Bradford City Hall, the courts building, the University of Bradford and Bradford College are among the sites that will use the network, which carries heat across Bradford via a 5km (3 mile) network of underground insulated pipes.
According to 1Energy, the project can also incorporate additional local heat sources as it grows, such as surplus heat from businesses.
Explaining how the network will recycle heat from the planned data centre, Hartley said: “Data centres generate lots of heat they have to get rid of and that for them is a cost.
“We can take that heat for free – which helps them because they get rid of that cost – and it helps us lower our cost of production”, he said.
Operations director Bhavya Patel said it was a great example of how data centres and heat networks “can deliver a sustainable future for a city”.
“There’s a real opportunity here from Bradford’s perspective because the waste heat, rather than being rejected up in the air, can be directly taken up by the neighbouring heating plant room and hence the sustainability impact is really high,” he said.
The project has been funded with £55m of private capital and £20m of government investment through the Green Heat Network Fund (GHNF).
A further £9.7m in GHNF funding has been secured to expand the network.
Deputy leader of Bradford Council Andrew Judson said the plans strengthened the city’s offer to businesses and developers.
“It is an achievement the whole city can be proud of, showing how Bradford is leading the way in building a more resilient local economy.
“By reducing reliance on imported gas and improving air quality, the network will bring lasting benefits for local people.
“As it grows, it can support more businesses and buildings, providing infrastructure that helps Bradford attract further investment and thrive.”
