Support for sustainable funding and procurement in schools and trusts, helping education settings make informed investment decisions that improve energy efficiency, reduce environmental impact and support long-term financial resilience.
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The Challenge for Schools
Schools, trusts, colleges and universities face growing pressure to improve sustainability while managing limited budgets. Many of the changes needed to improve energy efficiency in education estates require investment, whether upgrading buildings, improving ICT infrastructure or reducing waste. At the same time, funding streams and procurement frameworks can be complex and time-consuming to navigate.
Education leaders are often expected to identify funding opportunities, develop business cases and ensure procurement decisions support sustainability objectives. Without dedicated expertise, this can be difficult to manage alongside other responsibilities. As expectations around environmental performance increase, schools and trusts need clear guidance on how funding and procurement can support energy efficiency in schools and wider sustainability goals.
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How We Support Schools and Trusts
We help schools, colleges, universities and Multi Academy Trusts take a structured approach to funding and procurement that supports sustainability outcomes. We work with education settings to identify relevant funding opportunities and develop clear evidence to support applications for energy efficiency and decarbonisation projects.
Our support can include reviewing estate priorities, aligning funding opportunities with Climate Action Planning and advising on sustainable procurement approaches. We help ensure procurement decisions consider energy efficiency, lifecycle impact and long-term value. By combining data analysis, sustainability expertise and practical guidance, we support education leaders to secure funding and implement projects that improve energy efficiency across schools and trusts.
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20 Years of Experience
Proven environmental and sustainability expertise across a variety of complex, regulated UK sectors.
Scientifically Robust Data
Primary, bottom-up carbon and lifecycle data built for accuracy, credibility, and informed decision-making.
Proven Value
Sustainability strategies designed to drive performance, compliance, and long-term business value.
What Schools Gain
Taking a strategic approach to funding and procurement allows schools, colleges and universities to deliver sustainability improvements more effectively. Education settings gain clearer visibility of funding opportunities that support energy efficiency in schools, estates and ICT infrastructure.
Improved procurement processes help ensure investments deliver long-term value rather than short-term fixes. Schools and trusts can prioritise projects that reduce energy consumption, strengthen estate resilience and support sustainability commitments. For Multi Academy Trusts, consistent procurement practices across multiple sites can also improve governance and financial planning. By aligning funding and procurement with sustainability strategies, education leaders can implement improvements with greater confidence and long-term impact.
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“We chose to work with Blue Marble because their CAMP tool gives each of our schools the structure to develop Climate Action Plans consistently, while providing the Trust with oversight and visibility. Their partnership with the Department for Education on the national Sustainability Support for Education service gave us real confidence in their credibility and impact. Blue Marble combine expertise with practical solutions that help us live out our mission of stewardship and care for creation.”
Rose Colpus-Fricker, Chief Operating Officer at Plymouth CAST Multi Academy Trust
Who We Are
Henry Waite
Founder & MDHenry brings 20 years’ experience in renewable energy, spanning biogas, solar, wind and carbon capture, helping organisations measure, mitigate emissions, and thrive sustainably through Blue Marble across multiple sectors globally.
Tim Kemp
Head of TechnicalTim holds advanced environmental degrees and over a decade’s leadership experience in renewable energy and ESG, helping organisations navigate lower-carbon transitions that benefit communities, investors, governments, and long-term business sustainability.
Sam McGarrick
Head of AdvisorySam leads Blue Marble’s Advisory division, specialising in Life Cycle Assessments and Environmental Product Declarations across multiple sectors, combining sustainability expertise with business and legal experience from global corporate and investment roles.
How We've Made an Impact
Phase I & II of University, Council and Government Carbon Champions Project
Blue Marble is pleased to announce the completion of Phase I & II of the Carbon Champions Project. We were selected as an expert consultant for the South Ayrshire Project, funded by the UK Government.
AQA – using Life Cycle Assessment to support decision making around the future of examinations in England
AQA is an examination board providing GCSE, A-levels and support. In 2023, AQA commissioned Blue Marble to conduct a life cycle assessment study comparing a traditional paper-based examination with a digital on-screen examination.
Meeting the DfE’s 2025 Climate Action Plan Deadline — Made Easy
By the end of 2025, the Department for Education (DfE) requires every school in England to have a Climate Action Plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why are funding and procurement important for sustainability in schools?
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Funding and procurement play a central role in enabling sustainability improvements across education estates. Many initiatives that improve energy efficiency in schools, such as building upgrades or ICT improvements, require investment. Schools, trusts, colleges and universities must also ensure procurement decisions support environmental goals and deliver long-term value. A structured approach to funding and procurement helps education settings secure the resources needed to deliver sustainability projects while ensuring investments support both financial and environmental priorities.
- What types of sustainability projects can funding support in education settings?
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Funding opportunities can support a wide range of sustainability projects across schools, colleges and universities. These may include energy efficiency upgrades, heating improvements, renewable energy installations, ICT infrastructure improvements and estate decarbonisation initiatives. Some programmes also support climate adaptation, biodiversity or waste reduction projects. By aligning funding applications with clear sustainability strategies, education settings can strengthen their chances of securing investment that supports energy efficiency and wider environmental improvements.
- How can schools ensure procurement decisions support sustainability goals?
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Sustainable procurement involves considering environmental impact alongside cost and performance when selecting suppliers or equipment. For schools and trusts, this may include prioritising energy-efficient technologies, evaluating lifecycle impacts and ensuring suppliers meet sustainability standards. Colleges and universities may also consider repairability, durability and responsible disposal when procuring equipment. Integrating sustainability into procurement processes helps ensure investments support long-term energy efficiency and environmental objectives rather than short-term solutions.
- Are there funding opportunities specifically for improving energy efficiency in schools?
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Yes. Several funding programmes exist to support energy efficiency improvements in schools, colleges and universities. These programmes often focus on building upgrades, heating improvements and other measures that reduce energy consumption across education estates. However, application processes can be competitive and require strong supporting evidence. Schools and trusts benefit from developing clear baselines and sustainability plans that demonstrate how funding will deliver measurable energy efficiency improvements and long-term environmental benefits.
- How can Multi Academy Trusts manage procurement across multiple schools?
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Multi-Academy Trusts often manage procurement across many schools, each with different buildings and operational needs. A consistent procurement strategy helps trusts ensure sustainability and energy efficiency considerations are applied across the estate. This may include standardising procurement criteria, evaluating suppliers against sustainability requirements and coordinating investment planning. By aligning procurement with wider sustainability and Climate Action Planning, trusts can deliver improvements more efficiently while maintaining strong governance and financial oversight.