Bradford College receives £2.6m grant to help tackle climate change

Bradford College has been awarded a £2.6m grant for energy efficiency work which will contribute to ambitious national net zero targets.

Delivered by Salix and led by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Phase 3c of the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS) aims to reduce energy bills and reduce carbon emissions.

The scheme targets public sector buildings that still use fossil fuels for heating, hot water and food. In total, more than £530m is being handed to schools, hospitals, fire stations, universities and other public buildings across the country to help tackle climate change.

With a contribution from Bradford College taking the total funding to over £3m, the project will connect the David Hockney Building and Advanced Technology Center to the Bradford energy grid by March 2026. Grids like this produce large-scale heat from same source. to buildings that are miles apart.

Bradford has one of the largest air source heat pump installations in the UK. Buildings on the Bradford district heating network will benefit from an 85-90% reduction in emissions, helping to reduce city-wide emissions by around 8,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in the first phase of the network.

Bradford College is one of 189 public sector organizations nationwide to receive grants for heat decarbonisation and energy efficiency schemes. The work will also include improvements to hot water distribution systems, pipe insulation and transmitter and substation upgrades.

Pamela Sheldon, Head of Projects at Bradford College, said:

“Bradford College is committed to reducing its carbon footprint. This latest funding will be a huge boost to our decarbonisation strategy. Over the past two years, Bradford College has secured almost £32 million in funding incorporating the PSDS grant. This substantial investment helps us to rethink, remodel, relaunch and rebuild aspirational new sustainable facilities in the heart of Bradford.”

The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme was launched in 2020 and Phase 3 of the scheme was announced in 2021 to reduce fossil fuel consumption and make public buildings more comfortable and efficient to heat. Phase 3c is the latest funding released by the Department of Energy Security to achieve net zero goals.

Director of Programs at Salix Ian Rodger said:

“The climate crisis is one of the greatest challenges of our time and we are delighted to be working with Bradford College to reduce its carbon footprint.

“Our teams will work closely with the college as it progresses on its decarbonisation journey, ensuring these buildings not only become more energy efficient, but better places to work and study.”
Alongside this grant, other upcoming capital works at Bradford College include improving the structure of buildings for optimal thermal performance, incorporating high levels of daylight to reduce artificial light sources in new buildings, energy efficient LED lighting and optimizing light control, as well as adding social value by targeting the workforce and supply chains of local SMEs.

The PSDS grant comes as Bradford College has been announced as the winner of the national Planet Earth Games – the largest sustainability competition for the UK’s further education sector. Students and staff were encouraged to take part in various green challenges to earn college points, from tree planting and litter picking to green commuting. With more than 3,000 good deeds for the planet undertaken since January, Bradford College has topped the national ranking of FE colleges.

Find out more about the latest Bradford College Capital Projects news: www.bradfordcollege.ac.uk/capitalprojects