The recipients of more than half a billion pounds of funding to decarbonise public buildings have been announced.

Phase 3c of the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS), delivered for the Government’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero by Salix Finance, sees 18 trusts awarded funding for projects to install low-carbon heating and other energy-saving measures.

Among the big NHS recipients in Phase 3c is Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust, which has been awarded over £21m to decarbonise three buildings by installing new heat pumps alongside other measures including wall, loft and roof insulation, double glazing, and LED lighting.

The trust’s chief executive, Cara Charles-Barks, said: “We are beginning to make great strides to reduce our emissions through initiatives such as decommissioning our entire nitrous oxide manifold and a sustainable travel plan.

“This grant is therefore invaluable. It will enable us to make these essential changes in the coming years and will have a positive impact on the environment and the experience of being in hospital.

“We know that getting this right will be better for the health and wellbeing of the people we care for, the people we work with, and the people in our community.”

Over 1,000 projects have now received funding since 2020 to upgrade thousands of buildings through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme.

NHS recipients in Phase 3c are:

• Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust: £2,633,950
• Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust: £7,347,236
• Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust: £7,329,715
• County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust: £665,892
• East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust: £135,552
• East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust: £1,247,446
• Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust: £1,121,880
• Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust: £41,825,807
• Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust: £832,984
• Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust: £18,974,330
• Medway NHS Foundation Trust: £25,886,516
• North Bristol NHS Trust: £7,293,707
• Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust: £21,639,542
• Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust: £16,200,691
• South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust: £28,431,899
• South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust: £6,149,168
• South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust: £321,408
• University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust: £11,400,268

PSDS Phase 4

A new approach has been confirmed to allocating funding for Phase 4.

In response to feedback from the public sector, the ‘fastest-finger-first’ approach will be replaced with a more-targeted system that will prioritise projects where the most-direct carbon emissions will be saved.

Phase 4 guidance and criteria will also place additional emphasis on the importance of considering heat networks within the range of low-carbon heating technology options.

This will align with the forthcoming Heat Network zoning legislation that will identify locations where heat networks are highly likely to be the lowest-cost low-carbon heating solution.

The full guidance for Phase 4 will be published in summer.