£12 million for public buildings to cut emissions in Scotland

The Scottish Government has announced £12 million of funding for schools, libraries and council buildings to help them become more energy efficient and cut carbon emissions.

The Public Sector Heat Decarbonisation Fund will support 10 projects with grants ranging from £41,000 up to £2.5 million for upgrades including better insulation, new windows, solar panels, and clean heating systems.

The upgrades will make buildings warmer, reduce energy bills, and help Scotland reach its target of net zero emissions by 2045.

One of those receiving funding is the Mitchell Library in Glasgow, which will use £2 million to replace an existing gas boiler with a system of high-efficiency air and water source heat pumps, and upgrade current electrical infrastructure, insulation and solar PV.  

Climate Action and Energy Secretary Gillian Martin said: "Reducing emissions and making our buildings greener is one of the most important steps we can take to tackle climate change, and is a key action in our recently published draft Climate Change Plan.   

“I have seen first-hand the hard work and commitment of the public sector to transform Scotland’s buildings by taking action to decarbonise and improve the energy efficiency of public buildings, like the Mitchell Library.   

“The public sector are leading by example, and these projects show the scale of ambition on our journey to net zero.   

“By investing in clean heating and energy-saving measures now, we are not only reducing emissions but also lowering energy costs for years to come." 

Glasgow Life’s Facilities Manager Andy Taylor said: “We’re committed to achieving low carbon infrastructure that protects our cultural heritage and enables Glasgow Life to deliver valued public services more sustainably. We are grateful to the Scottish Government and Salix for this investment, which represents a significant step for our charity and for Glasgow in the city’s journey towards net zero.

"Working closely with our brilliant partners at CBRE Global Workplace Solutions, this project proves that large historic and complex buildings can be decarbonised at scale while remaining in public use, as we strive to create a greener, more energy-efficient Glasgow for generations to come.”