Crawley Borough Council secures grant funding to develop decarbonisation strategy

The funding was awarded as part of the Phase 5 Public Sector Low Carbon Skills Fund, delivered by Salix and run by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. It provides grants for public sector organisations to engage specialist advice – to help identify ways to improve insulation, replace gas boilers with low carbon alternatives, and generate renewable power.

The council’s funding bid was supported by NetZero Collective, which will deliver a six-month contract to undertake heat loss calculations. NetZero Collective will also create plans to incorporate low-carbon heating alternatives, such as air and ground source heat pumps, across various non-domestic sites, including Three Bridges and Pound Hill community centres. These centres have very old heating systems and need modernisation.

The project will deliver actionable and affordable retrofit measures, ensuring the council is ready to apply for further grant funding to deliver these improvements when future schemes are announced.

Councillor Bob Noyce, Cabinet member for Environment, Sustainability and Climate Change at Crawley Borough Council, said: “Reducing carbon emissions is a priority for us. These centres have old, outdated heating systems and this grant funding will allow us to look at models for the future. Not only will this reduce our carbon footprint but also ensure that they are much more cost effective in the future.”

Neil Waite, Director at NetZero Collective, said: “NetZero Collective has a proven track record of supporting successful grant applications, and we were pleased to work with Crawley Borough Council to secure these funds. We are committed to delivering high-quality, cost-effective solutions that will pave the way for the council to achieve its decarbonisation goals."

Salix programme manager for the Low Carbon Skills Fund Christoper Masters said: “This is such an important part of Crawley’s net zero journey.

“It’s good news for the community, because it means these important local venues will be given a new lease of life and be more comfortable places to enjoy. We look forward to working with the council and seeing the progress made and share its plans for the future.”