The first stage of a £350,000 review into how to decarbonise 69 schools in Cumbria has been completed.
The review, funded by the Government, will eventually result in plans being drawn up for the schools which are the responsibility of Westmorland & Furness Council.
Specialists were commissioned to gather information, which will inform individual proposals for each school, including what work is needed to increase the green credentials of buildings and how budget savings could be achieved on school energy costs.
The work will help the council to apply for further funding to carry out the upgrades.
The final report will focus on how existing heating systems could be replaced with updated, lower-carbon electrical alternatives and outline proposals for building improvements. These improvements include enhanced insulation and renewable energy options to help schools run more efficiently and reduce costs.
Andrew Jarvis, Westmorland and Furness Council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for finance, said: “Our annual budget for school maintenance during 2025/26 is £5.046m.
“We need to spend this in the best way to ensure that our 69 schools provide a high standard of accommodation and to do this in a way that is sustainable and energy efficient.”
“These heat decarbonisation and condition surveys will inform our future planning and funding applications, to improve our portfolio of buildings and reduce the amount of carbon emitted from them.”
