Where an Authority has in-house technical knowledge or expertise relating to decarbonisation options, this should be utilised as early as possible in the process to assess the viability of savings. This should be applied not only in terms of understanding the available decarbonisation options but also their viability as technical solutions in the facility.
Given that some decarbonisation options, or combination of decarbonisation options, could be utilising new(er) technologies and/or have complex design interactions to optimise carbon savings potential, it is possible this will be over and above the skill set available within an Authority. Consequently, consideration should be given to utilising best available in-house technical knowledge or expertise to manage the initial outline feasibility of the decarbonisation options that may be available. Where an Authority does not already have in-house technical capability or the appraisal has moved to a more detailed design stage, consideration to procuring this from external technical knowledge or expertise will be necessary.
SFT has been actively involved in this area for several years and has a network of advisors that could be utilised where necessary and subject to the Authority's procurement and governance arrangements through the following email link mailbox@scottishfuturestrust.org.uk
This expertise will be essential to ensuring that the decarbonisation option(s) design and configuration is robust, credible and provides a high level of accuracy regarding the viability of energy/carbon savings and where relevant cost savings. Cost savings may not always be achieved, for example where there is an anticipated increase in ongoing utilities costs i.e., where a heat pump replaces a gas boiler, gas consumption will reduce, however electrical consumption will increase and overall there could be an increase in cost depending on utility rates. Similarly, it is expected that some decarbonisation options will have an interactive effect on one another that would affect savings potential e.g. the benefits of Voltage Optimisation would be drastically reduced where a project also seeks to replace existing fluorescent lighting with LEDs.