23/11/2023 - Permalink

Investment supports Shropshire Council carbon savings projects

Related topics: Assets and estates / Climate change / environment

Grant funding has allowed more than £300,000 to be invested in projects reducing Shropshire Council’s carbon footprint and increasing energy efficiency.

The Sustainable Energy in Public Buildings (SEPuBu) programme, led by Herefordshire Council in partnership with Shropshire Council and Telford and Wrekin Council,  and supported by the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership, has enabled the installation of over 1.68m kWhs of new renewable energy generation capacity and an annual decrease of 509 tonnes of carbon dioxide.

That’s the equivalent of 56,169,345 smartphones charged, or 7,635 tree seedlings grown for 10 years.

The SEPuBu scheme ran from March 2017 and funded a total of 39 individual projects on 31 public buildings that include theatres, libraries, leisure centres and council offices across the three council areas. European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) grants totalling £971,538 were awarded with match funding of £710,250 – total expenditure being £1,681,788.

Grants were made for a range of renewable technologies. The vast majority of projects installed were for LED lighting upgrades, solar PV, air source heat pumps and the installation of EV charging points.

In Shropshire £326, 338 was spent in grants and match funding for nine sites across the county, and the work is expected to make a reduction of more than 55 tonnes of carbon output.

Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury

Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury

  • SpArC, Bishop’s Castle’s leisure centre – the installation of LED lighting and controls will mean an estimated cost saving of £6,343 per year and a carbon saving of 7.85 tCO2e
  • Church Stretton Library – the installation of LED lighting will mean an estimated cost saving of £752.66 per year and a carbon saving of 0.90 tCO2e
  • Shropshire Archives, Shrewsbury – a new building management system will mean an estimated cost saving of £594.21 per year and a carbon saving of 2.7 tCO2e
  • Ludlow Library – the installation of LED lighting will mean an estimated cost saving of £11,353 per year and a carbon saving of 14.70 tCO2e
  • Church Stretton swimming pool – a new building management system will mean an estimated cost saving of £2,114.11 per year and a carbon saving of 9.3 tCO2e
  • Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery – the installation of LED lighting will mean an estimated cost saving of £1,359.84 per year and a carbon saving of 1.85 tCO2e
  • Shrewsbury Library – the installation of LED lighting will mean an estimated cost saving of £5,275 and a carbon saving of 8.72 tCO2e
  • Gobowen Library – the installation of LED lighting will mean an estimated cost saving of £304.47 and a carbon saving of 0.36 tCO2e
  • Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury – the installation of LED lighting will mean an estimated cost saving of £ 5,275 and a carbon saving of 8.72 tCO2e
Energy efficient lighting at Church Stretton Library

Energy efficient lighting at Church Stretton Library

Ian Nellins, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for climate change, transport and the environment, said:-

“I am delighted that these measures have been made possible with funding from the ERDF grants and investment by Shropshire Council.

““We are committed to achieving our net zero goal, and these projects are evidence of another a positive step towards our determination to reduce carbon emissions and achieve net zero by 2030.”

For all the information on what Shropshire Council has achieved towards making its buildings more sustainable click here.

LED lighting at SpArC, Bishop's Castle

LED lighting at SpArC, Bishop’s Castle

Further information

Shropshire Council declared a climate emergency in May 2019, and in December 2020 adopted a Climate Strategy and Action Plan, which establishes the objective of achieving net-zero carbon performance for the council by 2030.

A Climate Change and Carbon Reduction Advisory Board was established in September 2022 to act as a ‘critical friend’ and to assist the implementation and review of the council’s Climate Strategy.

The council’s corporate footprint represents only around one per cent of Shropshire’s total carbon footprint, but the council is able to influence as much as 33 per cent of emissions through its regulatory and support functions. The council is already supporting a wide range of projects and initiatives designed to support local businesses and communities to reduce their carbon emissions.