The new funds will extend London’s existing retrofit work, which has improved the sustainability credentials of more than 400,000 homes and 350 public buildings, to more buildings across the capital.
“We need to do everything possible to make the most of our resources, reduce carbon emissions and create a more secure, cost-effective and sustainable heat and power supply across London,” said Johnson. “Retrofitting older homes and buildings has a pivotal part to play in this, while also helping to save us all money on fuel bills. With these innovative energy saving technologies, London is leading the way as a 21st Century world city.”
Low carbon technologies such as LED lighting, new boilers and solar panels have already helped to save tens of thousands of tonnes of carbon a year – the equivalent of taking around 50,000 cars off of London’s roads.
Successful projects
Projects already underway with the Mayor’s support include:
- St George’s, one of the UK’s largest teaching hospitals situated in Tooting, has seen a £12million investment in measures that will reduce energy output by 39% and cut over 6,000 tonnes of carbon emissions each year.
- In Croydon, a £20m investment will help retrofit 30 civic buildings including schools and libraries.
- In Hackney, a £7m project to create a communal gas heating network to replace expensive individual electric heating in more than 800 homes across 10 blocks of social housing, reducing energy bills by 56%.
- The installation of low-carbon heat and cooling systems across the Tate’s London estate which includes the Tate Modern, Tate Britain and its local storage facilities; to achieve a 25% annual energy saving and a 45% reduction in the Tate Modern’s gas consumption alone.
Leo Bedford, director of the Mayor’s London Energy Efficiency Fund (LEEF), which has delivered £3.8m of annual savings since the end of 2011, said: “Delivering a diverse range of projects 18 months ahead of schedule underlines LEEF’s key role investing in infrastructure which cuts energy costs and reduces carbon emissions, whilst delivering a return to our investors.
“The Mayor’s pledge of an additional £12m demonstrates his commitment to energy efficiency investment and the appetite for LEEF’s type of funding. We are proud of our achievements to date and confident that LEEF will remain an integral part of this long-term initiative.”
Luke Nicholls