Crematorium used for heating: How Europe is using funerals to warm schools, homes and swimming pools

Crematoriums in parts of Europe are finding a new use beyond funeral services, with facilities recovering heat generated during cremation to warm swimming pools, schools and residential buildings. The approach is emerging as an energy-saving measure that can reduce fuel consumption and make better use of heat that would otherwise escape into the atmosphere, as reported by WIRED.

One such initiative began in 2011, when Redditch Borough Council in England proposed using heat from a nearby crematorium to warm its local swimming pool. The idea initially triggered public criticism and attracted international attention. However, the project eventually received recognition for its environmental benefits and won a green award. Since 2013, the crematorium has been supplying heat to the swimming pool.

European countries have been exploring ways to recover heat from crematoriums for years. Although the total amount of energy available from these facilities is relatively small, recovering it offers another way to reduce the environmental impact of cremation and lower the carbon footprint of heating.


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Around 1,200 cremations take place annually at the Redditch facility. Its two gas-fired furnaces generate hot flue gases, which pass through a heat exchanger as part of the process used to remove vaporised mercury released from dental fillings. The recovered heat is transferred to a water system, while the remaining gases are discharged into the atmosphere.

The heated water travels through an underground loop stretching about 200 metres before reaching another heat exchanger connected to the swimming pool. According to Guy Revans of Redditch and Bromsgrove Councils, the pool's large volume of water helps retain the heat for extended periods. The recreation centre also has gas-fired boilers that supply additional warmth when required. The arrangement has saved the council tens of thousands of pounds annually in fuel expenses.

Scotland plans to use crematorium heat to warm a new school

The idea is now being extended to educational infrastructure in Aberdeen, Scotland, where a school under construction is expected to receive surplus heat from the city's crematorium.

The facility already uses some of the heat generated during cremation to warm its own premises, but a substantial amount was previously being released into the atmosphere. Ian Davidson, chief executive of Aberdeen Heat & Power, said the new arrangement would allow a greater share of this otherwise wasted energy to be put to use. The project has received full planning permission.

The crematorium is expected to supply just under one gigawatt-hour of heat annually, meeting approximately half of the school's total heating requirement. A heat pump will provide the remaining energy needed by the building. The complete system is expected to become operational by February 2027.

Finland plans to connect crematorium to heating network serving 6,500 homes

A similar initiative is planned in Kangasala, Finland, where a crematorium scheduled to open in 2028 will be connected to the town's district heating network. The network supplies hot water for heating to more than 6,500 homes.

Unlike the gas-fired facilities in the UK examples, the planned crematorium will operate entirely on electricity, with part of its power generated by solar panels installed on its roof. Its recovered heat will feed into the wider heating network.

Timo Heikkilä, an energy and building systems consultant at Thenco Oy who is involved in the project, said the initiative was particularly relevant given Finland's efforts to reduce the use of natural gas for heating. Winter temperatures in Kangasala can remain below zero degrees Celsius for several weeks.

Crematoriums explore ways to reduce their environmental footprint

The recovery of excess heat is part of a broader effort by crematoriums to make their operations more environmentally conscious. Ian Rudkin, who has managed several crematoria in the UK and serves on the board of the Cremation Society of Great Britain, said some facilities have also changed how they schedule cremations.

Certain crematoriums now hold coffins for periods of up to 72 hours so that multiple cremations can be carried out in sequence. This approach helps improve operational efficiency. Although the practice initially surprised some families, acceptance increased over time, Rudkin said.

Hannah Rumble, an associate at the University of Bath's Centre for Death and Society, said recovering heat from cremation could be viewed as one way to address the environmental damage caused by human activity. She also suggested that the environmental practices of a crematorium could influence some people's choice of where they wish to be cremated.

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Can crematorium waste heat make a difference to Europe's energy needs?

The potential contribution of crematorium heat recovery remains limited when measured against overall national energy requirements. A 2024 study published in the journal Energy estimated that using waste heat from every crematorium in the UK could meet only around one per cent of the country's total heating demand.

However, the relatively small share does not make the approach insignificant. Reducing carbon emissions from heating remains a difficult challenge, and recovering energy that would otherwise be wasted can contribute to that effort.

Heikkilä said he would personally like the heat generated during his cremation to be recovered and reused, describing it as a practical way to make a final contribution to the environment.