The City of Edinburgh Council is investing over £188 million towards improving public buildings, with £20 million allocated for the next 12 months.

The major, 10-year programme will see dozens of schools, libraries, offices, museums, and monuments upgraded to a better standard to improve facilities and help the city meet its climate goals.

A report presented to the Finance and Resources Committee on Thursday, 18 September, revealed that £113.7m has been invested since 2018. This has helped bring 90% of the council’s estate into a good or satisfactory condition, a significant increase from 83% seven years ago.

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Over the last 12 months, the Asset Management Works Programme has upgraded several schools, including Parson’s Green Primary, which received a new low-carbon heating system with an air source heat pump, solar panels, and LED lighting. Improvements are planned this year for nine more schools and early years settings, including the Victorian-built Stockbridge Primary and Tollcross Nursery, where new windows and roofing will reduce heat loss.

Notable upgrades have also taken place at the Nelson Monument and the Usher Hall, where all 2,200 seats in the 111-year-old auditorium were replaced. Councillor Mandy Watt, Finance and Resources Convener, called the programme a "huge programme of work" and said it was important to make the buildings "fitter for the future." She also noted that the investment had improved the condition of the facilities and reduced the city's carbon footprint.