Manufacturer of intelligent building control technology, Priva is urging local authorities to move quickly to apply for a share of £1bn fund - the detail of which was published by BEIS this week. Building management systems - specifically BEMs systems which are either bureau managed, remotely managed or not managed, are listed as eligible technologies.
Applications opened to eligible organisations from 30 September; closing dates depend on the type of eligible organisation - ranging from 12 October 2020, to 11 January 2021.
The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, which will be administered and delivered by Salix Finance, will help councils install energy efficiency and low carbon heating measures, reducing energy bills and carbon emissions. The scheme is also expected to create up to 30,000 low-carbon jobs.
This scheme is designed to enable new projects and those projects already started or completed are not eligible as they do not meet the additionality criteria. However, if a project is currently underway and that project can be expanded with additional scope, an application for grant funding for that expansion can be made.
Business and energy secretary, Alok Sharma, said: 'Our plan to upgrade the nation’s buildings and help build back better is good news for jobs, the environment and people’s back pockets, as we reduce emissions and help cut energy bills.'
Gavin Holvey, general manager, UK & Ireland believes that the £1bn funding mechanism will not only stimulate the low carbon economy, it will catalyse essential change to in the pathway to net zero by 2050. “This is a very significant pot of money,” he says. “But, the opportunity must not be squandered. We have very ambitious targets to reach net zero – and our existing built infrastructure needs a great deal of investment to bring it up to standard. We, and our network of partners, stand ready and willing to work with the public sector act swiftly and reap the rewards of modern building management technologies.”
This energy efficiency plan forms part of the government’s wider efforts to ensure the UK meets its legally binding target to reach net zero emissions by 2050 and build back greener from coronavirus.