The project is expected to save over 4,200 tonnes of carbon and reduce maintenance costs
The ACC Liverpool Group, operator of the M&S Bank Arena, Exhibition Centre Liverpool and convention centre, is set to receive £1.4m from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme in its latest step towards achieving net zero status by 2030. The scheme, worth £1.425bn, was launched by Salix on behalf of the UK government’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) in 2021. The money has been awarded to Liverpool City Council as owner of the campus.
It is one of 180 public sector organisations awarded funds from the government Phase 3b of the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme for heat decarbonisation and energy efficient projects. The money will be used to replace hot water boilers in the arena and adjoining convention centre – installed when the venue opened in 2008 – with air sourced heat pumps.
The project is expected to directly save more than 4,200 tonnes of carbon over the lifetime of the project in addition to reducing running and maintenance costs. “Environment, sustainability and climate action are key focuses for our Social Value Impact Plan which we launched in 2021,” said Eddie dos Santos, director of operations and venue management at the ACC Liverpool Group. “We have already made significant progress across the campus with a number of initiatives and are striving to implement as many changes as we can to make events that we host as sustainable as possible for organisers and visitors. This project will enable us to make massive reductions in carbon emissions from the existing equipment and reduce our annual running costs.”
A number of measures have already been taken by the group as part of its commitment towards sustainability in the events sector including signing the Net Zero Carbon Events pledge and setting its own target of net zero by 2030, in line with Liverpool City Council. The organisation, which recently installed LED lights across the campus, aims to maintain zero to landfill status, support the development of super low carbon events and reduce single-use plastics.
Liverpool City Council nominated the ACC Liverpool Group to receive the funding for the development which will be installed before the end of the year and will not affect any events taking place. “I’m delighted that the ACC Liverpool Group is taking decarbonisation extremely seriously and is making as many changes as possible to how it operates and functions,” said Liam Robinson, council leader, who also leads on Liverpool City Council’s Climate Action and Net Zero programmes. “It’s a great example of how a business can reduce its carbon footprint whilst continuing to be successful. Any step towards carbon reduction is to be welcomed, and that is a message we can all embrace. Every effort will make a difference, no matter how big or by whom – starting today. We owe it to future generations to do all we can to prevent the climate crisis becoming a global catastrophe.”
