A carbon neutral estate

We will work towards making the Trust estate carbon neutral through the adoption of green technologies, reducing waste, utilising renewable energy sources and reducing the amount of energy we use.

Through the use of emerging technology, we will strive to eradicate the use of fossil fuels to heat and power our school buildings. We will invest in renewable energy sources, installing solar panels and air source heat pumps to reduce our reliance on external energy sources. Where we do purchase energy, we will commit to purchasing green energy to eliminate the use of non-renewable energy sources by 2030.

By implementing a range of initiatives and utilising technology we will reduce the amount of energy we consume. We have already installed energy efficient LED lighting across the entire Trust estate and have commenced programmes to upgrade heating system controls and install energy efficient IT servers and power management systems across our IT networks. All new builds will be carbon-neutral and sustainable, utilising new technologies and materials to ensure they have a net zero impact on the environment.

We are working to significantly reduce the overall waste produced in our schools, implementing effective energy and water conservation measures, reducing our consumption of products and services, exploring opportunities to reuse and increasing the percentage of waste that is recycled.

Success Criteria

Eradicate the use of fossil fuels across the Trust Estate:

  • Air Source Heat Pumps: Air source heat pumps installed at all schools removing the need for gas powered heating.
  • Solar Panels: Solar panels installed at all schools reducing the need to draw on the grid for electricity.
  • Green Energy: All energy purchased from the grid is from green energy sources.

Reduce energy consumption:

  • LED lighting: Install long life LED lighting across the estate to reduce consumption, reduce
    waste and limit light pollution.
  • Insulation: All our buildings will be insulated, draft proofed and double glazed to reduce the amount of energy needed to heat our schools.
  • Equipment: We will purchase energy efficient refrigerators, freezers, combi-ovens,
    convection ovens and steamers.
  • IT Systems: We will remove servers in our Primary Schools and reduce the numbers of servers in our Secondary Schools to significantly reduce our energy consumption. We will install power management systems across our networks and replace all low power efficient IT storage with solid state devices.

Carbon neutral buildings:

  • New builds: All new builds will be carbon neutral, built using sustainable materials and
    utilising green energy source.

Reduce waste:

  • Waste management: We will reduce the creation of unnecessary waste and we will live the
    principles of reduce, reuse, recycle, minimising the amount of waste that goes to landfill.
  • Water conservation: We will reduce our water usage, exploring opportunities to utilise
    rainwater across the Trust estate.
  • Equipment: End of use equipment will be refurbished to extend its life, be reused in a
    different environment or recycled.

What are we already doing

36 of our schools have energy efficient LED lighting installed.

3 of our schools have air-sourced heat pumps in use with a further 5 in progress.

6 of our schools have upgraded to energy efficient heating system controls.

8 of our schools are generating their own electricity through a solar panel installation.

1 of our schools is reducing their water consumption by using a rainwater harvesting system.

9 of our schools have removed or reduced the number of physical IT servers.

“The problem is aggravated by a model of development based on the intensive use of fossil fuels, which is at the heart of the worldwide energy system.”

Laudato Si, Pope Francis (2015)