Summary
Declaring a climate emergency in 2019, Barnsley Council set a goal to become carbon neutral by 2040. Partnering with Ameresco on a multi-phased infrastructure project, Phase 1 involved replacing existing coal fired boilers with a new combined heat and power (CHP) and gas fired system. In Phase 2, Ameresco prioritised the decarbonisation of heat. Through Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS) funding, we delivered air source heat pumps (ASHP) across six sites with solar PV and multiple other energy conservation measures.
“In 2019, Barnsley Council called a climate emergency in response to the government’s wish to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. We’re hoping the Council to be carbon neutral by 2040… As part of the decarbonisation of our public assets, which is 2% of the boroughs, we’ve got £4.3 million of government funding. We partnered with Ameresco to implement infrastructure upgrades at mulitiple sites with a range of solutions that have cut down on the Council’s energy usage.”
– Councillor Robert Frost
Cabinet Spokesperson – Regeneration and Culture, Barnsley Council
529 tonnes
Annual CO2 Reduction
400,000 Sq M
Project Scope
2,085,537 kWh
Annual Estimated Energy Savings
£4,000,000
Project Size
Customer Benefits
Based on the IGP scope definition, Ameresco implemented a suite of ECMs to the value of £4 million across the Council’s property portfolio. Energy efficiency measures in addition to renewable energy generation will support Barnsley Council’s target of carbon neutral by 2040. Additional benefits include:
- Annual CO2 emissions reduction of 529 tonnes
- Future-proofed all sites
- Created job opportunities for local contractors during construction phase
- Delivered a fast paced deadline within 12 months of contract signature whilst all sites maintained full operation with no disruption
- Addressed Barnsley’s carbon reduction goals
Solution
Barnsley Council will benefit from significant upgrades to its energy infrastructure. The project was completed in two phases. During Phase 1’s heating system replacement, Ameresco ran a new gas main to the site and refurbished the existing AHU to deliver significant savings. Prioritising decarbonisation during Phase 2, we delivered ASHP across 6 sites with solar PV and multiple other energy conservation measures (ECMs). The BMS was upgraded across all sites to efficiently run the new installations and drive cost and energy savings.
- PSDS funding application, liaising with funding body Salix extensively
- Principle contractor and designer under CDM
- High Level Appraisal (HLA) and Investment Grade Proposal (IGP)
- Full project management, programming and reporting
- Handover training for all sites with O&M manuals
