- £28m available to make public buildings cheaper to run and
cut emissions
- Fund will help public sector buildings like schools, local
authority premises, community/mental health NHS trusts and
foundation trusts install new solar panels, insulation and
low-carbon heating systems
- Public Building Retrofit Fund will support Greater
Manchester's ambition to be carbon neutral by 2038 - 12 years
ahead of the national target
Public sector organisations across Greater Manchester will soon
be able to apply for a new £28 million fund to help make their
buildings warmer, cheaper to run, and less reliant on fossil
fuels.
The Public Building Retrofit Fund (PBRf) will provide capital
funding between 2025 and 2028, supporting work to cut emissions
from heating and improve energy efficiency across our city
region's public estate.
This includes local authority buildings like town halls, state
schools, community and mental health NHS trusts and foundation
trusts.
It will support public bodies towards Greater Manchester's
ambition to be carbon neutral by 2038 -12 years ahead of the
national target - through emission-slashing upgrades like
insulation, low-carbon heating systems, LED lighting, and even
renewable energy such as solar panels.
Heating buildings accounts for 9% of the UK's total emissions and
switching away from fossil fuel systems like gas boilers is a
major challenge.
Our five-year environment
plan highlights how Greater Manchester has already taken
practical steps towards our carbon neutral target by investing
£120 million in retrofitting 225 schools, leisure centres and
public buildings.
It also sets out how we're leading a shift to clean green energy
by addressing both risks and opportunities around climate
challenges, as well as halting and reversing biodiversity
loss.
It's all part of our vision for the next
decade to create a thriving city region where everyone can
live a good life. By boosting resilience to climate change across
our towns and cities, we'll make sure communities across Greater
Manchester can live in a safe, healthy, low carbon, nature-rich
environment.
Councillor , Greater Manchester Lead for Green City-Region,
said:“Decarbonising our public buildings is a vital part
of our journey to net zero and this fund will give local
organisations the support they need to take action.
“The Greater Manchester Five-Year Environment Plan commits us to
creating a carbon neutral, climate resilient city-region, and
retrofit is central to that. This is about reducing carbon, but
it's also about creating jobs, supporting innovation, and making
sure the benefits of greener growth are felt across all our
communities.”
Three application rounds will be rolled out, each involving a
two-stage assessment. The first application round is now
live.
Funding will be allocated over three financial years:
Projects supported through the fund are expected to take a
whole-building approach to decarbonisation, although phased
upgrades will also be considered.
This means that improvements could range from installing heat
pumps to upgrading lighting - all of which help to reduce energy
use and carbon emissions.
The public sector plays a key role in leading Greater
Manchester's transition to net zero. This commitment is central
to our work ensuring the wellbeing of future generations.
As well as cutting emissions, the fund encourages a further drive
towards green innovation, support for more local jobs, and the
delivery of warmer, more efficient buildings for all residents
across the city region over the next decade.
Registration for the first round of funding is now live. Visit
the GMCA website for more information: https://www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/what-we-do/environment/homes-workplaces-and-public-buildings/public-building-retrofit-fund
Notes to editors
- Further details on the three application rounds will be
announced on the GMCA website.
- Funding allocations may be adjusted depending on the number
and quality of bids received.
- Buildings eligible to apply are:
- Local authorities (including town and parish councils)
- State schools (maintained schools, academies, multi-academy
trusts and free schools)
- Further education providers
- Local authority-maintained nursery schools
- Community and mental health NHS trusts and foundation trusts
(excluding acute trusts)
- Buildings not eligible to apply are:
- GP practices, unless they are contracting authorities of an
eligible NHS trust and directly responsible for building
maintenance
- Higher Education institutions such as universities
