Multi Academy Trust opts for Utility Rentals over Salix Funding

It’s certainly no secret that there is an increasing amount of pressure on the public sector to reduce its carbon emissions. Yet even though the market is full of new, energy saving technologies, schools, colleges and universities alike don’t necessarily have the budget available to implement them.

Energys Group specialise in manufacturing and installing a range of retrofit low-carbon technologies, including energy efficient lighting solutions, to organisations like schools nationwide. And together with us here at Utility Rentals, we have created the only genuine operating lease package for lighting in the UK, ultimately helping the education sector to acquire energy efficient lighting, fully installed and maintained, without the need for any capital outlay.

In a bid to cut their carbon emissions, Bedfordshire Schools Trust (BEST) – a unique alliance of academies consisting of Etonbury Academy, Gothic Mede Academy, Gravenhurst Academy, Robert Bloomfield Academy and Samuel Whitbread Academy – decided to consider a lighting upgrade for three out of their five academies. In order to fund the project, Ian Kite, Head of Capital and Projects at BEST, first considered Salix Finance, but soon decided this wasn’t a suitable option for them.

“We needed an alternative to Salix – and the Energys team was quick to respond with a solution.” said Ian. “It became clear very quickly that an operational lease was the best way forward for BEST. In fact, it offers significant advantages over the Salix route. There is no requirement for any up-front capital investment; the cost of the lease is paid through the monthly savings made – and all of the lighting is fully maintained for the duration of the lease. It makes sound commercial sense – and it de-risks the whole process for us.”

Several other energy efficient lighting companies have come and gone over the years, leaving their customers to fend for themselves. Whereas renting from us here at Utility Rentals gives schools reassurance. We are committing to the school for the full rental period to offer any support required. We include installation, as well as ongoing maintenance within our rental contracts and we also include a 5 year parts warranty, so if a light bulb fails, the school won’t have to pay to replace it.

Since having their energy efficient lighting installed BEST have not only noticed a reduction in their energy bills, but also an improvement to their learning environment. Ian Kite explains, “There have been positive comments from staff about the quality of the light since the Energys retrofits were installed. So it’s a great result for us and I am sure that, not too far in the future, we will be initiating similar projects at BEST’s other schools.”

If you would like to learn more about how Utility Rentals can help your school reduce its carbon footprint, as well as save money, through the installation of retrofit lighting, please call us on 01628 667373 and we will be more than happy to go through the available options or answer any questions you may have.