Energy efficiency loan plan for schools

Schools in County Durham are likely to be offered loans to make energy efficiency improvements.

DurhamCountyCouncil’s cabinetwillthisweekmeetto discuss the council’s school loans scheme, which currently allows local authority schools to borrow money for one-off capital projects, such as buildings or new IT equipment.

The council is now considering an amendment to the scheme to include energy efficiency investments.

On Wednesday, the cabinet will be asked to agree to remove restrictions on loans for projects designed to increase the energy efficiency in schools.

CllrTedHenderson,cabinetmemberforchildrenand youngpeople’sservices,said: “Ourschoolestateisakeyfactor in our ambition to reduce carbon emissions across the county and our own operations. By adjusting our loan plan to make it more accessible for schools to finance energy efficiency projects, more improvements can be carried out. This will significantly contribute to our goal to reduce carbon emissions by 80% by 2030. Energy efficiency improvements can often be self-financing, covering any initial borrowing costs.

“We want our climate ambitions tobeattheheartof futureprojects.For this reason, carbon emissions and energy efficiency will be considered in all future building works, even in cases where the purpose of the works is not directly linked to improving energy efficiency.

"Any reduction in carbon emissions that we can make across our buildings will not only bring benefits to the environmentbutalsowillassist usinmeetingourclimatetargets.”