Scottish government announces grant funding to decarbonise public sector buildings

The Scottish government has launched a new funding scheme offering up to £20 million in grants to support local authorities, universities and arm’s-length external organisations decarbonise their buildings.

The new Public Sector Heat Decarbonisation Fund will replace the existing Scottish Energy Efficiency Loan Scheme, which has been running since 2006.

It is hoped the new scheme will increase the number of public sector organisations taking forward heat decarbonisation measures in their buildings.

The fund is being delivered on behalf of the Scottish Government by Salix Finance and applications will open via the Salix Finance website later this summer.

Zero carbon buildings minister Patrick Harvie said: “Scotland’s buildings account for approximately a fifth of all our emissions and our aim is to ensure that, by 2045, our buildings no longer contribute to climate change. This means that our schools, offices, hospitals, libraries and homes will all need to improve their energy efficiency and install zero emissions heating.

“Public sector bodies have already achieved a lot, but we need to go further. The design of the new scheme reflects the changing needs of the sector, allowing public sector organisations to invest in projects with higher capital costs and which cannot always be invested in on a spend to save basis.

“Moving from a loan scheme to direct grant awards for the first time represents a very significant commitment from the Scottish Government to support the delivery of these challenging targets.”

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