A new shopping, leisure and office complex is being heated and cooled by large-scale renewable energy technology installed under the site.

One New Change, in the City of London, is using a renewable ground source heat pump which controls the temperature in the centre by transferring heat to and from the ground below.

The “state-of-the-art” heating system, thought to be the biggest of its kind in Europe, includes almost 40 miles of pipework – enough to wrap round the London Eye 140 times – and two water wells about 500 feet below street level.

It is estimated that the energy system will reduce the centre’s carbon emissions by at least 10 per cent and save £300,000 in energy bills a year.

Francis Salway, chief executive officer of Land Securities which owns One New Change, said: “The shopping and leisure destination is transforming the City of London and now with this technology we hope to transform the way the industry designs and builds properties.

“The renewable energy system will deliver carbon reductions, cost savings and a comfortable work environment, making it a truly sustainable building of the future.”

Climate change minister Greg Barker, said: “This is British innovation at its best, using the Earth’s natural resources to solve our energy needs.

“Extracting warmth from the ground underneath London will help save on the building’s heating bills and will cut carbon.”