Decarbonisation Funds Must Be Deployed for Smarter Building Services Upgrades, Says Leading Pump Expert

  Posted by: electime      6th January 2026

Funds from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS) must be used for retrofitting old, inefficient building services with smarter upgrades, in the push for making hospitals, schools and public buildings more sustainable.

The call comes from Jason Cox, sales director for building services at Wilo, a leading manufacturer of pumps and pump systems, as grants from phase four of the PSDS are being awarded to Public Sector Bodies from the initiative’s £1.4 billion budget.

Many grant recipients are aiming to decarbonise public sector buildings through the installation of new renewable technology, such as solar panels and air source heat pumps. However, Jason urges decisionmakers and stakeholders to also consider retrofitting in-service equipment, as he highlights how energy saving through investing in new renewable technology could be negated by inefficient building services.

Jason said: “To utilise energy saving measures, it’s critical to prevent new sustainable energy solutions from being undermined by outdated utility systems. Before investing in renewable technology, decisionmakers need to assess the current energy usage of their building. It is more effective to work from the ‘inside-out’, beginning by considering any inefficient building services that need to be addressed before moving onto external factors like investing in solar panels.

“Energy audits are essential in determining any sources of energy inefficiency. For example, if the pumps within a building could be using more energy than needed. Or, if they are running on old technology, such as IE3 motors, which could be upgraded in order to save energy. Completing this step first will then ensure that any future energy reduction techniques will not be compromised.”

Replacing a booster set, a HVAC pump or a hot water recirculation pump, can enhance energy efficiency prior to investing in new renewable technology. Giving attention to these ‘behind the scenes’ measures is a necessary part of improving a building’s overall energy usage.

For example, Wilo’s Stratos MAXO and Stratos GIGA ranges of high efficiency HVAC pumps feature technology such as Dynamic Adapt Plus which autonomously adjusts the pump’s output to the actual requirements of the heating or cooling system. Meanwhile, energy saving IE5 motors and demand-led operation can be found in Wilo’s SiBoost2.0 booster set range.

To assess the efficiency of legacy pump systems within a public sector building, Wilo offers free energy audits which can be arranged online.

Beyond conducting energy audits, Jason also encourages decisionmakers to consider where they are sourcing their pumps from and whether they are manufactured sustainably. He advises that pumps and building services equipment should come through trusted manufacturers, that have their green credentials independently verified.

“It’s not only about putting the most efficient products in buildings, but also sourcing them from environmentally conscious manufacturers,” said Jason. “I am proud to say that our Stratos MAXO and Stratos GIGA pumps are manufactured in our state-of-the-art, climate neutral factory in Dortmund, Germany, and that Wilo is an EcoVadis Platinum-rated company for the fourth year running, which demonstrates our long term commitment to embedding sustainability across all aspects of our operations.”

To find out more about Wilo, click here: https://wilo.com/gb/en/