The UK education sector is the backbone of our communities, shaping the future for millions of young people from nursery age right through to university.
Behind the scenes, however, schools, colleges and higher education institutions throughout the UK face a constant balancing act of delivering a safe, comfortable learning environment while managing ever-tightening budgets.
The National Education Union estimates that UK schools will face a £630 million funding cut in 2026, with 75% of primary schools and 92% secondary schools forced to deliver the same standards with fewer staff and limited resources.
School business managers, therefore, face the constant conundrum of how to maintain services and standards with less, and when considering these cost savings, attention often turns to things like school equipment, technology, facilities and infrastructure.
For over 40 years, the team at Lord Combustion Services has supported educational institutions across the West Midlands and beyond, providing energy-efficient commercial heating and hot water solutions that help schools significantly reduce their energy bills. Here’s how we’re helping schools to save money.
Understanding the budgetary pressures facing schools
While many schools are forced to make difficult decisions about where to allocate their limited resources, heating and hot water are essential services that no school can function without.
Energy bills, however, can often represent a significant portion of a school’s annual expenditure – especially in the winter months when heating costs rapidly increase.
Older boiler systems, inefficient controls and outdated infrastructure can also contribute to spiraling energy bills, as well as unexpected breakdowns and uncomfortably cold classrooms which can affect pupils’ concentration and therefore learning outcomes.
For headteachers and school business managers, the challenge is clear: how can they maintain high standards for staff and pupils, while keeping costs under control?
The value of modern boiler systems and expert support
This is where a specialist commercial heating partner makes all the difference. With decades of experience working in the education sector, we understand the unique needs of schools, colleges and universities.
Our engineers are not only highly skilled and fully DBS-checked for safeguarding peace of mind, but they also know how to deliver projects with minimal disruption, often working to tight deadlines to ensure lessons aren’t interrupted.
Our services cover every aspect of a school’s heating and hot water needs, including:
- Boiler room upgrades: Replacing old, inefficient boilers with modern, energy-efficient models that deliver immediate savings on fuel bills and reduce maintenance headaches
- Control systems: Installing advanced controls to allow for precise management of heating schedules, ensuring warmth when and where it’s needed, without wasting energy
- Classroom heating: Tailored solutions for classrooms, sports halls, science labs and other key facilities, ensuring every space is comfortable and fit for purpose
- Water booster sets and quality testing: Reliable hot water and regular legionella risk assessments keep staff and pupils safe
- Gas tightness testing and commercial kitchens: Ensuring compliance and safety across all school facilities.
How upgrades create cost savings and comfort
Switching to a modern heating system isn’t just about new equipment – it’s about smarter operation. By upgrading to high-efficiency boilers and integrating intelligent control systems, schools can significantly reduce energy consumption.
These systems use less fuel to produce the same amount of heat, directly lowering energy bills. Newer systems are also more reliable and require less frequent repairs, minimising maintenance costs and freeing up school budgets for other priorities.
Lord Combustion Services has extensive experience supporting schools with capital projects like boiler upgrades, including the CIF (Condition Improvement Fund) and SALIX/PSDS (Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme) applications, helping unlock funding for vital upgrades.
The role of smart switches and remote control
One of the most important developments in school heating management is the rise of smart switches and remote-control systems. These technologies allow site managers to monitor and adjust heating and hot water systems from anywhere, whether they’re on-site or off.
This is crucial for cost savings, because even the best heating system can be undermined by human error. It’s all too easy for a boiler or heater to be left running overnight, during weekends or over the holidays – and every hour of unnecessary operation adds to the school’s energy bill and carbon footprint.
In our experience, leaving heating systems on unnecessarily is actually one of the most common sources of energy waste we see in schools and colleges.
Smart controls put an end to this problem, delivering both financial and environmental benefits. Schools can set heating to match the school timetable, ensuring warmth when it’s needed and savings when it’s not.
These controls also allow schools to spot inefficiencies or high-use areas before they become costly problems, and if a classroom is too cold or hot, adjustments can be made instantly without the need to wait for a site visit.
Sustainability: building greener schools
Today’s schools are not just places of learning; they’re also role models for the next generation. As well as budgetary constraints, schools also face growing pressure to become more sustainable and reduce their environmental impact – and we know many schools have a genuine desire to do that.
Heating and hot water are major contributors to a school’s carbon footprint. By investing in energy-efficient systems, schools can lower carbon emissions by using less fuel, therefore directly reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Lord Combustion Service work closely with schools to design solutions that not only save money but also support their sustainability goals.
Why choose a specialist for your school?
Working in the education sector requires more than technical expertise. It requires a deep understanding of safeguarding, scheduling and the unique pressures schools face. This is an area we have a tremendous amount of experience in; take a look at some of our recent school projects here.
We’re proud to support schools, colleges, and universities across the West Midlands and the UK, helping them create safe, comfortable and sustainable environments for staff and pupils alike, whilst also reducing costs.
If your school is looking to upgrade its heating or hot water systems, improve energy efficiency, or explore smart controls, get in touch with our team today. We can help you save money, reduce your carbon footprint, and provide the best possible environment for learning.
