Contact the NZA Team

The vision for the Net Zero Accelerator is to create a service that funds and delivers decarbonisation initiatives across the education estate. The programme batches schools into regional clusters, incentivises the private sector to deliver savings, and uses scale to drive value for the public purse. This technology-agnostic approach prioritises the best solution for each site and breaks down funding silos through aggregation, providing responsible bodies with a low burden service to address the net zero challenge, whilst reducing running costs and improving condition.

If you have any questions about becoming a partner in the Net Zero Accelerator, please contact [email protected].

The context

• UK Government has committed to achieving net zero by 2050
• The education estate represents 37% of total UK public sector building emissions
• 70% of English school floor area built before 1976
• The school estate in England covers approximately 514 million m2 (circa 127,000 acres).

The vision

The Net Zero Accelerator will facilitate the rapid rollout of decarbonisation initiatives across the education estate.

The vision is to create a new service that supports educational bodies (including schools, multi-academy trusts, local authorities, and FE colleges) to decarbonise their estates. Specialist teams oversee the delivery of interventions including behaviour change programmes, M&E upgrades, energy efficiency measures, energy generation and heat decarbonisation. We are exploring how this could be supported by a finance scheme.

The programme

Phase one: NZA feasibility study explored the potential:

• Identified decarbonisation efficiencies across 50 schools
• Proposed technical interventions
• Created strategies for scaling up the programme
• Identified opportunities to align climate education with delivery roll-out

Phase two: NZA pathfinder appointing two partners to lead the decarbonisation of two batches of 25 schools delivering:

• A detailed decarbonisation plan
• A programme of behavioural change
• Optimisation and installation of controls
• Optimising energy procurement
• Data collection and capture including reporting via a dedicated platform

The scope for future stages will depend on the output of the initial stages.

The scope for future stages will depend on the output of the initial stages.

Progress to date

Phase One – Feasibility

• Market engagement session held on 15 August 2023 with nearly 300 attendees
• 150 downloads of ITT for NZA feasibility study
• 31 bids received from potential delivery partners
• Five partners selected
• 250+ schools applied
• 50 schools chosen
• Feasibility studies completed in January 2024
• Face-to-face sustainability workshops and on-site controls optimisation provided to all 50 schools
• This multi-faceted approach provided staff and students with practical energy-saving tips, digital tools (including BIM models), and careers guidance

Net Zero Accelerator Summit

• Net Zero Accelerator Summit held in February 2024
• Brought together over one hundred leaders from education, sustainability, government, finance, construction and technology
• Delegates heard from LocatED’s five delivery partners who conducted a feasibility study for the NZA
• Over 40 Delegates also took part in four focused roundtables throughout the day, discussing and debating a range of decarbonisation issues

Phase Two – Pathfinder

• Market Engagement session held on 24 April 2024 with over 150 attendees
• ITT issued on 17 May 2024 with a submission deadline of 17 June 2024
• 36 decarbonisation projects delivered across 21 schools in less than 6 months (including 13 Solar PV projects, 8 LED Replacement Projects and 17 EV charger projects)
• Notable success stories include:
  • Harris Academy Chafford Hundred (London): Installation of a 256 KWp solar array, saving the school £44,000 per annum with a 7-year payback period

Results so far

• 36 decarbonisation projects delivered across 21 schools in less than 6 months
• 21% energy saved through behavioural change, control optimisation and technical support
• 18,000+ students impacted, inspiring the next generation to act on climate change
• Advanced estates data including 50 Heat Decarbonisation Plans, 50 Condition Surveys, 50 BIM Models and over 50 Behaviour Change Workshops and Plans to allow the schools and trusts to continue to drive net zero for years to come
• A routemap for future delivery of net zero across the education estate

GB Energy Solar Partnership and the future – November 2025 update

The success of the NZA was crucial in helping the DfE secure up to £100 million from GB Energy, focusing on solar-powered energy and other energy efficiency measures, announced in March 2025. This will help slash energy bills for 250 schools across England, but with a focus on those in the most deprived areas, impacting an estimated 100,000 pupils. Over the 30-year lifespan of the solar panels, millions of pounds will be saved.

• The school estate has around 55 million m2 of roof area
• There is potential to install between 0.8GW and 1.9GW of solar capacity – enough to power roughly 500,000 homes.
• 23 schools fitted with solar panels,  alongside other energy-saving measures such as LED lights and EV chargers.