Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the report of the National Audit Office entitled, Environmental Sustainability Overview: Department for Education, published on 28 June 2023, what steps she is taking to support schools that are not included in the School Rebuilding Programme to become net zero carbon in operation.

Answered by Nick Gibb

In November 2021, the Department published a new zero carbon and climate resilient specification, for use on all new and refurbished school and college buildings. As well as being used on the School Rebuilding Programme (SRP), the specification sets a wide range of performance and construction standards, including environmental above those required in building regulations. This includes design specifications so that buildings can be adapted for a 2°C rise in average global temperatures and future proofed for a 4°C rise, to adapt to the risks of climate change, including increased flooding and higher indoor temperatures. This is also available for use by responsible bodies and others who are encouraged to follow its minimum standards.

​The Department is also currently testing a range of approaches to operating schools at zero carbon; improving energy efficiency, and resilience to the effects of climate change; as well as using ultra-low carbon construction methods, that can be used to retrofit existing buildings, including the replacement of high carbon intensity heat sources.

​The Department works closely with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero to help schools and colleges access the £1.4 billion Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, which supports the aim of reducing emissions from public sector buildings by 75% by 2037. Information on the Scheme can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/public-sector-decarbonisation-scheme.

​From October 2022, up to £635 million over the 2023/24 and 2024/25 financial years has been made available through Phase 3b of the scheme for installing low carbon heating and energy efficiency measures in public buildings.

​Schools and those responsible for school buildings are also provided with guidance on sustainability, managing energy and water use and minimising waste in the Good Estate Management for Schools manual. This guidance can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/good-estate-management-for-schools.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of the percentage of maintained schools in England that will be retro-fitted with carbon neutral schemes by 2050.

Answered by Nick Gibb

The Department has not made an estimate of the percentage of maintained schools that will be retrofitted with carbon neutral schemes by 2050.

The Department’s Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy includes four strategic aims, one of which is ‘Net zero: reducing direct and indirect emissions from education and care buildings, driving innovation to meet legislative targets and providing opportunities for children and young people to engage practically in the transition to net zero'.

The strategy sets out the Department’s approach to retrofit as innovate, test, and invest. By piloting retrofit, the Department can determine the best technology and the best value for money approach. The Department wants to ensure the right technology is used before rolling out at scale.

The Schools Commercial Decarbonisation Project aims to pilot and test initiatives that will support schools to improve energy efficiency and reduce reliance on fossil fuels, helping them to achieve net zero. The Department is also currently testing low cost, high impact interventions under the Resilient School Programme. The data and evidence gathered through this work will shape future delivery.

This includes the replacement of high carbon intensity heat sources through piloting energy pods, testing the feasibility of replacing school boilers with ground source or air source heat pumps, air quality monitoring and learning from the GenZero research and biophilic prototype school.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help (a) reduce emissions and (b) improve energy efficiency in maintained schools in England.

Answered by Nick Gibb

The Department takes its commitment to environment sustainability seriously. In November 2021, the Department updated its school building standards to ensure that all new schools will deliver net-zero carbon in operation. This update also included other sustainability improvements, including targets for increased greening and sustainable water management on school sites. These requirements can be accessed at:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/employers-requirements-part-b-generic-design-brief .

In December 2022 the Department produced guidance to support all schools to improve the energy efficiency of their buildings and therefore reduce their carbon emissions. This guidance can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/energy-efficiency-guidance-for-the-school-and-fe-college-estate.

Additionally, in 2022/23, £447 million of capital funding was made available to eligible schools and sixth form colleges to improve their energy efficiency.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the Government's Public Sector Decarbonisation Summary Reports for (a) Phase 1 and (b) Phase 2, for what reason 628 for Phase 1 (b) 83 for Phase 2 difference in the number of applications from schools and the umber of grants awarded to schools.

Answered by Graham Stuart

The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme attracts a huge amount of interest and a high number of applications from public sector organisations including schools. Our delivery partner, Salix Finance Limited, reviews all applications through rigorous quality checks and technical assessments to provide assurance that the projects are deliverable.

Applications that are successful in assessment are then awarded grants based on a first come, first served basis, until the available budget is fully allocated.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many new schools built in England in each of the last 10 years have achieved net zero status.

Answered by Robin Walker

Over the past ten years, the department has designed schools that are good quality, easy to manage and maintain, and deliver low energy solutions.

In November 2021, the department launched its first specification to deliver schools that are net zero carbon in operation. All schools that are procured under this specification will not only be net zero in operation but will also incorporate a wider range of measures to tackle climate change. The department’s full specification can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/school-design-and-construction#output-specification

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Government's announcement of 21 August 2021 that all school settings would be provided with CO2 monitors during the autumn term, and that special schools would receive them from September 2021, how many CO2 monitors have been supplied to special schools in England as of 1 December 2021.

Answered by Robin Walker

As of 26 November, the department has delivered 329,231 carbon dioxide monitors to almost all eligible education and childcare settings, backed by £25 million in government funding.

Special schools and alternative provision were prioritised for the first deliveries, given their higher than average number of vulnerable pupils. Deliveries to these settings are now complete.

Over 99% of eligible schools, colleges, and the majority of early years settings have now received their allocation of CO2 monitors. Final deliveries will be made before the end of term, enabling all settings to identify areas where ventilation can be improved and provide reassurance that existing measures are working.

The department does not hold data on the number of settings by ward or parliamentary constituency. However, further information can be found on the fortnightly statistical release at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/co2-monitors-cumulative-delivery-statistics.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of allocating funding for the building of new schools to replace those with high carbon emissions.

Answered by Robin Walker

In June 2020, the government announced the new School Rebuilding Programme. The department has confirmed the first 100 schools as part of a commitment to 500 rebuilding and refurbishment projects over the next decade. The programme will replace poor condition and ageing school buildings with modern, energy efficient designs, delivering new buildings that will be net zero carbon in operation, and more resilient to future climate change.

The department’s consultation on the approach to prioritising schools for future places in the programme closed on 8 October 2021 and we plan to set out further details in early 2022.

The department also allocates capital funding each year to those responsible for school buildings to improve and maintain the condition of the school estate. Condition funding can be used to invest in improving energy efficiency.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy set up the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme in 2020 to provide grants for eligible public sector bodies, including schools, to fund energy efficiency and heat decarbonisation measures.