Unity Schools Partnership .

Unity Schools Partnership: Making Remarkable Change Happen

Unity Schools Partnership is a family of 39 secondary, primary and special schools located in Suffolk, Essex and Norfolk as well as Romford in East London.

With a vision of making remarkable change happen and transforming lives, they are committed to a partnership that respects, sustains and supports. They encourage cultural diversity, celebrate the special qualities of each of their schools and recognise that communities must develop and grow to become sustainable.

The challenge: Lower energy bills and better quality lighting

Unity Schools Partnership wanted to reduce carbon emissions and energy consumption across their school estate.

A number of their schools had ageing and inefficient lighting with light fittings that were near end of life and obsolete in some cases. This was contributing to high maintenance costs, a high level of failures and high lighting energy costs.

The Trust were looking for a solution that:

• Was designed to DfE, LIA, and British Standards .
• Would improve lighting quality, employee and pupil safety.
• Replaced dilapidated lighting fittings.
• Reduced energy consumption and maintenance costs

In order to deliver this project without having to use their own capital reserves, the Trust were also looking for a DfE compliant, funded solution.

The solution: Energy efficient lighting at no upfront cost

Following a comprehensive investment-grade audit, eEnergy’s lighting experts prepared detailed specifications for the proposed LED design.

The solution consisted of the replacement of over 6900 lighting fittings across 14 schools. The new high quality efficient LED lighting was designed to deliver optimal performance and environmental benefits for Unity Schools including:

• Life expectancy of 20+ years.
• Maintenance free costs.
• Extended 10-Year Warranty.
• Enhanced learning environment
• MY ZeERO energy analytics to validate savings and identify energy wastage.

eEnergy’s capital free, IFRS-approved funding option allowed the trust to deploy their new energy efficient LED lighting at no upfront cost, meaning recurring revenue savings could be delivered from day one. The solution was implemented through an approved framework, ensuring procurement compliance.

Furthermore, the LED retrofit solution was designed to fully comply with British Standards, DfE and LIA lighting levels.

As Education experts, eEnergy understood the importance of  ensuring both minimal disruption and maximum efficiency during the installation process, supported by an enhanced DBS certified installation team.

The results

In total, the new energy efficient installation of LED lighting, is forecast to deliver transformational benefits for Unity Schools:

• £1.3m 10-year net savings
• £82,510 year one net savings
• 62% reduction in lighting costs
• 155 TCO2e annual carbon reduction equivalent to planting 7150 trees

MY ZeERO energy monitoring allows to the Trust to validate the savings they are making.

What’s more, the deployment is a game changer in terms of it’s impact on the school environment with benefits including:

• Enhanced learning environment: Quality lighting improves concentration, reduces eye strain, and creates an environment conducive to learning.
• Improved security: Bright LED lighting ensures well-lit spaces, deterring unauthorised access and enhancing campus safety.
• Staff attraction and retention: A well-lit, modern environment can help attract and retain talented educators and staff.