Salix puts net zero challenges top of the agenda 365 days of the year
“Climate action is everyday action, not a one-off event” Salix CEO Emma Clancy on climate change and COP28
COP28.
You’ve probably seen this name in the headlines over the past few days. COP28 is the acronym given to the 28th annual ‘conference of parties’, which is currently taking place in the United Arab Emirates running until Tuesday 12 December.
It brings together representatives from all corners of the globe for one common purpose: to discuss how to limit and prepare for future climate change. This year 70,000 delegates are expected to attend.
During the conference, the topic of climate change is forefront of media and of mind. However, in many cases, this forefront of attention will stop at the conclusion of the conference.
Outside of the conversations and attention during the 11-day conference period what is encouraging to know is that there are public sector organisations and personnel – engineers, scientists, energy experts and more – right here in the UK that are working year-round to deliver tangible results when it comes to reducing their emissions.
Salix is constantly inspired by the number of people – from head teachers to caretakers to school governors – who have been positively consumed by the desire to make a difference.
At Salix, we work with the UK public sector to deliver on our net zero ambitions every day. We’re incredibly proud to work alongside passionate, knowledgeable people and organisations who are working hard towards the net zero targets set by the UK government – the same targets discussed at events such as COP28.
Salix CEO Emma Clancy said: “It’s important that we demonstrate that the topic of climate change isn’t just a conversation or a greenwashing trend.
“Many UK public sector bodies are working throughout the year in a bid to act upon the conversation, the goals that have been set, and to tackle the climate emergency head-on.
“Climate action is everyday action, not a one-off event, and these organisations don’t always get the credit that their year-round efforts deserve.
“So, while there’s heightened awareness focused in the climate space, we wanted to spotlight some of the amazing progress that the UK public sector has made and the funding that has helped them to get there.”
It’s important that we demonstrate that the topic of climate change isn’t just a conversation or a greenwashing trend.
Many UK public sector bodies are working throughout the year in a bid to act upon the conversation, the goals that have been set, and to tackle the climate emergency head-on.
Climate action is everyday action, not a one-off event, and these organisations don’t always get the credit that their year-round efforts deserve.
So, while there’s heightened awareness focused in the climate space, we wanted to spotlight some of the amazing progress that the UK public sector has made and the funding that has helped them to get there.
How the UK public sector is paving the way
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero released 2022 UK greenhouse gas emissions, provisional figures on 30 March 2023, which indicates that the largest contributor for public-sector emissions is a result of natural gas for heating purposes.
Multiple funding schemes in England, Scotland and Wales have been announced to support public sector organisations to step away from fossil fuel and to invest in low-carbon alternatives and energy efficiency measures that help to retain heat.
As the delivery partner for government across many of these schemes, Salix works closely with public sector bodies across the UK to ensure that projects are reasonable, and delivering to the objectives they aim to achieve with the agreed timeframes.
The largest fund we’ve supported to date is England’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, which provides grants to public sector bodies to fund heat decarbonisation and energy efficiency measures. So far, the grants aim to fund a total of £2.5 billion in projects through to 2025. The scheme has supported hundreds of projects across the public sector since its launch in 2020.
Additionally, Salix-delivered England Recycling Funds and the Salix Energy Efficiency Loan Scheme, both of which focus on energy efficiency measures, have so far delivered more than 17,500 projects in which both financial savings and direct carbon savings have resulted.
Comparable schemes in Scotland and Wales have also supported more than 2,000 projects which have seen positive yield in financial savings via energy bills and reduced carbon emissions.
Together, funds across the UK are supporting the delivery of over 20,000 projects taking place from as far north as the Shetland Islands through to Edinburgh, Falkirk, the Isle of Anglesey, Newport, Manchester, Birmingham, Nottingham, Lincoln, Plymouth and many more.
In January 2023 Salix’s role also expanded and Salix was appointed delivery agent for Wave 2 of the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund and the Home Upgrade Grant schemes. These schemes provide funding for energy saving measures for social housing rented homes as well as owner occupied homes.
Emma added: “Whilst funding is based around heat decarbonisation and energy efficiency upgrades of buildings, it’s the positive impacts the upgrades are having on people’s lives that showcase their importance.
“Salix has heard countless success stories from staff, residents, patients, pupils, children and more who speak about the positive impacts that the low-carbon upgrades are having on their day-to-day life.”
Whilst funding is based around heat decarbonisation and energy efficiency upgrades of buildings, it’s the positive impacts the upgrades are having on people’s lives that showcase their importance.
Salix has heard countless success stories from staff, residents, patients, pupils, children and more who speak about the positive impacts that the low-carbon upgrades are having on their day-to-day life.
Examples of these impacts in action include the uplift in staff wellbeing attributed to LED upgrades at the University of Liverpool, a more warm and welcoming community hub in Gloucestershire, and care home resident comfort improvements in time for Christmas in Bath and North East Somerset.
Emma stated: “The impact we make in the climate space isn’t just about the planet, but too about the people who are using these facilities every day.
“It’s also about knowledge sharing and taking inspiration from others in our sector who are doing the same in order to work towards a better, lower-emission future together.”
Salix, alongside our governmental and public sector partners, acknowledge that our work in the decarbonisation space is far from done. The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, the Low Carbon Skills Fund, and Scotland’s Public Sector Heat Decarbonisation Fund are a step in the right direction, but the public sector cannot do this alone.
In order to reach global net zero 2050 targets, both public and private sector must continue to work hand-in-hand. We must reduce our reliance on fossil fuel and embrace new, low-carbon alternatives. It is this message that is ringing so loud and clear during COP28, and the key news is that, for organisations such as Salix, it does so all 365 days of the year.
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The impact we make in the climate space isn’t just about the planet, but too about the people who are using these facilities every day.
It’s also about knowledge sharing and taking inspiration from others in our sector who are doing the same in order to work towards a better, lower-emission future together.
