Chancellor鈥檚 package includes 拢1bn to make public buildings greener
The Treasury is set to fork out a further 拢3bn for green construction projects as part of the government鈥檚 鈥淣ew Deal鈥� to jump-start the post-covid economy.
It comes the day after chancellor Rishi Sunak announced a 拢1.6bn rescue package for the arts and a week after Boris Johnson announced he would bring forward 拢5bn for infrastructure projects in his 鈥渂uild, build, build鈥� speech.
The 拢3bn sum will fund green schemes in a 鈥渄rive to power up the nation鈥檚 workforce and protect the environment鈥�, according to a statement from the Treasury.
Pledging to 鈥渂uild back greener鈥�, the Treasury said it will include a 鈥渢ransformative鈥� 拢1bn fund to decarbonise public buildings, including schools and hospitals.
A further 拢50m will be earmarked to retrofit social housing 鈥渁t scale鈥� with heat pumps, insulation and double glazing to make social rented homes more energy efficient.
Priority will be given to the least energy efficient social housing in England, with the Treasury claiming the move could reduce annual energy bills for tenants of these homes by around 拢200.
Another 拢40m will be given to environmental charities and local authorities as part of a new scheme called the Green Jobs Challenge Fund.
The money will go towards projects to improve the environment in England through planting trees, cleaning up rivers and creating new green spaces, which the Treasury claim could create up to 5,000 new jobs.
But Ramboll managing director Mathew Riley warned that more was needed to ensure the government met its 2050 net zero target.
He said: 鈥淐arbon neutrality needs to be the main consideration for all infrastructure projects going forwards 鈥� not just for public and social buildings. If a project cannot prove that it is meeting low carbon criteria, it simply should not be given planning approval.鈥�
The measures are due to be announced on Wednesday at the chancellor鈥檚 summer budget statement.
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