How Barker is delivering transformative social value and behavioural change in schools

There are clear economic, financial and carbon-saving advantages to implementing green energy technologies in schools.

However, decarbonisation projects, including those delivered via the Great British Energy Solar Partnerships (GBESP) programme, deliver additional benefits by changing the way staff, students and wider school communities think about sustainability.

Barker’s recent GB Energy Solar Partnerships Social Value and Behavioural Change Report highlights the work that Barker and their consortium partners have carried out behind the scenes to improve carbon literacy, encourage the widespread adoption of sustainability best practices in education environments, and deliver robust green skills training that supports the DfE’s vision of a low-carbon economy.

The Barker consortium: dedicated to inspiring students and driving tangible change

The consortium is guided by a series of social value commitments, including:

• Sharing examples with schools of best practice across such areas as energy, sustainability and Good Estates Management (GEMS), project and programme management
• Providing training to estates managers on the maintenance of green intervention technologies (for example, how to monitor and clean PV arrays)
• Arranging work experience placements, internships and apprenticeships and careers talks to encourage participation from partner schools/colleges and their stakeholders
• Delivering talks for students (tailored for primary, secondary and college audiences), providing Green Skills and Careers awareness guides, and organising drop-in ‘surgeries’ when sustainability experts are on site
• Delivering assembly, workshop or classroom sessions where students, staff and others will learn more about the work we do

Ashden’s Let’s Go Zero, the consortium’s engagement and behaviour change lead, assists schools with developing and implementing bespoke Climate Action Plans with a view to reducing their carbon footprint.

The real-world impact of behaviour change initiatives

Through outreach, student training, staff upskilling sessions and more, the experts within the Barker consortium are multiplying the return on infrastructure investment by:

• Educating stakeholders on how to operate their green technologies efficiently
• Changing the daily energy-saving habits of school users and their families
• Promoting work and training opportunities in the sustainability space, including apprenticeships

The headline results from the GBESP from a behavioural change standpoint make for impressive reading:

• 79 schools and colleges were supported across England, primarily in the North West. 65 of these settings served disadvantaged communities, based on FSM eligibility
• 33,450 students were reached directly and indirectly through assemblies, workshops and curriculum‑linked activity
• 3,752 staff were engaged overall, strengthening school capability and leadership
• 58 bespoke climate action plans were delivered, with 20 more in progress
• 1,610 sustainability actions were agreed across participating settings. [GBESP]
• 85 in‑person school visits were delivered, enabling tailored, high trust support
• 16 staff gained Carbon Literacy accreditation, embedding long‑term skills and confidence
• 448 tCO2e was saved to date, with a further 5,426 tCO2e forecast as actions are completed
• At least 10% reduction in energy use was achieved through behaviour change alone. Combined with action and controls optimisation, this is likely to increase to c.20%

The evidence is undeniable. When solar PV is combined with meaningful, people-centred engagement, schools achieve greater carbon savings, stronger value for money and lasting cultural change. But for Barker and its consortium partners, the ambition extends far beyond decarbonising buildings.

By empowering staff, inspiring students and equipping school communities with the knowledge and confidence to take action, we are helping to shape a generation that sees sustainability as both a responsibility and an opportunity. Through every project, training session and conversation, Barker is working to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon future, creating lasting environmental and social impact that extends well beyond the school gates.

Visit Barker’s team on Stand G18 to learn more about the far-reaching impact of our energy consultancy expertise.