How London hospitals, universities and councils are using RE:FIT to decarbonise
The Mayor of London’s RE:FIT Framework has been supporting public sector organisations across London for over a decade to deliver decarbonisation projects at scale. It has unlocked £269m investment and cut more than 56,000tCO₂e.
Read on to see how a hospital, university, borough and transport system have used the RE:FIT Framework to cut costs and carbon.
Newham University Hospital
Newham University Hospital in East London used RE:FIT to procure for two phases of work. The project initially focused on reducing carbon emissions and was later extended to enhance patient environments through improved air quality.
The first phase involved the replacement and upgrade of air handling units, including heat recovery and improved controls across the main hospital building. The project received awards for ‘Best Use of Innovative Funding’ and an ‘International Green Apple’.
The second phase built on this success, extending upgrades to additional areas including the pathology laboratory. As a result of this work, the hospital has reduced its carbon footprint by 2,130 tCO₂e over four years and saved £234,000.
University of West London
In 2020, the University of West London (UWL) secured £5.1m from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS), the largest award to a UK university in the first round of funding.
With ambitious net zero targets and a large estate, this funding has been key to delivering retrofit improvements across existing buildings.
The Zero Carbon Accelerator team supported the University in the procurement of a RE:FIT service provider, who developed a strong investment grade proposal (IGP) and provided technical guidance to meet PSDS funding requirements. The team also delivered training on monitoring and verification to support long‑term performance and savings.
The project covered four sites and delivered:
- low‑emission heating, with both ground source and air source heat pumps
- Building Management System (BMS) optimisation
- lighting upgrades
- a photovoltaic thermal system.
The ground source heat pump at the St Mary’s Road campus is one of the largest in the UK higher education sector. As a result of this work, the university is saving 529 tCO₂e per year and achieving 29% energy savings.
As part of its wider sustainability ambitions, UWL also assessed the social value of the project, identifying a £15m return through wider economic, social and environmental benefits.
Westminster City Council
Westminster City Council is working towards its ambition to become a carbon neutral local authority by 2030, with a focus on delivering a ‘Greener and Cleaner’ city. A key priority has been reducing emissions from its corporate estate, which accounts for 21% of the council’s overall emissions.
The council secured £13m through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS), with support from the Zero Carbon Accelerator, for a large‑scale retrofit project. The work affected the council’s corporate estate, covering schools, leisure centres and offices.
The Zero Carbon Accelerator supported Westminster with:
- procurement of a service provider from the RE:FIT Framework
- benchmarking and project development
- data analysis to shape the delivery strategy
- support for the PSDS funding application.
The project involved a range of energy saving measures and low‑carbon technologies, including:
- Building Management Systems (BMS)
- air source heat pumps
- solar panels and upgrades to heating
- ventilation and air conditioning systems
- insulation and lighting controls.
The team supported the review of the investment grade proposal (IGP) to ensure a robust and deliverable project. As a result of this project, the council has saved 8.8 million kWh and 1,947 tCO₂e.
Transport for London (TfL)
Transport for London (TfL) has used the RE:FIT Framework to procure service providers to deliver retrofit measures that address energy reduction challenges.
TfL retrofitted 22 buildings with a range of energy conservation measures with support from the Zero Carbon Accelerator. The project delivered the following retrofit measures:
- improving heating systems
- optimising Combined Heat and Power (CHP) engines and heat recovery systems
- installing solar thermal technology
- upgrading boilers, chillers, pumps and fans
- introducing voltage optimisation to regulate incoming electricity and reduce overall energy use.
Through this work, TfL has saved roughly £500,000 per year in energy and 800tCO₂e.
Interested in getting support from RE:FIT5?
You can start with an informal chat by emailing [email protected] to discuss your project ideas and available support.
When you’re ready, submit a short Expression of Interest, and our experts will work with you to progress your project.