News MBC awarded funding to help achieve Net Zero operations

Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) has successfully secured funding from the government's Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS), to help further its commitment to achieve Net Zero for operations by 2030.

MBC has been awarded a Grant of £3.1 million, together with additional Council funding, which will be used to upgrade its main offices including Maidstone House and the Maidstone Link (based on King Street).

The new carbon-cutting measures will include the installation of air source heat pumps for heating and cooling, solar panels to generate and create electricity, insulation for the entire seven story building, all new windows and LED lighting to improve energy efficiency.

The PSDS provides grants for public sector bodies to fund heat decarbonisation and energy efficiency measures. Works being carried out as part of the project are planned to help reduce the Council’s emissions by 15% over the next few years.

Leader of Maidstone Borough Council, Cllr David Burton, said:

As part of our Biodiversity and Climate Change Action Plan, the Council has been identifying energy and carbon cutting improvements within MBC’s main buildings and as part of that it has already installed measures at various locations.

This latest funding will allow MBC to implement more carbon reduction measures in Maidstone House and the Maidstone Link, helping to reduce the reliance on fossil fuels, improve efficiency and save money that can be spent elsewhere on the Council’s services.

Works funded by the PSDS aim to be completed by April 2025. More information about the scheme can be found on the government website: www.gov.uk/government/collections/public-sector-decarbonisation-scheme

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