Oxfordshire County Council has approved a £10 million investment aimed at reducing carbon emissions across 20 of its properties as part of a major decarbonisation initiative.
During a council meeting held on Friday, officials gave the green light to begin the procurement process for the project, which is intended to move these sites toward net-zero emissions.
The council expects the upgrades to cut approximately 333 tonnes of carbon dioxide. Among the buildings set for improvement are Wantage and Abingdon fire stations, Berinsfield Library, Thornhill Park and Ride, and the Witney Resource Centre.
The project will involve switching to electric heating systems, upgrading building insulation and energy efficiency, and installing on-site renewable energy sources.
To help fund the initiative, the council has received £360,000 in government support and has matched it with £10 million of its own budget.
A council report noted that many of the upgrades are necessary regardless of decarbonisation goals, as much of the current estate is in poor condition due to a reactive-only maintenance strategy. Many building components have exceeded their life expectancy and require replacement.
The council’s properties made up around 35% of the emissions targeted for reduction in the 2023/24 period to help achieve carbon neutrality by 2030. The allocated government grant must be used by March 31, 2026.
