Council secures £4.5m external funding boost for greener buildings 

A £4.5m grant from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme will enable us to make five of our buildings, including Putney Leisure Centre, more sustainable and cut energy use by 92%.

Meanwhile two borough schools will get improvements thanks to a £200,000 grant from the Mayor of London’s new Green Schools scheme, saving around £15,000 on each school’s energy bill.

Cabinet member for Environment, Paul White said: “It’s great news that we have secured this money. Sound financial management is at the heart of everything we do and by putting in successful bids and bringing external funding into Wandsworth we can maximise value while keeping council tax low.

“More energy efficient public buildings are a key part of our journey towards net zero creating a more sustainable future for our borough.”

Several projects will be funded under the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, and work could include insulation, heat pumps, improvements to windows and roofs and the installation of building management systems, which use a computer to optimise efficiency across the building’s electrical and mechanical systems like lighting and security. The council will also put £3.3m into the work.

We have chosen the following buildings to achieve the best results from the grant:

• Putney Leisure Centre (in addition to the recently completed work)
• Oakdene Residential Unit
• Gwynneth Morgan Day Centre
• Falcon Grove
• Wandsworth Town Hall

The work across these five sites is expected to deliver a 92% reduction in energy consumption and save approximately 570 tonnes of carbon emissions, solely within these settings.

The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme is run by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and delivered by the non-departmental public body Salix. It provides grants to support its aim of reducing emission from public sector buildings by 75% by 2037.

Two borough primary schools will also be made more energy efficient thanks to money from the Mayor of London’s Greener Schools scheme.

Garratt Park and Smallwood primary schools in Tooting will each receive £100,000. Details are yet to be agreed but work could include measures such as insulation, LED lights, solar panels and heat pumps. In all, the 38 schools across London that are receiving funding are expected to save an average of almost £15,000 a year.

Decarbonising council buildings is a key action in our climate action plan. Wandsworth’s ambition is to become a net zero council by 2030 and to help the whole borough reach net zero by 2043.

Other work includes supporting greener transport, improving air quality, investing in parks and encouraging biodiversity, increasing recycling and supporting residents and businesses to reduce their carbon footprint. 

Director of public sector decarbonisation at Salix, Ian Rodger said: “We’re pleased to support Wandsworth Councils in the journey to net zero. The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme will help reduce carbon emissions which is a key factor in our drive to help combat climate change.

“As the council works to reduce carbon emissions, it will also enable the buildings to be more comfortable places in which to visit and work.”