£1.4bn boost for construction: Greening government buildings

A new framework is set to provide a £1.4 billion boost to the retrofitting and decarbonisation of the UK’s government buildings.

Work from the Retrofit and Decarbonisation (N9) framework (Project ID: 23264930) will begin to be procured in the Autumn.

The framework will replace LHC’s Energy Efficiency Framework (N8) and Energy Efficiency Consultancy Framework (N8C) and will help a growing flow of retrofitting and decarbonisation jobs on government buildings that are moving through the procurement pipeline.

Projects received notice of their funding through the government’s £460 million Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme Phase 3c during March and April (Project ID: 23258419).

Many of these projects will be procured by the LHC frameworks and other agreements being set up in other parts of the United Kingdom over the next 12 months by the same organisation.

Scottish supply

The LHC is working with the Scottish Procurement Alliance on a £120 million agreement to replace the SPA’s Public Buildings and Infrastructure Framework (PB3). This new deal will cover the construction of new buildings, extensions, and refurbishment of public and social buildings and infrastructure works (Project ID: 24068226).

Six workstreams will be included: consultancy, multi-disciplinary works, building insulation & performance, heating systems, control & management systems, and electrical projects.

Market engagement is expected to begin this Summer with tenders released in the Autumn and the framework beginning in Summer 2025.

LHC technical manager Nick Beard, said: “It perfectly aligns with peak public sector demand for expertise in energy efficiency and low-carbon heating solutions.”

Welsh working

A new agreement is also being set up by the LHC to cover retrofitting and decarbonisation work on public buildings in Wales through the Welsh Procurement Alliance (Project ID: 24125143).

The agreement is expected to generate spending of £80 million and procurement of work using the framework has begun.

The tender was published on April 29 and a tender briefing was held on May 9. Bids must be returned by June 21.

This agreement will cover seven workstreams: building insulation & performance (Passive), heating systems, control & management systems, solar PV & electrical, servicing & maintenance of renewable systems, and retrofit and decarbonisation multi-disciplinary works.

English plans

Frameworks are also being set up in various regions across the UK to tackle retrofitting and decarbonisation work on government buildings.

In London, the Zero Carbon Accelerator (ZCA) Single Supplier Framework Agreement is expected to produce £150 million-worth of work (Project ID: 24017551).

The Greater London Authority has received expressions of interest and expects to appoint a single service provider or consortium of service providers to deliver what the GLA describes as “a capacity and capability building service to accelerate London’s decarbonisation activities.”

Outside of the capital, Norfolk County Council is looking to appoint a single contractor to undertake a programme of decarbonisation across 94 NCC sites over the next four years (Project ID: 23188620).

Public sector uptick

With a plethora of frameworks being set up, retrofitting and decarbonisation work on government buildings looks set to provide a host of opportunities in the near and medium term.