London Borough of Islington Heat Decarbonisation Plans

When Phase 5 of the Government’s Low Carbon Skills Fund (LCSF) was announced, the London Borough of Islington recognised that the application timeframe was limited for this highly competitive and in-demand funding scheme. Arthian was appointed following a competitive procurement exercise and was ready to mobilise quickly to assist in delivering the £117,500 support grant within the required funding deadlines.

LCSF Phase 5 funded the development of 31 comprehensive Site Heat Decarbonisation Plans. The objective was to identify the most cost-effective and strategic approach to transition the building portfolio away from fossil fuels.

Using a “fabric first” approach, the audits identified measures to minimise energy consumption and eliminate fossil fuel heating sources. These measures included upgrades to building elements such as walls, glazing, and roofs to reduce heat loss and improve airtightness, thereby strengthening the thermal envelope and reducing peak heat demand.

The audits also determined suitable replacements for traditional gas-fired boiler plants, mini District Heating Networks, and stand-alone water heaters.

Building Heat Decarbonisation Plans – Arthian (LCSF Phases)

The development of the Building Heat Decarbonisation Plans by Arthian, across both phases of LCSF, has now provided the Council with 62 detailed reports, which were compiled into a Portfolio Report.

This Portfolio presents a breakdown against various criteria including:

• Financial payback

• Annual carbon savings (tCO₂e per £ investment)

These analyses will guide the Council with future applications to schemes such as:

• The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS)

• Internal ‘Spend to Save’ schemes

Key Highlights Proposed

• 12,500 tonnes CO₂e lifetime savings

• £12.6 million of project spend identified

• 75% of project spend identified on heat decarbonisation

• £756,000 of project spend identified for energy efficiency measures, which realised 4% of overall carbon saved

• 17 different technologies identified to reduce carbon — from pipework insulation and controls through to a variety of Heat Pump systems