Transport for London (TfL) buildings and depots are in line to get a green upgrade, courtesy of a £16 million plus government grant.
TfL has been awarded two grants totalling more than £16m from the government’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS). The bulk of the grant, £14m, will be used to cut carbon emissions at six sites across TfL’s London-wide estate.
The second grant, worth more than £2m, will be used to introduce carbon-reducing measures at two London Underground depots.
The new funding will be used to bring in carbon-reducing infrastructure such as heat pumps, solar panels, LED lighting, improved glazing and wall insulation.
TfL said the funding will allow it to move away from reliance on fossil fuels that produce harmful carbon emissions and help get closer to achieving TfL and the Mayor’s goal of making London a net zero city by 2030.
Currently, gas use at Palestra, TfL’s head office in Southwark, represents 45% of all the firm’s head office gas use and 22% of its office carbon emissions. Once the work funded by the grant is completed, both are expected to be reduced to zero.
TfL has also been awarded £2.3m of grant funding to decarbonise buildings at both Neasden Depot and Finchley Central Signals Depot for London Underground.
These projects will target the replacement of ageing fossil-fuelled heating systems with low-carbon alternatives as well as improving building performance through implementation of fabric measures.
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Once finished, the buildings will be better insulated, more comfortable places to work, with modern, low-carbon systems such as heat pumps, LED lighting and solar panels. It is anticipated this project will reduce emissions by 300 tCO2e a year.
Earlier this month, TfL published a new green infrastructure and biodiversity plan as part of London mayor Sadiq Khan’s ambition to make London carbon-neutral by 2030.
Lilli Matson, TfL’s chief safety, health and environment officer, said: “We are very pleased to have received this grant from the government, which will help us go faster in our plans to decarbonise our estate.
“By bringing forward plans to get us closer to the mayor’s 2030 net zero target, we are getting ever closer to our vision of being a strong, green heartbeat for London.
“As London’s main public transport provider, we have a vital role to play, making our organisation and network ready to respond to the climate emergency and taking action to reduce harmful pollution in our city. We are committed to helping London thrive and become a sustainable city.”
