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16th September 2026

Going Above and Beyond: Savings Reach £7.4m Per Year

A decade of partnerships on the RE:FIT framework delivers large carbon savings each year and over 15,000 tonnes of CO2 reduction per annum.

As we begin our journey on RE:FIT 5, we’re celebrating the achievements of our partners during the last 10 years of the framework and the positive environmental change these projects have delivered.

Together, we've helped local authorities, NHS trusts, universities and other public sector organisations reduce their carbon emissions by more than 15,800 tonnes per year whilst saving £7.4m annually on energy bills.

But the story behind RE:FIT is more than simple statistics. Alongside helping organisations reduce carbon emissions and energy costs, RE:FIT projects can create wider social value, supporting local jobs, skills development, educational initiatives and stronger, more resilient communities.

The RE:FIT framework is ideal for organisations that want to achieve decarbonisation quickly, whilst guaranteeing rapid payback. The fact that carbon and financial savings are guaranteed reduces risk and gives clients confidence in the success of the project. What Vital has done, in partnership with us and others, is to demonstrate that not only can organisations take big steps towards net zero through the RE:FIT framework, but those measures will pay for themselves.

Des Keighan, Assistant Director at Swansea Bay UHB

From energy efficiency improvements and solar power installations to heat pumps, battery storage and smarter building controls, we've seen first-hand how decarbonisation projects can deliver lasting environmental and financial benefits.

Proven impact across the Public Sector

Our work spans projects of all scales, delivering measurable results where they matter most:

  • Swansea Bay University Health Board: Now four phases into a programme spanning energy conservation measures, solar generation and battery storage since 2019, saving over £1.5m a year and cutting carbon by over 3,700 tonnes per annum.
  • Westminster City Council: Delivering a £23 million programme with Vital Energi across 183 separate projects, including the replacement of almost 10,000 light fittings, now among the largest RE:FIT schemes delivered anywhere in the country.
  • Aberystwyth University: Now in its fourth phase of work with Vital Energi, delivering energy performance upgrades across 20 campus buildings including a 2.5MW solar farm and heat pumps, with its first two phases alone representing around £6 million of investment and 1,558 tonnes of carbon saved a year.

Public sector organisations are being asked to deliver more with less, while continuing to improve services and accelerate progress towards net zero. RE:FIT 5 offers a proven, low-risk route to delivering decarbonisation projects that reduce costs, improve buildings for the people who use them every day and create lasting social value. Having supported more than 30 individual projects through the framework over the past decade, we're proud to continue helping councils, NHS trusts and universities progress their decarbonisation ambitions for their communities.

Scott Lutton, National Operations Director - Vital Energi

Over the last 10 years, we've worked with 12 partners to deliver over 30 projects which reduce energy use, lower operating costs and support long-term sustainability goals.

RE:FIT 5 introduces several new initiatives that we believe will deliver even greater benefits for organisations.

There  is now a direct award route to speed up procurement for public bodies, alongside a requirement for delivery partners to develop investment proposals to RIBA Stage 4. For the first time, the framework also gives social value a formal role in every project, covering everything from local employment to community investment - work Vital Energi already carries out across its RE:FIT projects and wider business.

Along the way, we've learned a huge amount from the dedicated teams driving change across the public sector and seen how decarbonisation projects can create benefits that extend far beyond carbon savings.

Appointed to the new RE:FIT 5 framework, we're proud to continue supporting organisations as they improve energy efficiency, having delivered over £100m worth of projects under the framework.