North West academies set to benefit from sustainability agenda led by United Learning
A cross-academy sustainability focus will benefit four academies in Manchester and Salford thanks to a decarbonisation programme run by one of the UK’s most-established Multi Academy Trusts.
United Learning, which comprises schools across the country, aims to have a positive impact on its local communities beyond its schools. As part of this, it has committed to reducing its carbon emissions associated with its day-to-day operations and is working towards a goal of becoming carbon neutral.
In a sustainability journey document submitted to the Department for Education in 2023, United Learning said:
“We are educating the next generation for their future lives, and we are all conscious that those lives will be profoundly shaped by decisions this generation makes affecting our climate and environment.”
We are educating the next generation for their future lives, and we are all conscious that those lives will be profoundly shaped by decisions this generation makes affecting our climate and environment.
Recent estate development works undertaken by United Learning in the North West focus on the replacement of fossil fuel boilers and accompanying energy efficiency works at three secondary schools - The Albion Academy, Salford Academy and Manchester Academy - and one primary school - Marlborough Road Academy - in Manchester and Salford.
The group was awarded grant funding totalling £4,025,255 for works across the four sites under Phase 3b of the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme. This represents around 50% of the total cost of the work, with the remainder being met from United Learning’s capital funds. Funding is being delivered by Salix on behalf of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.
We were on the ground in Manchester to meet with key stakeholders from the schools and discuss how the works are progressing, and the anticipated influence they will have over the school community, particularly the students and staff who use the spaces.
During the visit we were delighted to discuss project progress, key successes, milestones and challenges and delays faced. Our video features a discussion on why these projects are so important with Manchester Academy Principal James Eldon.
Hosted by United Learning Deputy Director of Estates Herpreet K Rayet-Boughey, the morning started at Manchester Academy, an 11-16 secondary school with just over 1,000 students.
The project at Manchester Academy was awarded £1,249,247 in Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme funding to support the installation of two air source heat pumps for heating and hot water respectively, plus supporting energy efficiency measures through LED lighting, building management system (BMS) upgrades and renewable energy generation via solar photo voltaics (pv).
Manchester Academy Principal James Eldon said: “I think there are two reasons why the project is important.
“One is, obviously we're looking to save some money. So, in the long term we're really wanting to maximise the budget for our students and obviously if we reduce our outgoings in terms of energy, that's got a bonus for learning.
“But the second thing is that we're all really interested in sustainability. We're doing a lot of work in the academy around improving green usage within the school, so this is just another facet of that, and the children are really interested.”
Watch the video below to hear more about the project from James.
Watch: Manchester Academy Principal James Eldon speaks on recent decarbonisation works.
We then visited the three other schools in Salford, where works under the scheme are ongoing.
The scope of these projects is similar to that at Manchester Academy, incorporating air-source heat pumps for heating and hot water combined with energy efficiency measures and renewable energy generation.
In all three cases, works are due to complete before the start of the 2024/25 academic year.
Purposeful perseverance
Although the projects have faced their individual challenges such as delays in securing planning permission and lengthy delivery timeframes for the heat pumps, the commitment that those involved have had to adjusting their plans and persevering with the works has played an important role in their success.
Client support officer at Salix Ned Jordan said: “Each of the projects undertaken by United Learning has faced a slightly different set of challenges.
“But the dedication and perseverance of those involved has ensured that they were able to adapt, adjust, and stay on the right track toward completion, albeit a few months later than initially anticipated.”
The works undertaken by United Learning in Manchester and Salford demonstrate the importance and power in a sustainability-driven agenda, and the commitment the group has made to ensuring that their facilities remain functional and suitable for generations to come.
The dedication and perseverance of those involved has ensured that they were able to adapt, adjust, and stay on the right track toward completion, albeit a few months later than initially anticipated.
