Key numbers
Key numbers
Overview
In 2022, Equans partnered with Warrington Borough Council to deliver Hard FM services across its corporate estate, including reactive maintenance, planned preventative maintenance (PPM) and minor works.
Having undertaken more than 3,000 planned works in the first year, Equans now deliver high levels of compliance and customer satisfaction, while also supporting the council’s journey to net zero through a Zero Carbon Partnership.
Our work
Reactive maintenance, planned preventative maintenance (PPM) and minor works
In 2022, having been procured through emergency measures, Equans was appointed by Warrington Borough Council (WBC) to deliver Hard FM services across its corporate estate, covering reactive maintenance, planned preventative maintenance (PPM) and minor works.
At the start of the contract Equans inherited more than 3,000 outstanding planned works orders logged on the CAFM system. Our immediate priority was to clear this backlog and ensure statutory compliance - a target achieved within the first year of service delivery.
Working in partnership with the council we developed a robust annual PPM plan and implemented site-specific PPM schedules in accordance with SFG20. This ensures statutory obligations are consistently met across the council’s 175 public buildings.The detailed site schedules provided greater understanding of the estate and enabled our teams to quickly familiarise themselves with the service delivery requirements.
This approach means the council also benefits from full transparency of planned and reactive works through Maximo, our CAFM system. This platform enables agile workload management, allowing tasks to be reprioritised in response to changing needs while keeping both the workforce and planning team updated in real time Today, our site teams deliver around 700 planned works and 260 reactive call-outs each year, achieving 95% compliance on reactive works and 98% compliance on planned maintenance. In 2024, the service was rated 98% for customer satisfaction and achieved an Employee Net Promoter Score of +46 – well above the industry benchmark
Impact
A strategic partnership to achieve net zero
Building on the progress made in the first year, and drawing on Equans’ wider global expertise, the partnership has expanded to include zero carbon consultancy services - a significant step in supporting Warrington Borough Council’s ambition to reach net zero by 2030.
Branded the Zero Carbon Partnership, this approach combines strategic planning with operational delivery, aligning building decarbonisation with the council’s climate goals.
Using asset data collected through our FM services, Equans assessed performance, lifecycle stages, and carbon reduction potential across the estate. This informed a long-term decarbonisation strategy, fully integrated with the council’s capital planning and FM programmes to ensure smarter, more targeted investment.
With council–owned buildings contributing approximately 25% of Warrington’s emissions, heat decarbonisation surveys on 50 of its highest carbon-emitting properties was identified as a priority within the council’s Climate Emergency Action Plan. Through the Zero Carbon Partnership, we secured grant funding from the Low Carbon Skills Fund to finance these surveys, enabling heat decarbonisation plans to be developed for 70 high-energy-use buildings. These plans were used to apply for Public Sector
Decarbonisation Scheme funding, through which the council was granted over £7.5m (PSDS 3c).
Equans produced detailed designs and is project managing the implementation of measures including air source heat pumps, solar PV, BMS upgrades, insulation and LED lighting. These works are forecast to save around 750 tonnes of CO2 each year – the equivalent annual energy use of over 1,200 homes. Our collaborative, data-led approach ensured that limited resources were directed where they would have the greatest impact, delivering both environmental and operational benefits.
Outcomes
Delivering wider value for Warrington
Beyond compliance and carbon reduction, the partnership continues to deliver meaningful community impact. In 2024, more than £105,000 of social value was generated through 15 initiatives tailored to local priorities. By combining operational excellence with a long-term decarbonisation strategy, the Warrington partnership demonstrates how Equans supports public sector organisations to meet statutory responsibilities while preparing their estates for a sustainable, net zero future.
Key facts
- SFG20-compliant facilities management delivered across 175 public buildings.
- Heat Decarbonisation Plans completed for 70 council buildings.
- Identified potential annual carbon savings of 3,376.93 tCO2e through the interventions, at an estimated capital cost of £108.9m, enabling the council to prioritise high-impact projects.
- Secured £99k through the Low Carbon Skills Fund to develop detailed heat decarbonisation plans for 30 buildings.
- Successfully prepared and submitted a PSDS 3c funding application for Orford Jubilee Hub, securing £4.75m and enabling measures forecast to save over 750 tCO2e per year.
- Delivered £105k of social value in 2024 through 15 initiatives addressing local priorities.
- Achieved an Employee Net Promoter Score of +46 in 2024, 37 points above the industry benchmark.
Frequently asked questions
Hard FM covers essential building maintenance and compliance tasks of physical building assets, just as we deliver for Warrington Borough Council across 175 public buildings to keep their estate safe, efficient and fully operational.
PPM prevents failures before they happen, reducing downtime, risks and long‑term repair costs.
Carbon emissions can be reduced through targeted decarbonisation measures, like the heat decarbonisation plans, energy‑efficient upgrades and £7.5m of funded carbon‑reduction projects that we are delivering across Warrington’s estate.
Our expertise
Equans supports businesses, communities and the public sector by mobilising its expertise to provide low-carbon energy solutions, offer cutting-edge technical and FM services and transformative regeneration across the UK & Ireland.
