£28m funding to help decarbonise buildings across Greater Manchester

• £28m available to make public buildings cheaper to run and cut emissions 

• Fund will help public sector buildings like schools, local authority premises, community/mental health NHS trusts and foundation trusts install new solar panels, insulation and low-carbon heating systems 

• Public Building Retrofit Fund will support Greater Manchester’s ambition to be carbon neutral by 2038 - 12 years ahead of the national target 

Public sector organisations across Greater Manchester will soon be able to apply for a new £28 million fund to help make their buildings warmer, cheaper to run, and less reliant on fossil fuels. 

The Public Building Retrofit Fund (PBRf) will provide capital funding between 2025 and 2028, supporting work to cut emissions from heating and improve energy efficiency across our city region’s public estate. 

This includes local authority buildings like town halls, state schools, community and mental health NHS trusts and foundation trusts. 

It will support public bodies towards Greater Manchester's ambition to be carbon neutral by 2038 -12 years ahead of the national target - through emission-slashing upgrades like insulation, low-carbon heating systems, LED lighting, and even renewable energy such as solar panels. 

Heating buildings accounts for 9% of the UK’s total emissions and switching away from fossil fuel systems like gas boilers is a major challenge. 

Our five-year environment plan highlights how Greater Manchester has already taken practical steps towards our carbon neutral target by investing £120 million in retrofitting 225 schools, leisure centres and public buildings. 

It also sets out how we’re leading a shift to clean green energy by addressing both risks and opportunities around climate challenges, as well as halting and reversing biodiversity loss.  

It's all part of our vision for the next decade to create a thriving city region where everyone can live a good life. By boosting resilience to climate change across our towns and cities, we'll make sure communities across Greater Manchester can live in a safe, healthy, low carbon, nature-rich environment. 

Councillor Tom Ross, Greater Manchester Lead for Green City-Region, said:

“Decarbonising our public buildings is a vital part of our journey to net zero and this fund will give local organisations the support they need to take action. 

“The Greater Manchester Five-Year Environment Plan commits us to creating a carbon neutral, climate resilient city-region, and retrofit is central to that. This is about reducing carbon, but it’s also about creating jobs, supporting innovation, and making sure the benefits of greener growth are felt across all our communities.” 

Three application rounds will be rolled out, each involving a two-stage assessment. The first application round is now live. 

Funding will be allocated over three financial years:  

• £1.6 million in 2025/26 

• £13.2 million in 2026/27 

• £13.2 million in 2027/28 

Projects supported through the fund are expected to take a whole-building approach to decarbonisation, although phased upgrades will also be considered. 

This means that improvements could range from installing heat pumps to upgrading lighting - all of which help to reduce energy use and carbon emissions. 

The public sector plays a key role in leading Greater Manchester’s transition to net zero. This commitment is central to our work ensuring the wellbeing of future generations. 

As well as cutting emissions, the fund encourages a further drive towards green innovation, support for more local jobs, and the delivery of warmer, more efficient buildings for all residents across the city region over the next decade. 

Registration for the first round of funding is now live. Visit the GMCA website for more information: https://www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/what-we-do/environment/homes-workplaces-and-public-buildings/public-building-retrofit-fund 

Notes to Editors 

• Further details on the three application rounds will be announced on the GMCA website. 

• Funding allocations may be adjusted depending on the number and quality of bids received. 

• Buildings eligible to apply are: 

• • Local authorities (including town and parish councils) 

• • State schools (maintained schools, academies, multi-academy trusts and free schools) 

• • Further education providers 

• • Local authority-maintained nursery schools 

• • Community and mental health NHS trusts and foundation trusts (excluding acute trusts) 

• Buildings not eligible to apply are: 

• • GP practices, unless they are contracting authorities of an eligible NHS trust and directly responsible for building maintenance 

• • Higher Education institutions such as universities 

Article Published: 27/08/2025 13:41 PM