Successful completion of GB Energy Solar Partnership Programme

Place Group, part of the Barker Consortium, successfully completed the programme to help schools in the north west reduce their energy consumption and carbon emissions.

79 schools and colleges supported across England, primarily in the North West, were selected to participate in a year’s long programme of technical and behaviour change interventions, including installation of solar PV panels, LED lighting and EV charging points, heat decarbonisation plans and controls optimisation, water and ICT waste initiatives, and a behaviour change programme led by Let’s Go Zero.

The programme followed from the Consortium’s successful Net Zero Accelerator Programme for the DfE.

Headline Facts

• 65 settings serving higher-than-average disadvantaged communities, based on FSM eligibility
• 33,450 students reached directly and indirectly through assemblies, workshops and curriculum-linked activity
• 3,752 staff engaged, strengthening whole-school capability and leadership
• 58 bespoke climate action plans delivered, with 20 more in progress
• 1,610 sustainability actions agreed across participating settings
• 448 tCO2e saved to date, with a further 5,426 tCO2e forecast as actions are completed
• At least 10% reduction in energy use achieved through behaviour change alone. Combined with action and controls optimisation, this is likely to increase to c.20%
• 85 in-person school visits delivered, enabling tailored, high-trust support