenfall, which is constructing the district heating network as part of the Bristol City Leap programme, has unveiled its vision for over half of a...

Read the full article