Environmental upgrade for Upper Norwood Library Hub

Upper Norwood Library Hub gets environmental upgrade

Lambeth and Croydon Councils, in partnership with the Upper Norwood Library Trust have launched a decarbonisation project to improving the environmental impact of the Upper Norwood Library Hub. The work is part of a wider initiative aimed at reducing C02 emissions and making Lambeth a net zero borough by 2030.

Starting last week, the upgrades include the installation of LED lighting, a heat pump and secondary glazing. The work will be carried out without impacting the daily operations of the library and community hub so that its vital services can continue. The work which is expected to be completed by April is jointly funded by Lambeth Council and the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, with similar work set to be carried out in other public buildings.

Cllr Donatus Anyanwu, Lambeth Council Cabinet Member for Stronger Communities, Leisure and Sports, said: "Lambeth recognizes the importance of libraries and community spaces and how much local residents rely on them. We are committed to reducing the carbon impact of these buildings and investing in their future."

Cllr Andy Stranack, Croydon Council Cabinet Member for Communities and Culture said: “The Upper Norwood Library Hub is an important community venue and a valued part of the Croydon libraries network. We are delighted to be working with our partners in the Upper Norwood Library Trust and Lambeth Council to bring these improvements to the building and work towards a more sustainable future for the environment.”

The Upper Norwood Library building is jointly owned by Lambeth and Croydon Councils, who fund the library service for both their communities. Since 2016, the Upper Norwood Library Trust has managed the building, raising funds for a range of activities and events around learning, health and wellbeing, advice, digital access, as well as providing a venue for performances and meetings. The library service is staffed and run by Lambeth Council.

Jenny Irish, Upper Norwood Library Hub Director  said: “We are delighted that the Upper Norwood Library Hub will be benefitting from the decarbonisation project to reduce carbon emissions across the building. This is a fantastic step forward for us in 2023 as we launch an exciting events offer alongside our wonderful regular hires and community learning, wellbeing and arts programme. The whole community will benefit from this investment for generations to come.” For more information on Upper Norwood Library Hub visit https://www.uppernorwoodlibraryhub.org/.

The UK government committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050 in 2019, becoming the first major economy to do so. The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme provides grants for public sector bodies to fund decarbonization and energy efficiency measures. Phase 3 of the scheme is providing £1.425 billion of grant funding from 2022-2023 to 2024-2025 with the goal of reducing emissions from public sector buildings by 75% by 2037.