Energy-saving projects across West Sussex schools and county council buildings are expected to cut bills by £63,463 a year and save 74 tonnes of carbon emissions annually.
West Sussex County Council’s Energy Reinvestment Fund is off to a flying start just over a year after its launch, with lighting and heating upgrades already delivering savings.
Councillor Natasha Davie, Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change, said: “The Energy Reinvestment Fund is a great example of a home-grown West Sussex initiative delivering practical improvements while reducing both energy costs and carbon emissions.
“By reinvesting the savings we make, we can continue supporting more projects across our schools and council buildings. It shows how relatively small improvements at individual sites can add up to a significant environmental and financial impact across the county.”
Energy-efficient lighting upgrades have already been completed at:
- Arunside Primary School
- Crawley Fire Station and Crawley Library
- Felpham Community College
- Haywards Heath Fire Station
- Northleigh in Chichester
- Hurstpierpoint, Steyning and Bognor libraries
- East Preston Fire Station
- Chidham Primary School
- Ferring Library
- Sackville School.
A heating controls project has also been completed at Angmering School.
The completed projects are expected to save around 1,608 tonnes of carbon emissions over the lifetime of the technology installed.
And there is more to come. Six further projects are in delivery, taking the expected savings from completed and approved projects to £76,305 a year, 87 tonnes of carbon emissions annually and around 1,925 tonnes over the lifetime of the technology.
The fund was set up with an initial allocation from the council’s capital budget. Repayments from completed projects feed back into the fund, allowing the money to be reinvested in further energy-saving improvements.
Projects are assessed internally against criteria agreed when the fund was established. To qualify, they must pay back their costs within ten years and meet requirements for lifetime carbon savings.
The fund supports the council’s commitment to protect the environment through its Energy Strategy and Climate Action and Adaptation Plan.
It was launched following the closure of the national Salix Recycling Fund, previously used by the council to support similar energy-saving projects.
