London Borough of Hounslow appoints AECOM as technical advisor for borough-wide heat network

The London Borough of Hounslow has awarded a £495,000 contract to AECOM to provide technical advisory services for its borough-wide district heat network and Strategic Energy Partnership.

The appointment will see AECOM support the scheme from early feasibility and design stages through to procurement, commercialisation and the appointment of a delivery partner.

Supporting delivery of a borough-wide heat network

The contract covers a broad scope of technical support, including:

• Engineering and design advisory

• Project development and feasibility progression

• Procurement strategy and commercial input

• Support in appointing a delivery partner

The project forms part of Hounslow’s wider ambitions to develop a district heat network, supporting long-term decarbonisation and energy infrastructure across the borough.

Framework and programme details

The contract has been awarded via the CCS RM6165 Construction Professional Services Framework, under Lot 1 (Built Environment and General), with delivery running from April 2026 through to July 2027.

As a direct award, the appointment accelerates early-stage progress on what is expected to become a significant infrastructure programme.

What this means for the market

While this is an early-stage consultancy appointment, it signals the start of a wider delivery pipeline 👇

👉 A delivery partner procurement will follow

👉 Detailed design and engineering packages will emerge

👉 Construction and specialist energy infrastructure opportunities will be created

District heat networks typically unlock work across:

• Civils and infrastructure contractors

• Mechanical & energy systems specialists

• Pipework and network installation

• Design, consultancy and commissioning services

Early positioning is key

With technical advisors now in place, the project is moving into structured development — meaning procurement activity will follow.

For contractors and suppliers, this stage is critical:

👉 Understanding the project early

👉 Building relationships with key stakeholders

👉 Positioning ahead of formal tender release