Low-carbon construction projects gets £1.5 billion boost

Government investment from the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund and Home Upgrade Grant scheme is seeing more than £1.5 billion of construction work go ahead to install low-carbon measures on properties across England.

The two schemes will see social landlords and charities secure investment from local authorities matched by government to upgrade social housing and private homes with solar panels, as well as retrofitting homes with poor EPC ratings with insulation and other energy saving measures. The Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund and Home Upgrade Grant are collectively worth £1.4 billion, while a raft of other measures, including the £409 million Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, is seeing the public sector estate also move ahead with 144 green energy and insulation projects.

The funding, announced at the end of March, is being rolled out from April 2023 to upgrade homes over the next two years.

Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Grant Shapps, said:

“This is a huge investment that will help households save hundreds on energy bills and see them heat their homes for less, and stay warm for longer.

“Not only this but the funding is also a huge boost for job creation and economic growth, opening up new and exciting opportunities across the UK’s ever-expanding green sector.”

Lord Callanan, Minister for Energy Efficiency and Green Finance, said:

“The UK is truly a world-leader when it comes to reducing carbon emissions and the progress we’ve made over the last decade has been remarkable. But we can’t rest on our laurels and must continue to drive forward progress, setting a standard for other countries to follow.

“Reaching net zero means considerable action from the public sector as well as private sector. Through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme funding allocation announced today, we are empowering public bodies to save the taxpayer hundreds of millions while packing a punch on our ambitious and necessary climate goals.”

In Stockport, the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme has provided a £480,000 grant to to fund a low-carbon heating system and energy efficiency measures at Dial Park Primary School, Offerton, Stockport.