Decarbonisation funding scheme in Scotland presents new opportunities for BCIA members

BCIA members could benefit from a new funding scheme launched in Scotland, which will offer up to £20 million in grants to support local authorities, universities and arm’s-length external organisations to decarbonise their buildings.

Scotland’s Public Sector Heat Decarbonisation Fund will eventually replace the existing Scottish Energy Efficiency Loan Scheme, which has been running since 2006 and offered zero interest loans for energy efficiency improvement projects. The new scheme is intended to increase the number of public sector organisations taking forward heat decarbonisation measures in their buildings.

The scheme presents an opportunity for BCIA’s member companies based in Scotland and those throughout BCIA membership that work on large-scale public sector projects to propose building controls as an integral solution in the decarbonisation of Scotland’s public sector estates, supporting Scottish Government in achieving its aims for healthier and more energy efficient buildings.

The funding forms part of the £200 million already committed to the public sector for energy efficiency and renewable heating over the next five years – part of the wider plan to spend £1.8 billion in this current parliamentary session on decarbonising Scotland’s buildings.

Scotland’s Public Sector Heat Decarbonisation Fund is being delivered on behalf of the Scottish Government by Salix Finance, which operates the existing Scottish Energy Efficiency Loan Scheme.

More than £75 million has so far been invested in energy efficiency projects in Scotland through the existing scheme, which is forecast to save the public sector more than £202 million over the lifetime of the projects.

Applications will open via the Salix Finance website later this summer.

Announcements regarding future funding will be made in due course.