The four new early-years establishments are being built at Govanhill, Broomhill, Carntyne and Tollcross Park. All four new builds are currently under construction through principal contractor City Building (Glasgow), with all grant-funded works to be completed by the end of March 2022.
Air-source heat pumps and supporting infrastructure will enable all four of the new nursery schools to receive their warmth and hot water from electricity, whilst Govanhill and Broomhill Nursery Schools will also have ‘smart’ grey water systems installed to mitigate localised flood risk by maximising underground rainwater storage capacity ahead of storms.
The Early Years Expansion programme will be the first Glasgow City Council new builds to embrace these new technologies in order to make the transition to a low carbon estate.
The inclusion of sustainable technology in the new-builds - deliverable through match-funding from the Scottish government's Low Carbon Infrastructure Transition Programme (LCITP) - will support Glasgow's Climate Emergency Plan and its desire to achieve net-zero carbon in the city by 2030.
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The council said that the LCITP funding of £329,313 will not only help to increase the number of buildings within its estate operating low-carbon technologies but will also provide a platform for new skills and knowledge to be gained and embedded across the council's technical teams.
Councillor Anna Richardson, city convener for sustainability and carbon reduction, said: "I'm delighted that the council has been awarded LCITP funding, which means we can incorporate technology into these new builds which will help reduce our carbon footprint and help us prepare for the effects of climate change.
“Delivering childcare places in a lower-carbon way complements the council's wider sustainability work in this area. The introduction of these green technologies also supports many of our other environmental strategies that seek to protect the environment. These projects will have a particularly positive effect on the local communities concerned by helping to lessen flood risk and reduce emissions from heat.”
Cabinet secretary for net zero, energy and transport Michael Matheson said: “I'm hugely pleased that our Low Carbon Infrastructure Transition Programme can support Glasgow City Council in ensuring the new nurseries will rely on low-carbon energy sources for their heating and electricity consumption. It is important that facilities like these that play a valuable role in our communities align with the Scottish government's and Glasgow's net zero commitments.”
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