Salix Schools - Switching to Low Energy

29th June 2015

In partnership with the Department for Education and the Department for Energy and Climate Change, Salix is launching a research pilot project for a limited amount of state-maintained schools across England. The schools selected to take part in the pilot will receive a comprehensive energy and carbon reduction survey. This will identify what measures can be implemented in order for the school to lower their energy bills as much as possible and move towards being best practice in energy efficiency.

The purpose of this research project is to review the potential for how different funding models can be utilised to enable schools to reach best practice with regards to their energy efficiency. Therefore different funding options, including Salix funding, will be reviewed when the school is ready to implement the measures identified in the site survey.

Survey costs will range from £2,500 to £5,000 (ex VAT) dependent upon the size of the school, this cost will be covered in the Salix loan value if the school proceeds with the projects. The end report will include detailed recommendations for energy improvements, with a specific outline for each of the measures enabling projects to be directly procured from clear forms for quotation produced from the survey detail.

Recommendations in the survey will include:

• ‘No cost’ behavioural issues (including control adjustments)
• Energy Efficiency Compliant projects that can be funded by Salix (i.e. less than 8 year payback and £200/tCO2)
• Longer payback & Solar Renewable projects that are not Salix compliant, but which could potentially be supported through alternative funding.  Options will be explored with the school, local authority and DfE.  (It should be noted that it may also be possible to obtain partial Salix funding for some of the longer payback measures).

In order to qualify for this pilot scheme you will need to have your governors on board and be keeping your local authority involved. You will also need to be able to process direct debits in the event of applying to Salix for an interest-free loan to cover the cost of the survey and specified measures.

Please note, this scheme is not available for academy schools. The scheme is open for all state-maintained schools in England to apply.

If your school is interested in taking part in the Salix Schools: Switching to Low Energy programme then please complete the Expression of Interest form by Friday 17th July by following the link on the top right hand side of this page. To submit your Expression of Interest or if you want any further information, please do not hesitate to contact us via email.

Timeline for applicants:

Salix is inviting applications to undertake surveys over the summer term and holidays, with an aim to procure and implement projects from the autumn term onwards.

For further information please click here for the Information Flyer or visit Salix's website.