Financing a sustainable future for the education sector
Sustainable buildings are on every school and college’s wish list – and not just because they maximise energy efficiency and can save thousands of pounds per year in bills. These cutting-edge spaces also create inspiring and futureproofed learning environments for pupils and help everyone that uses them to actively support decarbonisation across the UK’s built environment.
It’s no secret that when it comes to budgeting for new buildings, many schools think these incredible options are simply out of reach. Whether you’re looking for a permanent building or a long-term rental solution, our expertise and flexible finance options make decarbonisation a reality for any budget, meaning that a carbon neutral future is possible for every institution.
We offer:
- Options: from permanent solutions to innovative long-term rental options that spread the build cost across the rental period
- Advanced understanding of Op-Ex budgets to suit your school
- Financial stability: we are backed by the mighty Premier Modular Group
De-risking your sustainable investment
In the tightly squeezed public sector, we know how hard it is to free up large amounts of funding at once. This could lead to schools placing their sustainable building ambitions on hold, even as Net Zero targets approach and the battle to decarbonise the built environment intensifies. With outright purchase simply not an option for many schools, what other financial options are out there?
The Department for Education’s (DfE) updated Academy Trust Handbook, coming into effect from September 2024, has outlined changes to project financing, including the ability for trusts to enter into leases with an approved list of suppliers without having to first get the go-ahead from the DfE itself.
While this new lease option will definitely help get projects moving, we think the more options schools have, the better. That’s why we’ve pioneered a flexible third option, alongside our permanent offering, that means schools can get the very best modern buildings without the up-front cost. But how?
Our innovative long-term rental solutions mean that your school can benefit from buildings that are net zero in operation, with the costs to be paid back across the rental period to suit your monthly Op-Ex budget. This means your school can access all the advantages of sustainable modular buildings, such as increased energy efficiency and low running costs, without the financial worry.
Not only this, but offsite manufacture means your school could receive its new building in a matter of weeks, with installation timed to minimise disruption to pupils and the wider school environment – leading to immediate benefits in terms of capacity as well as energy efficiency.
Backed by the security of Premier Modular Group, we offer a partnership that delivers on our promises, every time. Financial stability is core to our offering, and schools can rest easy that our group backing means you won’t ever be left in the lurch.
A low-cost start to a low-cost future
Not only do our flexible solutions mean your school will be able to kickstart its sustainable journey without massive upfront investment, they also mean you’ll benefit from reduced bills from the moment your building is operational.
This is because of the innovative technology that goes into our modular buildings, from well-known green tech such as PV solar panels to generate electricity, to emerging technology such as ground and air source heat pumps, chilled beams that use water to heat and cool the building and even wind power.
Some of our schools, such as The Hart School and Broadfields Primary School have found that they’re now so energy efficient they’re able to generate more energy than they use – making the buildings work for them.
If you want to find out more about how our flexible, de-risked funding approach can accelerate your school towards net zero, contact our team today.
