Midlands Hospitals to receive share of £553m decarbonisation fund

Three Midlands hospitals have been awarded a share of a £553m decarbonisation fund.

The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme will direct £50m to Birmingham Women’s Hospital and Birmingham Children’s Hospital to install low-energy heating alternatives, £32m will be awarded to New Cross in Wolverhampton and more than £70m has gone to the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham to decarbonise the hospitals.

The scheme plans to install heat pumps across hospitals, schools and universities, alongside additions such as insulation, double-glazing and solar panels.

The scheme is set to save public organisations an average of £650m a year on energy bills over the next 15 years, according to the government.

£15.5m of funding will used to install low-carbon heating at Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, the University of Salford, the National Football Museum and Manchester University.

In addition, Leeds City Council will receive £4.3m to be spent decarbonising six primary schools and four child daycare centres.

Business and energy minister Lord Callanan said: “This funding will bring significant savings for taxpayers of well over half a billion pounds each year by making public buildings cheaper to run, heat and cool, whilst supporting economic growth and jobs across the country”.