How a Community Heat Network Project is Sparking Climate Action in the Classroom

Sustainability Projects, Education

Background

Shenstone is an historic village in Staffordshire with 900 residents. With scenic countryside, excellent transport links and a thriving close-knit community, it is a sought-after location for families and commuters alike.

And it sits above a unique natural resource — a sandstone aquifer.

Recognising the aquifer’s potential to supply clean, sustainable heating, Lichfield District Council and Shenstone Parish Council commissioned HI Group to investigate whether a low-carbon heat network could serve the village.

But this project was not just about infrastructure. It was about people — and engaging the whole community, young and old, in shaping a more sustainable future.

Reaching the Next Generation

It was important to connect with residents of all ages. HI Group’s multi-channel community engagement campaign focused on two key audience groups. For adults, our activity included a website, flyers, newsletter articles, social media, and events.

But for children and their parents, we wanted to do more than inform — we wanted to inspire.

So, in partnership with Climate Ambassadors, we created a tailored, hands-on learning experience for the Year 6 pupils at Shenstone’s Greysbrooke Primary School. The goal was to help the children understand why we need to cut carbon emissions and show them how their village could lead the way with a low carbon heating system.

‘School of the Future’ Activity Day

The activity day combined climate science, creativity, and problem-solving to ignite pupils’ imaginations.

Morning: Inspiration Workshop

The day began with an interactive session to explore:

How the aquifer under Shenstone could help reduce carbon emissions.
Why we need to move away from fossil fuels.
What climate change means and how everyone can make a difference.

Pupils brainstormed ideas to make their school more climate-friendly in the future — from solar panels to outdoor learning spaces — and presented their visions to the class.

Competition

In the afternoon, pupils worked in teams to redesign their school as a sustainable space. Each team received:

An A3 plan of their school site.
A budget of £1,000 in ‘play money’.
A menu of climate-positive upgrades, from bug hotels and bird boxes to solar panels and ground source heat pumps.

They discussed, negotiated and agreed items they would like to buy from the shopping list. After they had calculated costs, they used money from their budget to buy items from the ‘shopkeeper’ and then chose where to place each item on their site plan.

Finally – each group presented their plans to the School Judges, explaining what they had purchased and, importantly, why.

Prizes were awarded for:

Best plan – winning a bird box.
Best use of budget – winning a bug hotel.

The Impact

“This was a very special day – the children were engaged from the start,” said Deputy Headteacher Dan Rowlands.

“The morning session explained about the heat network project and climate change, and sparked imaginative, thoughtful ideas. The afternoon enabled our pupils to bring those ideas to life, with teamwork, budgeting, and real-world challenges. Year six are all residents of Shenstone, so learning about the HNDU project first hand really helped them apply their acquired knowledge and will help them understand other similar green initiatives.

The day showed us how much the children value their connection with nature. Every team included outdoor learning areas, trees, wildlife habitats, and reuse initiatives. We’ll definitely run this day again – it was educational, fun, and full of practical skills.”

Why It Matters

HI Group is proud to support Shenstone’s journey toward clean, low-carbon heating — and just as proud to inspire the next generation of climate champions along the way.

As we design and deliver sustainable solutions for communities across the UK, we’re committed to making decarbonisation a shared, inclusive journey — one where everyone has a part to play, no matter their age.