Stage 1 Decarbonisation Plan: Energy Audit

Warneford Consulting has been providing energy procurement, management, and funding options for academy schools for some years and Tim Warneford identified a gap in the market for the provision of a survey that focused on what cost and carbon savings were appropriate for each individual school.

Tim felt that in too many cases, energy audits and surveys were recommending renewable installations that were not appropriate; that the school building was being asked to adapt as opposed to the other way around.

All schools want to play their part in reducing carbon emissions and contributing to a more sustainable future but rarely does one size fit all.

Not all school buildings are the same, not all District Network Operators are the same, and big questions remain over who is responsible for funding the large-scale additional infrastructure required to decarbonise the school estate.

Furthermore, there was not sufficient focus on how to balance the competing demands of carbon and cost reduction and how and who would pay for such capital works.

Work Undertaken

Partnering with experienced sector expert, James Smurthwaite, of Green Net Zero, Tim and James designed, developed, and piloted a new energy survey to give tailored results for individual schools.

The product differs from others on the market, as it provides a clear picture of the energy and carbon used in school buildings and defines a clear path as to the measures that can be implemented to reduce this over time. 

Results 

The information is displayed clearly and concisely, with return on investments, and a link to asset replacement plans. Consequently, key decision-makers are empowered to strategise their expenditures, for both present and future improvement projects.