Dear Future Prime Minister: Your School Decarbonisation To Do List

Dear Future Prime Minister, 

When you are elected, we hope you will be ready to make significant progress towards net zero: we have the technology, we have most of the funding solutions, what must be done now is action. 

Here are our suggested actions for your new government to decarbonise our schools during the critical first 100 days of government. 

1. Stop Discouraging Air to Air Heat Pumps

Air to air heat pumps are the most efficient and widely compatible heat pumps, yet current funding for public sector (including schools) decarbonisation requires extra justification before funding is offered, and Air-to-air isn’t covered under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, even when systems are installed for heating only.‍‍

2. Don't waste hot water!  

Many schools are running hot water systems 24/7. A new government should request that the HSE (Health and Safety Executive) update the L8 Code of Practice to specify scheduling hot water in buildings that are only used Monday to Friday in term time.

3. Reintroduce the SALIX Energy Efficiency Loan scheme for the public sector

Re-establish April 2021’s scrapped scheme and use revenue recycling payments to finance it.

4. Include lease and Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) options in PV Solar panel schemes

Revise the finance rules for the public sector to allow photovoltaic solar panels to be installed under lease or Power Purchase Agreements (where renewable energy is bought before it is produced, to finance the installation costs).   

5. Close doors to save energy in schools

OFSTED needs to be asked to provide an additional note to their EYFS “free flow” framework that makes it clear that children can have easy access to the outside through automated or “children's” doors, and that the classroom doesn’t need a door to outside to be kept open all day (as this leads to unnecessary heating needs). 

6. School trips without the carbon!

The carbon footprint of any school trips that involve air travel should be published, and efforts should be made to encourage a low carbon culture around school trips. 

7. Measure the energy efficiency benefits of decarbonisation 

• Change the way energy efficiency in buildings is measured. They are currently calculated using Display Energy Certificates (DEC), produced in a way that means decarbonising heating and hot water (e.g. using heat pumps) worsens the rating. 
• Stop the Recommendation Report actively encouraging the use of gas boilers over electrified options. 
• Make it so that buildings which demonstrate that they use no fossil fuels are only required to have a DEC certificate renewal every 5 years instead of every year. 
• Remove the TM44 requirement for Air Conditioning Inspections to reduce the burden on schools.

We hope the new Government will take these actions forward to reduce the carbon emissions of our schools.

Yours sincerely,

School students at Teach the Future

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We are calling for more government funding to repair and decarbonise our schools. Support this call by: 

1. Sharing the above actions with your newly elected MP
2. Do you know of any schools in a state of disrepair? Share photos to add to our online gallery to help put pressure on the new elected government to fix our crumbling school estates. 

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