Long-Term Energy Strategy in Action
Helping one of the UK’s most ambitious councils hit net zero by 2030:
Our client is one of the top ten local authorities nationally for its commitment to climate action. With a declared climate emergency and a firm target to reach net zero by 2030, the council knew it needed more than short-term fixes.
It required a long-term, joined-up strategy that would support its decarbonisation goals while also delivering real value to residents.
Since 2021, Carbon3 has been supporting that journey, working as principal contractor across a wide range of renewable energy projects. From battery storage and heat pumps in social homes, to solar panels on council buildings, to EV chargers for fleet electrification, the goal has always been the same: reduce emissions, cut costs, and make life better for the people who live and work in our client’s borough.
A multi-technology approach, tailored to the housing stock:
No two buildings are the same, and Gravesham’s portfolio reflects that. We’ve delivered solar PV on more than 20 homes and multiple apartment blocks, including one high-rise project that required a completely bespoke system design.
We’ve installed ASHPs in over 20 homes, added EV chargers at key council locations, and introduced battery storage to improve energy efficiency and cost control.
All installations are carefully designed to match the individual building’s needs. We’ve worked around previous upgrades (like new roofing) to avoid warranty issues and used specialist equipment to reach difficult areas, always making sure residents stay informed and disruption is kept to a minimum.
When residents live in flats, for example, we’ve wired solar systems directly into each unit, so they benefit from the energy generated in their own home, not just at a communal level. At a sheltered housing scheme, that individual approach helped raise EPC ratings to A and slash annual emissions to less than 0.3 tonnes per flat, which is a fraction of the national average.
Why operations and maintenance can’t be an afterthought:
For many councils, maintenance of renewable systems is where things start to fall down. Systems stop working, warranties get voided, and repairs become costly and reactive.
Our client took a different approach.
They recognised early on that the long-term value of these systems depends on how they’re cared for, so they appointed Carbon3 to deliver a full operations and maintenance (O&M) package as part of the South East Consortium framework.
We remotely monitor every asset in real time through our management portal. If something drops below expected performance, we know about it instantly and we can usually fix it without waiting for an annual service visit.
Our engineers are directly employed, DBS-checked, and trained across all the technologies we install, so one visit is often all that’s needed, even if there are multiple systems in place.
This matters even more in social housing. When heat pumps fail in winter or solar systems stop offsetting bills, the people who suffer are often the most vulnerable.
Connecting everything to the bigger net zero picture:
These projects aren’t happening in isolation. They’re part of a borough-wide strategy that includes electric fleet transition, smart energy management, and community investment. Carbon3 supported the installation of 24 EV chargers, using our Carbon3 App system to manage usage and pricing, and even contributed to local social value initiatives, like funding the town’s Christmas lights.
At a 14-storey residential tower, we designed and delivered a solar and battery system that now runs at over 96% efficiency compared to designs. The building had unique structural constraints, but through collaboration with manufacturers and the client’s asset team, we delivered a solution that worked without voiding the roof warranty or disrupting residents.
A partnership model built for the public sector:
Gravesham’s success shows what can be achieved when councils partner with a specialist who understands the technical, financial, and governance realities of local authority work. From helping secure government funding to ensuring installations align with housing strategies and resident care plans, our approach has always been collaborative, not transactional.
For councils working toward net zero, the real challenge isn’t just installing the right technologies, though this is important, it’s doing so in a way that’s safe, and scalable for years to come.
Looking to future-proof your housing stock or develop a net zero asset strategy?
Let’s talk about how we can help.
Email us at info@carbon3.co.uk.
