Grants now available to to save money and reduce environmental impact

Low Carbon Workspaces is delivering a new grant funding pot of £375,000 to help small and medium sized enterprises based in Berkshire identify energy reduction opportunities and to subsidise the cost of energy efficiency solutions.

75 grants of between £1,000 and £5,000 are now available to help fund up to a third of the cost of energy saving measures such as insulation, LED lighting, energy efficient boilers, air-source heat pumps and electric vehicles.

Implementing such changes can inspire businesses to further consider their carbon footprint and can have an immediate impact on their energy bills. 

The application process is quick and easy, and a dedicated project officer in Berkshire will guide businesses through the process, advising them on how to tackle energy consumption, helping to identify suitable projects for funding and providing support to businesses struggling to take their first step towards sustainable practices.  

The transition towards a low carbon economy is fully underway and 2019 marked the first year since the Industrial Revolution that Britain obtained more power from zero-carbon sources than from fossil fuels. In July, West Berkshire Council called businesses to action by declaring a climate emergency and, with the help of a Low Carbon Workspaces grant, Berkshire SMEs now have the opportunity to achieve their goal of carbon neutrality by 2030.

Programme Manager Daniel Cope said: “Businesses who are on the cusp of carrying out improvements, wishing to discuss sustainable-best-practice, or even hoping to be inspired on where to begin should get in touch. Following the huge success of the programme, we couldn’t be happier to bring this scheme to the diverse mix of business in Berkshire.”

Since 2017, the Low Carbon Workspaces programme has assisted 403 SMEs in Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire and the Black Country by delivering over £1million in grant funding. Grant awardees can also claim to have saved a total of 2,292 tonnes of carbon (CO2e) per year, equivalent to the energy use of 250 homes per year.