Johnson Controls has partnered with Hounslow Council to decarbonise schools and public buildings. After acquiring Asset+ - a specialist provider of energy reduction and zero-carbon measures for the UK public sector - in May this year, Johnson Controls says it will help Hounslow Council deliver on the goals of the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS).
Before the project, schools in Hounslow were responsible for 67% of the Council’s carbon footprint across their estate. Legacy infrastructure and gas heating across schools and other public buildings would make it impossible to reach the Council’s net-zero goals by 2030. In 2020, after securing a £19 million grant from the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), Asset+ began its project to decarbonise buildings and reduce energy consumption in schools and corporate buildings across Hounslow.
The scheme was rolled out to 61 properties, including schools and corporate buildings, switching from gas boilers to air source heat pumps, installing solar panels and implementing LED transformation. The technology has been installed at schools such as Heathland School and Rosary School, as well as in leisure centres in Brentford and Isleworth.
As a result of the project, carbon emissions across Hounslow’s schools and public buildings dropped by 50%. This reduction in energy use translated to a 50% reduction in cost, with on-site energy production and the use of LEDs able to offset the increase in electricity use. To date, Hounslow saved over 17 million kWh per energy across its corporate and school sites, equating to over 3,000 tonnes of carbon.
In addition to helping councils work towards net-zero goals, the scheme works with the local community to provide permanent jobs for local residents and protect public sector organisations from the drastic increase in utility bills. The decarbonisation scheme is delivered on top of an award-winning partnership between Asset+ and Hounslow Council.