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Seven schools have been selected to take part in a decarbonisation pilot, led by the Department for Education (DfE).
The pilot will see schools benefit from new low-carbon heating solutions, as well as improvements to the buildings fabric to make the school more thermal efficient, all procured through Fusion 21 frameworks.
Where necessary, the schools’ building fabric will be improved with upgrades ranging from new electrics, roofs and ceilings to new doors and windows.
The contractors were appointed via Fusion 21’s Decarbonisation and Heating & Renewables frameworks which ensures housing, local authority, education, blue light and health sectors maximise social value in contracts.
Schools involved in the pilot and the estimated makeover value:
| Trust name | School | Contractor and Fusion21 framework used | Estimated total value | School location |
| Waterton Academy Trust | West End Academy | Kensa Contracting Ltd: Heating and Renewables Framework | £3m | Wakefield |
| The Rose Learning Trust | Richmond Hill Primary Academy | Kensa Contracting Ltd: Heating and Renewables Framework | £3.4m | Doncaster |
| North West Academies Trust | Acton CofE Primary Academy | GRAHAM Asset Management Ltd t/a GRAHAM: Decarbonisation Framework | £2m | Nantwich |
| North West Academies Trust | Calveley Primary Academy | GRAHAM Asset Management Ltd t/a GRAHAM: Decarbonisation Framework | £1.8m | Tarporley |
| BMAT | Roydon Primary Academy | Dodd Group (Midlands) Limited: Heating and Renewables Framework | £2.1m | Essex |
| Midsomer Norton Schools Partnership | Peasedown St John Primary School | Dodd Group (Midlands) Limited: Heating and Renewables Framework | £3.4m | Bath |
| St Mary’s Academy | St Mary’s Academy | Dodd Group (Midlands) Limited: Heating and Renewables Framework | £2.9m | Hitchin |
Oliver Mooney, Head of Category at Fusion21, said:
It is fantastic to have been involved in such an important Department for Education project and to support the schools who used our framework to appoint the contractors for these transformational, multi-million pound improvement works which will vastly improve the buildings, bring huge energy savings and carbon emission reductions and ensure pupils, teachers and parents are playing an important role in decarbonisation and Net Zero ambitions.
Research found that in 2019 schools alone were spending around £630m per annum on energy – with today’s figure expected to be much higher.
