About the School
Mount St. Mary’s College, established in 1842, is one of the oldest independent schools in the UK. Situated across two campuses – the Senior School (Mount St. Mary’s College) with 360 students and the Junior School (Barlborough Hall Prep School) with 190 students – the institution provides education for over 550 pupils in total.
The school’s historic buildings, while full of character, present ongoing challenges in terms of energy efficiency. Aged lighting systems and heating infrastructure have long driven up energy consumption and maintenance costs.
The Challenge
Mount St. Mary’s faced two significant infrastructure challenges:
1. Outdated Lighting
The school’s classrooms, corridors, and sports facilities were fitted with legacy lighting systems, resulting in high electricity consumption and poor-quality lighting environments. Upgrading to energy-efficient LED lighting would not only improve the learning and teaching experience but also deliver long-term savings.
- Annual savings: Substantial reduction in energy costs
- Payback period: Estimated at 4 years
- Additional benefits: Better lighting quality, lower maintenance
2. Aged Boiler Systems
The school operates two central plant rooms with a total of six floor-mounted boilers, all over 25 years old. Reliability had become a concern, and the high maintenance costs were impacting the annual budget.
- Annual gas spend: ~£400,000
- Projected efficiency gain: 25%
- Estimated annual savings: ~£100,000
- Improved reliability: Stable heating supply across all school buildings
Despite these challenges, like many independent schools, Mount St. Mary’s faced constraints in allocating capital for such significant upgrades.
The Solution
Sustainable Energy Finance worked closely with the school’s senior leadership and finance team to deliver 100% funding solutions for both the LED lighting and boiler replacement programmes.
Our Approach:
- Full project financing: No upfront capital required
- Tailored solutions: Designed around the school’s cash flow and governance structure
- Vendor-neutral procurement: Ensuring best value and quality from approved installation partners
- ROI-driven strategy: Built-in energy savings and payback analysis
- Risk-free structure: No impact on operational budgets; funded through the savings generated
Results & Impact
- LED Lighting Upgrade: Implemented across classrooms, sports halls, and shared areas – reducing electricity usage while enhancing the visual environment.
- Boiler Replacement: Delivered a modern, reliable, and highly efficient heating system, significantly reducing gas consumption and improving overall energy performance.
- Zero upfront cost: Fully funded solution delivered with no capital outlay.
- Immediate and long-term savings: Substantial Energy Cost Savings
A Word from the School
“Working with Sustainable Energy Finance was a very positive experience. The projects were complex, particularly due to the age of our buildings and the nature of the funding requirements, but their team took the time to understand our operations and delivered tailored funding solutions that worked for us. Their guidance and expertise helped us move forward on essential infrastructure upgrades that would otherwise have been delayed. We wouldn’t hesitate to work with them again.”
— Ben Harrison, Head of Finance, Mount St. Mary’s Col
Why Mount St. Mary’s Chose Us
- Proven expertise in independent school energy upgrades
- Strong understanding of charitable governance and funding limitations
- Access to a wide network of funders and energy efficiency partners
- Ability to offer full funding with minimal disruption to operations
Looking to upgrade your school’s energy infrastructure?
If you’re a bursar, facilities manager or trustee exploring energy efficiency improvements, speak to our team about fully funded options for your school.
