South Ayrshire Council has committed to a major retrofitting programme that could cost up to £575 million in order to achieve ambitious carbon emissions targets.

The council have agreed to match the national targets of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 75 per cent in the next eight years and reaching net zero emissions by 2045.

Three options have been laid on the table, with costs ranging from £205m to £575m.

The cheapest of the three options would see annual energy costs run to £6.1m a year, while the impact of the most expensive option would see that reduce the bill to just £371,000 a year.

A report to the council’s Leadership Panel explained: “The council’s operational estate currently accounts for a significant proportion of our annual carbon emissions.”

In March 2020, at the time of the first Covid lockdown, South Ayrshire Council hired Avison Young to carry out a survey of six council buildings to determine what could be done to improve energy efficiency across the council estate.

These were Dundonald Primary School, Dundonald Activity Centre, Troon Swimming Pool, 8 Wellington Square, 10 Wellington Square, Girvan Academy and Invergarven school.

A subsequent report to the Leadership Panel outlined three proposals for achieving the ambitious targets.

Tom Burns, asset manager at SAC, told councillors: “This work reviewed how the retrofit works required for the existing estate could be incorporated into the current capital investment programme and future years using a phased approach.

“It is imperative that the revenue cost implications of moving to zero carbon are considered alongside capital costs. It is not yet clear what financial support may be available from the UK and Scottish Government. The financial burden to meet our emission reduction targets may thus be significant.”

He added that the council would be largely reliant on the speed at which the UK electricity grid was decarbonised and was going from a "standing start" in its bid to achieve net zero emissions.

He added: “Should this be delayed then efforts to move to electric heating may not deliver the anticipated emissions reductions required to help the council fully meet its emission reduction targets.

“This is an unprecedented challenge and the impacts of this will create a once in a generation change to the provision of services by the council.”

The options identified took different approaches to the initial capital outlay and the subsequent year on year running costs.

Lowest capital cost but high revenue cost – switch all properties to electric heat emitters/ all electric primary fuel source with no change to building fabric.

Medium capital cost and neutral revenue cost – utilising heat pump technology, with targeted interventions to improve building fabric.

Highest capital cost but reduced revenue cost – utilising heat pump technology and taking all properties to the highest possible retrofit standard.

Councillors agreed to a further review of energy usage of each of the buildings in the estate. This would be carried out over one year to give accurate readings across all four seasons.

The report continues: “A review of the overall estate and potential to rationalise should be carried out.

“This would include looking at occupancy, geographical locations, and potential co-location of services to ensure the estate is as lean as possible, whilst still maintaining critical front-line services in each ward.”

The report indicated the significant outlay that would be required, adding: “It will take time to secure this level of funding.”

In the meantime, Mr Burns continued, there would be a small number of pilot projects to test out the various options.