Carbon Numbers Investments

The Challenge

Ipswich High School operates from a historic Grade I listed estate while supporting a growing school, boarding facilities and an expanding commercial events programme.

The organisation faced multiple constraints:

  • Rising energy costs across a complex estate
  • No available capital budget for energy investment
  • Limited on-site technical resource
  • Fragmented and ageing building management systems
  • Lack of accurate asset data and as-built documentation
  • Increasing pressure to demonstrate progress towards net zero

Traditional upgrade approaches presented cost, delivery and performance risk — with no certainty of outcomes.

Carbon Numbers Investments

Ipswich High School

  • Sector: Education
  • Estate: 87-acre campus, Grade I listed building
  • Solution: Investment-led Energy Performance Contract
  • Contract Term: 2018–2035

The Solution

Carbon Numbers Investments delivered a fully funded energy and asset performance programme, structured through a long-term Energy Performance Contract.

The solution modernised building controls, improved energy visibility and transferred both capital and performance risk away from the school — enabling delivery without upfront investment.

Carbon Numbers Investments

The Challenge

Ipswich High School operates from a historic Grade I listed estate while supporting a growing school, boarding facilities and an expanding commercial events programme.

The organisation faced multiple constraints:

  • Rising energy costs across a complex estate
  • No available capital budget for energy investment
  • Limited on-site technical resource
  • Fragmented and ageing building management systems
  • Lack of accurate asset data and as-built documentation
  • Increasing pressure to demonstrate progress towards net zero

Traditional upgrade approaches presented cost, delivery and performance risk — with no certainty of outcomes.

Carbon Numbers Investments

Ipswich High School

  • Sector: Education
  • Estate: 87-acre campus, Grade I listed building
  • Solution: Investment-led Energy Performance Contract
  • Contract Term: 2018–2035

The Solution

Carbon Numbers Investments delivered a fully funded energy and asset performance programme, structured through a long-term Energy Performance Contract.

The solution modernised building controls, improved energy visibility and transferred both capital and performance risk away from the school — enabling delivery without upfront investment.

Carbon Numbers Investments

How It Was Delivered

  • Comprehensive energy and asset audit
  • Modernisation of Building Energy Management Systems (BEMS)
  • Deployment of cloud-based monitoring and control platforms
  • Installation of extensive sub-metering and live oil telemetry
  • Lighting upgrades aligned with CIBSE guidelines
  • Performance-led planned maintenance
  • Ongoing energy management and reporting

All systems and processes were delivered in line with ISO 27001, 9001 and 50001 standards

Carbon Numbers Investments

The Results

The programme has delivered measurable, verified outcomes:

0
in cost savings
0 kWhs
reduction in energy consumption
0 tonnes CO₂e
Avoided
0 trees planted
Equivalent to

Savings are guaranteed and projects are financed directly from performance, allowing capital to be redeployed elsewhere within the organisation.

The carbon saved ito date is equalivent to planting 49,800 trees that’s 

  • Chunk of land you can walk across in ~10 minutes

  • About half the size of Hyde Park
  • Or around 80 football pitches side by side

Carbon Numbers Investments

Operational & Governance Benefits

Beyond energy savings, the programme has delivered:

  • Improved system security via cloud-based access
  • Live oil stock management and telemetry
  • Improved asset uptime and operational resilience
  • Enhanced visibility of energy costs across facilities
  • Daily performance monitoring and proactive issue management
  • Full bill validation and statutory energy reporting
  • Audit-ready data supporting long-term governance

Carbon Numbers Investments

What This Demonstrates

This case study illustrates how organisations can:

  • Upgrade complex, historic estates
  • Reduce energy cost and carbon exposure
  • Avoid capital expenditure
  • Achieve guaranteed, contract-backed outcomes

All while maintaining operational continuity and financial control.

Carbon Numbers Investments

Client Perspective

“Our students, staff and commercial guests are already enjoying the benefits in terms of significantly improved comfort, not to mention the data we now have to help map our journey to net zero carbon emissions.”

Kevin Smith, Estates Manager, Ipswich High School

“The partnership has resulted in increased efficiency and management of heating and lighting, reducing our energy usage and supporting our commitment to further reducing our footprint.”

Elizabeth Hill, Head of Finance & Operations, Ipswich High School

Carbon Numbers Investments

Operational & Governance Benefits

Beyond energy savings, the programme has delivered:

  • Improved system security via cloud-based access
  • Live oil stock management and telemetry
  • Improved asset uptime and operational resilience
  • Enhanced visibility of energy costs across facilities
  • Daily performance monitoring and proactive issue management
  • Full bill validation and statutory energy reporting
  • Audit-ready data supporting long-term governance

What This Demonstrates

This case study illustrates how organisations can:

  • Upgrade complex, historic estates
  • Reduce energy cost and carbon exposure
  • Avoid capital expenditure
  • Achieve guaranteed, contract-backed outcomes

All while maintaining operational continuity and financial control.

Client Perspective

“Our students, staff and commercial guests are already enjoying the benefits in terms of significantly improved comfort, not to mention the data we now have to help map our journey to net zero carbon emissions.”

Kevin Smith, Estates Manager, Ipswich High School

“The partnership has resulted in increased efficiency and management of heating and lighting, reducing our energy usage and supporting our commitment to further reducing our footprint.”

Elizabeth Hill, Head of Finance & Operations, Ipswich High School

Unlock Profitable Sustainability — No Capital Outlay. Guaranteed Returns.Unlock Profitable Sustainability — No Capital Outlay. Guaranteed Returns.

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Why Carbon Numbers Investments?

  • Investment-led, not installation-led
  • Performance guaranteed contractually
  • Capital preserved, risk transferred
  • Part of the Carbon Numbers Group

What to Expect

Focused on financial, regulatory and operational considerations

How We Can Help

Funded energy and asset performance improvements