GMCA launches £28m fund to make public buildings greener

Public sector organisations within the city region will be invited to apply for cash to deliver projects aimed at cutting emissions in schools, town halls, and some medical settings.

The Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s Public Building Retrofit Fund will provide £28m of capital funding for decarbonisation projects over the next three financial years.

In 25/26 £1.6m will be available while £13.2m will be up for grabs in 26/27 and 27/28. The cash is part of Greater Manchester’s integrated settlement.

Projects deemed eligible must aim to “make buildings warmer, cheaper to run, and less reliant on fossil fuels”, the combined authority said.

The GMCA hopes the fund will support public bodies towards Greater Manchester’s ambition to be carbon neutral by 2038 through upgrades like insulation, low-carbon heating systems, LED lighting, and even renewable solutions.

Cllr Tom Ross, Greater Manchester lead for green city region, said: “Decarbonising our public buildings is a vital part of our journey to net zero and this fund will give local organisations the support they need to take action.

“The Greater Manchester Five-Year Environment Plan commits us to creating a carbon neutral, climate resilient city-region, and retrofit is central to that. This is about reducing carbon, but it’s also about creating jobs, supporting innovation, and making sure the benefits of greener growth are felt across all our communities.”

As part of that five-year plan, Greater Manchester has already invested £120m retrofitting public buildings, according to the GMCA.