- Aston University awarded £35.5 million grant from the UK Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme to build a Green Energy Centre
- The Centre will accelerate the University’s Net Zero emissions timeline to 2028
- Scope 1 and 2 emissions will be reduced by over 90 per cent from 2005/06 baseline.
Aston University has been awarded a £35.5 million grant from the UK Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme to support its transformation into an innovative, Net Zero carbon campus.
The funding, run by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and delivered by Salix, will revolutionise how the campus operates. A state-of-the-art Green Energy Centre will be built in a newly-acquired facility on Woodcock Street that will also house the triple-crown accredited Aston Business School, the Aston Business Hub, and the Aston Integrated Healthcare Hub.
The new Green Energy Centre powered by new generation sustainable technologies will accelerate Aston University’s Net Zero emission timeline to 2028, two years ahead of the original, ambitious target. The Centre will also serve as a living lab supporting cutting-edge research and education in sustainable technologies.
Scope 1 and 2 emissions will be reduced by over 90 per cent from the 2005/06 baseline as a result of moving away from fossil fuels used in the University’s district heating and electricity network. Furthermore, the project includes the decommissioning of gas boilers currently used in the Energy and Bioproducts Research Institute (EBRI) and the Aston Day Hospital buildings as well as energy efficiency projects in several other high-traffic buildings across the campus.
The centre will be future-proofed, with a Zero Carbon 10MW capacity Energy Centre (the current demand is 8.2MW), allowing Aston University to grow sustainably.
Professor Aleks Subic, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Aston University, said:
“The ambitious Aston University 2030 sustainability strategy is being realised by establishing the new Green Energy Centre that will enable the University to reach Net Zero Carbon by 2028, two years ahead of our plan. This transformational initiative demonstrates in action a model for how universities can drive environmental innovation while creating spaces where people and ideas flourish. Every breath we take will be cleaner, every space on our campus healthier for the Aston team, students, partners, and community.”
Director of Public Sector Decarbonisation at Salix, Ian Rodger said:
“We look forward to working with Aston University and supporting it to deliver its Net Zero carbon emission strategy.
“We have no time to waste when addressing climate change and, at Aston, we can see the vision to create not only a healthier environment in which to work and study but a campus that is well set up for the future.”
- Notes to Editors
For over 130 years, Aston University has been making our world a better place through education, research and innovation. Our history is intertwined with the remarkable city of Birmingham, once the heartland of the Industrial Revolution and now the thriving base for an innovation ecosystem of global significance, which Aston is co-creating.
Our vision is to be a leading university for science, technology and enterprise, measured by the positive transformational impact we achieve for our people, students, businesses and the communities we serve.
Aston focuses on high-quality, exploitable research that has an impact on society through medical breakthroughs, advancements in engineering, policy and practice in government, and the strategies and performance of business.
The university offers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes, as well as Continuing Professional Development solutions.
Thanks to its focus on delivering excellent outcomes for students, Aston University's reputation continues to grow. It was recognised as the Daily Mail University of the Year for Student Success 2025, is 2nd in England for social mobility (2023 HEPI Social Mobility Index), and is top 20 for graduate salaries (2024 Longitudinal Education Outcomes).
Aston University is now defining its place in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (and beyond) within a rapidly changing world.
About Salix: Salix’s role is to support the UK government in driving the transition to a low carbon future and meet challenging net zero targets. We deliver and administer grant and loan funding on behalf of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, the Department for Education and the Scottish and Welsh governments. This is delivered across the public sector as well as housing.
The schemes we deliver provide funding for energy efficiency and heat decarbonisation projects for public sector buildings as well as the housing sector. Our schemes are dedicated to reducing carbon emissions and supporting the government’s ambitious net zero targets. These programmes include the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, Home Upgrade Grant, the Low Carbon Skills Fund and Scotland’s Public Sector Heat Decarbonisation Fund. We also play an important role in increasing awareness of energy efficiency and heat decarbonisation across the public sector throughout the UK. Our teams work closely with the public sector organisations throughout their decarbonisation journey, from the moment a grant is allocated to the moment the scheme is fully operational.
For media enquiries in relation to this release, contact Loretta Milan, Head of Communications, on (+44) 7773 773959 or email: l.milan@aston.ac.uk.
Be first to get the latest news, research and expert comment from Aston
by following us on XNeed an expert for your story? Browse our experts directory