New round of funding launched for colleges in England

5th May 2016

The EAUC and Salix are proud to announce the launch of an additional round of funding for further education Colleges in England.

The College Energy Fund was launched in 2014 by Salix in partnership with the EAUC and supported by the AoC. Since then, Colleges have completed 70 energy-efficiency projects valued at over £4.8 million. These projects are estimated to be saving further education establishments more than £1.1 million on their annual energy bills, as well as reducing annual carbon emissions by over 5,500 tonnes.
The funding is intended to act as a catalyst for investment in energy efficiency technologies which will reduce carbon emissions and create vital financial savings. Any FE College who receives a majority of their income directly from the public sector can apply for funding. The interest-free loan provided by Salix is paid off through the energy savings achieved by the project.

Previous rounds of funding have seen applications from a number of further education Colleges across England that have not previously worked with Salix. Funding has been used for both large and small projects, with the smallest completed project totalling £5,080 for lighting controls and the largest by City of Liverpool College totalling £810,800. The project incorporates a number of energy efficiency measures including LED lighting, lighting controls, air conditioning upgrades and new BEMS controls.

The College is expecting to save 599 tonnes of carbon and over £163,000 each year from their energy bills, with lifetime financial savings expected to be more than £2.9 million. The majority of the savings are generated through the installation of over 5,000 LED luminaires, which, coupled with automatic lighting controls, are estimated to provide an 80% reduction in electricity consumption compared to the previous fluorescent lights.

Allan Taylor, Technical Services Manager at the College, said “The availability of Salix funding came at an opportune time for the College, as budget cuts impacted greatly on our maintenance programme. With the help of the Salix loan, we have not only been able to replace poorly performing lighting, but also reduce our energy bills and create an improved working environment for staff and students.”

Iain Patton, EAUC CEO, said “The EAUC is delighted to see so many Colleges taking the initiative with the College Energy Fund and making a real difference, not only to their carbon footprint but also to the quality of their student’s experience. Having effective learning spaces is essential for students to learn the sustainability skills they need. We look forward to sharing more learning and knowledge with many more Colleges that continue to benefit from this essential Fund.”

Salix will be accepting applications until close of play Friday 15^th July 2016. Early applications are welcomed and projects will be assessed on submission and funding awarded as soon as projects are passed. Salix are keen to work with clients to develop their projects and offer support where needed.

Craig Mellis, Programme Manager at Salix, said “Salix wants to continue supporting Colleges in their efforts to reduce their energy costs and carbon emissions. If any Colleges would like to learn more about using Salix funding, we’re more than happy to arrange a meeting to discuss how we can work together.”

For further details, funding criteria and to make an application or expression of interest, visit the website, here, or contact a member of the Salix team on - fecolleges@salixfinance.co.uk