Decarbonisation of Public Sector Buildings in Wales

Miller Research was commissioned by the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA), through its Climate Change Support Programme funded by Welsh Government, to support understanding of local authority progress on the decarbonisation of public sector buildings across Wales.

Welsh Government has committed to a carbon neutral public sector by 2030, recognising the leadership role local authorities play in reducing emissions, managing public estates and influencing wider place-based decarbonisation. While councils have made strong commitments, earlier reviews highlighted significant variation in plans, levels of detail, and the availability of consistent data to track progress.

Project focus

This project aimed to establish an all-Wales baseline on the current state of local authority building decarbonisation, with a particular focus on estate rationalisation, investment planning and delivery readiness. The work was commissioned by the Building Decarbonisation Task and Finish Group, chaired by Denbighshire County Council, to inform the development of a national strategy and targeted support offer for councils.

The research builds on earlier work by Ystadau Cymru and the Welsh Government Energy Service, addressing a key gap by providing a consistent, comparable picture across all Welsh local authorities.

Methodology

Miller Research designed and delivered a structured survey to Welsh councils, gathering evidence on:

• Estate management and rationalisation strategies

• The role of decarbonisation within asset management planning

• Decision-making structures and governance arrangements

• Identification, costing and phasing of decarbonisation works

• The impact of remote and hybrid working on estate planning

• Anticipated challenges around funding, capacity and delivery

Responses were analysed to identify patterns, variation and shared challenges across regions and council types.

Key findings

The research found strong and consistent commitment to decarbonising public buildings across Wales, with most councils actively planning or implementing measures to transition assets to low or zero carbon operation. However, progress varies significantly in terms of the detail of plans, cost certainty and delivery timelines.

Common themes included:

• Widespread adoption of hybrid and remote working, influencing estate rationalisation

• A phased approach to decarbonisation, prioritising buildings with the greatest emissions or energy demand

• Significant uncertainty around total costs, with estimates varying widely between councils

• Funding, capacity and scale of work presenting major risks to meeting the 2030 target

The findings highlight the scale of the challenge facing councils and the importance of coordinated national support, improved data and realistic investment planning.

Impact

The survey results provide an evidence base to inform the Building Decarbonisation Task and Finish Group’s strategy, helping WLGA and Welsh Government to target support, share learning and strengthen delivery capacity. The work contributes to Wales’ wider commitment to a net zero public sector and supports local authorities in translating ambition into action.