Greening Greenway: Southmead’s Community Centre Transformation

In North Bristol, the Greenway Centre has long served as a vital hub for health, wellbeing, and connection. Now, it’s leading the way in sustainable transformation — turning a busy public building into a blueprint for climate-conscious community spaces.

Originally built as a secondary school in the 1950s, the centre has been repurposed as a thriving space for NHS services, youth programmes, Warm Hub activities, and more. But ageing gas heating and inefficient infrastructure were putting increasing pressure on both comfort and operating costs.

That’s now changing. With £97,500 of support from Energy for Tomorrow, Centrica's social impact fund, the Greenway Centre is entering a new phase of its net zero journey. Four gas heaters have been replaced with high-performance air source heat pumps. A 15.5kW solar array, paired with 27kWh of battery storage, is helping the building reduce its reliance on the grid and optimise its energy use. Upgraded electrical distribution boards have added long-term resilience.

These upgrades are enabling the centre to stay open and welcoming in all weather, while lowering emissions and utility bills. That means more funds can go back into frontline services — from youth support to community events. It’s also become a demonstrator for how older buildings can be retrofitted for the future, aligning with both Southmead’s Community Climate Action Plan and Bristol’s One City goals.

By tracking energy savings, solar use, and service delivery, the Greenway Centre is proving that sustainable infrastructure isn’t just good for the environment — it helps make community services stronger, more reliable, and more future-ready.

Read more in Southmead Development Trust’s  Impact Report 2023-24

Find out more about Energy for Tomorrow and how its helping communities build a greener, fairer future.