Insight 2026-09-17
17.09. 2026
From fragmented projects to connected places: the power of partnerships
By Ben Cummins, Services Director, Equans UK & Ireland
How do you manage hundreds of public buildings, thousands of homes, and entire neighbourhoods while balancing affordability, social value, economic growth and long-term resilience? Put simply, the power lies in partnerships.
Too often, investment programmes focus on individual buildings, rarely unlocking the wider benefits that communities need.
Place-based asset-management recognises that housing, public buildings, transport, energy infrastructure, skills, health and economic development are interconnected. Decisions made in one area create opportunities in another.
For local government leaders, this approach offers a powerful framework for delivering multiple priorities through a single programme of investment. Warmer homes can help tackle fuel poverty and improve health outcomes. Building upgrades can reduce running costs, maintenance requirements and unplanned disruption. Investment in efficient, resilient and low-carbon infrastructure can create jobs, strengthen local supply chains and attract further funding.
Manchester Zero Carbon Partnership: Turning ambition into action
Manchester offers a compelling example. Through the Zero Carbon Partnership between Manchester City Council and Equans, an ambitious vision for a net zero future has been translated into a practical, data-led programme for improving the performance and resilience of the council’s estate. The partnership has already delivered £20 million of capital investment, secured more than £4 million in external grant funding, and decarbonised seven public buildings, saving around 500 tonnes of CO₂ annually.
Importantly, these achievements are not the result of a series of disconnected projects. They are the product of a strategic, long-term approach that views asset performance as an estate-wide challenge. A distinction that matters.
Using data to drive smarter investment decisions
In Manchester, the starting point was data. By analysing the council's extensive estate, identifying the highest energy-consuming sites and developing detailed Heat Decarbonisation Plans, the partnership established a clear roadmap for investment. The data also provides a clearer view of asset condition, operational risk and future replacement requirements, helping the council identify where early intervention can prevent equipment failure, reduce maintenance costs and improve service delivery.
This strategic view enables a more sophisticated approach to investment. Instead of replacing assets prematurely, improvement measures can be aligned with existing capital replacement cycles. The result is better value for taxpayers, reduced embodied carbon and stronger long-term outcomes. It also helps local authorities assess technologies based on whole-life value; not only their initial cost, but also their reliability, maintainability, energy consumption and impact on operational expenditure. This provides the confidence and evidence needed to secure external funding and attract future investment.
Why long-term partnerships matter
Partnerships also accelerate delivery without requiring every capability to be built in-house. The asset-management challenge requires expertise in energy systems, capital programme management, funding, asset optimisation, procurement, data analytics and stakeholder engagement. Few organisations possess all these capabilities independently. A partnership model brings together complementary strengths with partners becoming invested in a place's success over many years.
Manchester's experience demonstrates that investment in public assets can also be a catalyst for wider regeneration. Alongside carbon reduction, the programme has generated significant benefits for the local economy and communities. In 2024 alone, the partnership contributed £2.6 million to the local supply chain, while wider activity delivered £12.3 million of local spend. Social value initiatives, volunteering programmes and skills activities have further strengthened the connection between asset investment, environmental ambition, local economic development and community outcomes.
Creating lasting value for communities
Measures of success should consider the wider value created for communities and public services: lower operational expenditure, fewer unplanned failures, improved asset availability, extended asset life and greater visibility of future investment needs. It should also reflect the strength and continuity of the workforce delivering these outcomes, including the retention of skills, investment in training and development, and meaningful employment opportunities within local communities.
As national policy continues to evolve and local authorities take on an increasingly significant role in delivering these ambitions, the need for strategic partnerships that can support long-term performance will only grow. Cities cannot achieve resilience and improved public services through short-term projects, fragmented funding streams or siloed decision-making. They need trusted partners who can help connect strategy with delivery; investment with outcomes; and technology with practical operational requirements.
Manchester's ambition demonstrates what can be achieved when public and private sectors work together around a shared vision. The lessons extend far beyond a single city.
The transition to more efficient, resilient and sustainable places will ultimately be delivered locally. The question is not whether cities have the ambition. It is whether they have the partnerships needed to turn that ambition into action and ensure today’s investments continue to deliver value throughout the asset lifecycle.
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.
