Title

CLIMATE EMERGENCY

Scaling up decarbonisation for good

Taking decarbonisation initiatives to the next stage must be about scale and systemic transformation, says Energy and Carbon Services Director at Equans UK & Ireland Andrew Spencer.

(C) chayanuphol / Shutterstock.com.

(C) chayanuphol / Shutterstock.com.

As the UK races towards its legally binding 2050 net zero target, programmes like the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS) and the Warm Homes Social Housing Fund (WH:SHF) are proving to be more than just policy levers – they're catalysts for tangible change.

From retrofitting schools and hospitals to improving the energy performance of social housing, these initiatives are showing what's possible: lower emissions, reduced energy costs, and better quality of life for millions.

The next phase, however, must be about scale – and systems integration. These schemes must evolve from fragmented project funding to platforms for sustained regional delivery.

Achieving this will require three things: a stable, long-term policy environment; local delivery capability supported by central coordination and intelligent data infrastructure to monitor impact and refine interventions.

For WH:SHF in particular, scaling means moving beyond single-measure retrofits to whole-home approaches, enabled by aggregated procurement and rooted in tenant-centric design. For PSDS, we must shift the dial from reactive energy savings to proactive asset optimisation across entire public estates.

The opportunity ahead is significant. If aligned with broader social and economic goals, these funds can catalyse local supply chains, green skills, and community resilience.

The next step is not just decarbonisation – it's systemic transformation. That means embedding PSDS and WH:SHF as enduring features of the national delivery architecture – not just temporary funding pots. The question is no longer whether we can scale, but whether we're bold enough to do it at the pace the climate crisis demands.

Andrew Spencer – Energy and Carbon Services Director at Equans UK & Ireland

www.equans.co.uk

CLIMATE EMERGENCY

Shifting the levers of control to the local

By Max Wide | 03 September 2025

Max Wide says it is time to fundamentally alter the dynamics of the relationships between localities and the institutions that serve them, and he sets out fo...

CLIMATE EMERGENCY

EXCLUSIVE: Fresh law to boost mayoral scrutiny

By EXCLUSIVE by Dan Peters and Neil Merrick | 03 September 2025

The Government will propose more legislation to enhance the scrutiny and accountability of mayors after the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill...

CLIMATE EMERGENCY

New politics, new tensions

By Rob Whiteman | 02 September 2025

As Reform UK gathers this week for its annual conference, Rob Whiteman argues that with the party gaining control of some councils, local government must sup...

CLIMATE EMERGENCY

After the 'asylum hotels' injunction

By Victoria Searle | 02 September 2025

As the pressures facing local authorities in housing vulnerable people are brought to life in the ‘asylum hotel’ legal case in Epping Forest, Victoria Searle...

Popular articles by Andrew Spencer