Budgeting for energy and net zero

Zenergi
September 6, 2023

The government’s introduction of funding, primarily focused on the decarbonisation of heating, has helped many schools get a head start on their net zero journey. We share our top tips for preparing for funding success if you’re one of the schools that has missed out on the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS) or Low Carbon Skills Fund (LCSF). 

  1. Commission a Heat Decarbonisation Plan

    The schemes’ criteria are more complex with each new round. They require detailed technical calculations that are best derived through site surveys by engineers, making it essential to have a comprehensive Heat Decarbonisation Plan that captures the necessary data.
  1. Budget for decarbonisation

    Successful applicants will increasingly be expected to subsidise project costs, meaning school business professionals will need to demonstrate allowances in their budget to have any success in gaining funding.
  1. Consider alternatives

    Prepare for a new round of the Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) which provides successful applicants with a non-repayable grant to allow them to address significant areas of poor building condition. The fund also supports a small proportion of building expansion projects that meet certain criteria. 

For help with Heat Decarbonisation Plans and applications for PSDS and CIF, contact us at bepositive@zenergi.co.uk