The Boathouse will use the River Cam as a low-grade heat source by installing a river-source heat pump. This solution will incorporate appropriate screening and filtration of the river water intake to ensure full compliance with the Environmental Agency's abstraction requirements to protect the local surroundings, biodiversity, and ecology. The system will also incorporate measures to shut down and protect the equipment from freezing during prolonged periods of very low river temperatures. To ensure heating is maintained during these periods, electric backup will be provided as a resilience measure when the river is too cold for abstraction. Due to the predicted intermittent and variable use of hot water, local electric water heaters will be provided in place of a centralised storage cylinder. Electric showers will be paired with wastewater heat-recovery downpipes to reduce their estimated energy use by up to 55%.

JGC undertook extensive modelling to determine the anticipated heat gain and moisture levels in the new gym space. The design of the services will ensure a comfortable indoor environment in the multi-use space and the gym, with adjustable, demand-led controls to maintain user comfort across varying occupancy levels. This strategy will be achieved through direct evaporative cooling using local, portable fans, combined with mechanical air extraction from the space.

The project has been tendered at Stage 4 and is due for construction in 2026.