A unified decarbonisation plan for 52 public buildings.

Public buildings carry public life – but many were falling behind

Libraries, museums, leisure centres and civic offices are the social infrastructure that holds communities together. But across Liverpool City Region, many of these buildings were struggling with ageing systems, high energy use and growing carbon exposure.

The Combined Authority wanted a plan that would deliver more than compliance. They wanted a pathway that strengthened the civic estate and helped local people live well – now and into the future.

A varied estate that needed one consistent way of seeing itself

The 52 buildings ranged from Victorian landmarks to contemporary leisure hubs. Each had different constraints, priorities and operational realities – but no shared framework to compare them.

A standardised building audit methodology and data protocol changed that. Suddenly every site could be seen side-by-side: fabric performance, heat demand, controls, lighting, renewables feasibility and operational constraints.

The region didn’t have an engineering problem. It had a visibility problem – one that clarity could fix.

A strategy that joined data, design and the realities of civic life

Oliver led the design of a techno-economic model that analysed costs, CO₂ savings and cost-per-tonne-of-carbon-reduced for every proposed measure. This guided investment toward the interventions that mattered most.

Site-by-site audits identified opportunities for heat pumps, insulation, upgraded controls, LED lighting, solar PV and solar thermal – all grounded in operational constraints and heritage considerations.

Meetings with onsite teams ensured the strategy was shaped by people who run these buildings every day, not by assumptions made from a distance.

A fund-ready, region-wide roadmap – and momentum for delivery

The final programme formed the core of a successful Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme bid, unlocking capital to begin implementation across the estate.

Instead of isolated actions, the region now has a coherent, long-term plan – one that improves public spaces, reduces operational costs and accelerates progress toward Net Zero.

Decarbonising buildings means decarbonising everyday life

When public buildings become cleaner, healthier and more efficient, the benefit is immediate and shared. Communities feel the impact long before the carbon accounting does.

This is how Net Zero becomes real: one library, one museum, one leisure centre at a time – each contributing to a region where people, communities and the planet can thrive.