A £19 million energy scheme in Manchester is almost complete.

The majority of works to cut climate change-causing carbon emissions from council-owned buildings have now been completed.

The programme is seeing 13 buildings across the city benefit from a combination of energy efficiency measures, renewable energy generation (such as the installation of photovoltaic cells) and switching from gas to electricity (with a mixture of ground source and air source heat pumps being installed.)

They include high profile sites such as Manchester Aquatics Centre, the National Cycling Centre and the Town Hall Extension. Other buildings benefitting are Arcadia Library and Leisure Centre, East Manchester Leisure Centre, Hough End Leisure Centre, Moss Side Leisure Centre, Manchester Tennis and Football Centre, North City Family and Fitness Centre, Wythenshawe Forum and Zion Arts Centre in Hulme. The Sharp Project in Newton Heath and Space Studios in West Gorton complete the list.

-- Advertisement --

One year after the council secured £19.1m from the Government's Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, as part of a joint bid co-ordinated by Greater Manchester Combined Authority, rapid progress has been made on the projects.

Councillor Tracey Rawlins, Executive Member for Environment for Manchester City Council, said: "Taken together these projects are making a sizeable contribution to the Council's goal of halving our direct carbon emissions by 2025 as part of the transition towards becoming a zero carbon city.

"As well as removing thousands of tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions a year, these improvements will also help keep down the energy costs for these public buildings – a real issue at the moment – and help them have a sustainable future.

"We will continue to pursue funding for further retrofitting schemes like these for our buildings, as well as exploring options for the council’s housing stock."