EcoPark House, North London Waste Authority’s (NLWA) new education and visitors’ centre built as part of North London Heat and Power Project (NLHPP), officially opened yesterday with representatives from Enfield, Islington and Waltham Forest councils and the Edmonton Sea Cadets marking the occasion with a ribbon cutting ceremony.
Enfield Council’s cabinet member for Transport and Waste, Cllr Rick Jewell, said: ‘It’s extremely exciting that Enfield residents now have a bright new space dedicated to learning about their carbon footprint, which aligns with our collective efforts toward addressing climate change and becoming a cleaner, greener borough.’
EcoPark House offers a vibrant and flexible space for north London residents, schools and community groups to find out more about recycling and waste. Through an innovative value engineering plan, contractor Taylor Woodrow designed and installed the systems to take the building entirely off-grid. Built with sustainability in mind, it is powered by solar panels on the roof of adjacent recycling facilities and heated by ground-source heat pumps. Since January 2025, more than 600 children and community members have come through the door at EcoPark as final elements of the building were completed, sharing overwhelmingly positive feedback.
The new centre builds on North London Waste Authority’s in-school education offering. Through hands-on workshops and practical activities, students learn about waste management, the circular economy, and waste prevention. The programme caters to both younger and older children, offering education sessions about waste prevention to primary schools, and site tours and education sessions to secondary schools. Pre-arranged EcoPark tours are also available for north London community groups, giving residents a chance to see how bulky waste and public recycling is managed at the site.
Chair of NLWA, Councillor Clyde Loakes MBE, said: "EcoPark House is a long-awaited, exciting new space to continue our vital work of educating young people and the community about the journey of their waste, recycling, waste reduction and supporting a circular economy. From its innovative technologies and eco-friendly design features, the centre further demonstrates our commitment to minimising our own environmental impact."
Designed by Grimshaw Architects, the building maximises natural lighting and energy efficiency through eco-friendly features. A green roof helps to support biodiversity and insulation, providing a habitat for various plants and insects and reducing energy consumption from heating and cooling. The building is equipped with a rainwater harvesting system that collects and stores rainwater for non-potable uses such as irrigation and toilet flushing. Adjustable window shading also helps to naturally regulate the temperature, reducing the need for artificial lighting and air conditioning. These smart design elements equate to average savings of £117k on annual operating costs and reduce carbon emissions of over 200 tonnes of CO2 each year.
The building faces onto the River Lee Navigation and is well located to provide a long-term space for Edmonton Sea Cadets, who have used the site since 1942 to celebrate Britain’s maritime heritage. The building will serve as their base again with space to accommodate classroom learning and boating activities on the canal, offering fantastic opportunities for young people in the Edmonton area.
EcoPark House is the final building to be completed at the south of the Edmonton EcoPark site. Construction on the replacement energy recovery facility at the north of the site is underway and continues to progress in several key areas. Once operational, the new facility will replace the 53-year-old existing energy from waste plant, which has reached the end of its operational life. NLHPP will transform Edmonton EcoPark into a modern, sustainable waste hub that will continue to provide vital waste management services to more than two million north London residents.
