City gets £24m to cut carbon
SCHOOLS AND OTHER PUBLIC BUILDING TO BE MADE GREENER
THE city council has successfully bid for just over £24 million of government cash which will be used to cut carbon emissions from more than 90 schools, leisure centres, libraries and community centres.
The money, from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, will be topped up by £860,000 from the council and will pay for old boilers to be replaced by modern, clean heat pumps, lighting that uses less power, solar panels and double glazing.
It is estimated the energy efficiency improvements will cut the emission of 3,000 tons of carbon dioxide per year – the equivalent average annual emissions produced by more than 900 homes or 1,600 cars.
It will also slash the council’s annual energy bills by over £680,000 and is a major step in the council’s ambition to become carbon neutral by at least 2030.
There are 55 schools earmarked for improvements as well as 37 other public buildings.
These include De Montfort Hall which will see its stage and auditorium lighting replaced with energyefficient LEDs.
Most buildings will also see the installation of solar PV panels to help generate low-cost renewable energy.
The overall programme could see more than 2,800 solar panels installed, enough to cover more than 4,600 square metres.
The panels will help generate over 1.7million kWh of green energy per year.
Environment spokesman Councillor Adam Clarke said: “We are acutely aware the need to retrofit existing buildings is among the biggest challenges presented by the climate
THUMBS UP: Paul Carrack at De Montfort Hall in February 2020. The stage and auditorium lights are to be replaced with LEDs emergency. This funding will be a massive boost to the city’s ambitious aims to become carbon neutral by 2030 or sooner.
“Through a major programme of investment in our buildings, we will help dramatically cut carbon emissions.
“In doing so, we will also help to save hundreds of thousands of pounds each year in energy costs – something that’s very welcome in these times.
“Alongside our £80 million investment in sustainable transport to support the city’s growth and work already under way on the £13.5 milllion carbon neutral St Margaret’s bus station, this investment represents another huge step forward in our city-wide response to the climate emergency.
“It is vital we maintain this momentum and continue to work with partners and central government to deliver on our ambitious vision for Leicester.”
Leicester Conservatives spokeswoman and former energy minister Baroness Verma, said: “I know schools across our city have long wanted to replace the old and inefficient energy systems which are very damaging for the environment and costly to run.
“This investment by the government will save needed funds through lower energy costs for the schools and help our city become carbon neutral.” extraordinarily challenging