Carbon Survey
Our on-site Carbon Survey (available in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales) is guaranteed to identify quick and effective ways to reduce energy wastage in your school, typically yielding a 20% cut in energy costs.
The survey is designed to identify short-term low (or even zero) cost changes, through to longer-term improvements in equipment and infrastructure.
So far, the carbon surveys have resulted in a 20% reduction on average in UK schools’ energy costs. This has resulted in more money being available for what matters most – investing in the future of students.
Not only can you save money, but lower energy usage also results in a reduced impact on the environment – giving the next generation a promising future in more ways than one.
So, if you’re ready to turn wasted energy into opportunities for your students, apply for an on-site Carbon Survey today.
Collaborative Low Carbon Schools Service
This year-long programme is designed to increase capacity and knowledge around energy efficiency in the local authority schools estate. The service enables local authorities and schools to drive quick payback, low cost, energy saving measures.
Seven steps to effective school Carbon Management
The service covers seven key steps to effective school Carbon Management, giving a structured approach and powerful tools to gather and analyse school energy data. By training the schools to identify energy saving opportunities, the programme helps make the business case for energy reduction in both the short and long term.
 | Creating a team of local authority & school stakeholders, recruiting pilot schools group, defining required outcomes |
 | Developing a plan for communications and engagement throughout the programme |
 | Exploring drivers and barriers to carbon reduction in schools and defining areas of focus |
 | Collecting and understanding data on current school carbon emissions, setting targets for improvement |
 | Developing capability of local authorities and schools through on and off site workshops, training, advice and support |
 | Creating cost-effective plans to cut emissions and save money, in line with agreed programme outcomes |
 | Rollout of the support developed through the Low Carbon Schools Service to the wider schools estate |
What do you get?
The Collaborative Low Carbon Schools Service offers support through national and regional workshops, tools, webinars, and on-site training to learn about technical and change management aspects of carbon reduction. The pilot programme is currently generating average payback periods of under a year, with immediate returns of 8% to 30% on actual energy bills in the first 6 months being demonstrated.
How do you apply?
Our service starts in May each year and requires a minimum commitment of two days a week for 10 months. If you would like your organisation to be considered for the next phase, please email publicsector@carbontrust.co.uk, and include:
- title, forename and surname
- position and organisation
- telephone number
- annual energy bill, and what this bill includes
Requirements:
- Dedicated Project Leader to input into the programme
- Participation cost of £9-20k
- Senior management sign off for participation
Direct support for schools
We also provide direct support to schools in reducing your carbon emissions; please visit our schools carbon saving advice page for further details, or speak to your local authority to encourage them to sign up for this programme.
Strategic Design Advice (SDA)
Accredited expertise to help identify and implement carbon reduction in the design, construction and review of new or large developments. The Carbon Trust, together with a small pool of highly-skilled and accredited consultants, will work with your team to challenge conventional design standards and provide strategic interventions to ensure that carbon and life-cycle costs are accounted for throughout the design process. Advice is provided in two areas, Low Carbon Buildings Design Advice and Data Centre Design Advice.
Low Carbon Buildings (LCBDA)
Three streams of work are available to help customers planning a new development, or refurbishment project.
- Stream 1: New build construction and multi-site template designs. Working with your design team, this service aims to set buildings’ emissions targets and meet them through strategic interventions during the design and build process.
- Stream 2: The Carbon Manager. The Carbon Manager can be engaged at any point through the construction process to act as a “critical friend” on issues relating to the carbon impact of the build process, embodied carbon, life-cycle assessments and value engineering and post-occupancy evaluation.
- Stream 3: Decentralised energy. Support to the public sector and developers on local energy networks incorporating renewable technologies and district heating
Ideally, the customer is engaged early on in order to optimally influence decisions around site selection, building orientation, architectural and passive design, as well as energy strategies including renewables.
Carbon saving advice
Learn the key saving opportunities for schools, along with publications, tools, and advice on energy saving topics to help your school reduce energy costs and cut carbon emissions.
Case Studies
St Edward’s College
St Edward’s College, a voluntary-aided school in Liverpool, has 1,150 pupils from 11 to 18 years old. With restricted budgets and annual energy costs of £55,600, St Edward’s College was eager to reduce its energy consumption, particularly when any savings could be used for extra college materials.
Friends School
The Friends’ School in Essex wanted to reduce the yearly cost (£8,500) of heating its swimming pool. A pool cover purchased with a loan from the Carbon Trust has enabled the school to save over £2,000 per year in energy bills.