Southampton City Council has begun work on a new Digital Local Area Energy Plan (LAEP), supported by Advanced Infrastructure and delivered through Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks’ LENZA (Local Energy Net Zero Accelerator) tool. 

LENZA, which is built on Advanced Infrastructure’s award-winning LAEP+ platform, provides a transformative, data-driven approach for local authorities and network operators to plan for a low-carbon future together.

Funded by Innovate UK, the project will give Southampton City Council a clearer understanding of how the city’s energy system needs to evolve to meet its net-zero ambitions. By using the LENZA instance of LAEP+, the council can develop its Local Area Energy Plan far more affordably and efficiently than through traditional consultancy-led approaches.

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A LAEP is recognised as the leading method for translating net zero targets into local energy system action and is created with input from a range of local stakeholders. It results in a fully costed plan that identifies the changes needed to the local energy system and built environment, detailing what, where, when and by whom the changes will be made.

Advanced Infrastructure’s LAEP+ platform is a collaborative net-zero planning tool that brings together data, maps and modelling into one easy-to-use online space.

By digitising the LAEP process, LAEP+ enables councils to create high-quality energy plans up to 54% more cost effectively and 75% faster than traditional consultancy-led methods. This allows local authorities to reduce reliance on expensive bespoke modelling and direct more of their limited resources toward real-world carbon reduction measures.

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Councillor John Savage, Cabinet Member for Environment and Net Zero, said:
“I’m delighted that the council is taking a forward-thinking approach that combines digital innovation with cost-effective planning. By choosing to deliver its Local Area Plan through LAEP+, the council will be able to make informed, data-driven decisions more quickly, update plans easily as new information becomes available, and collaborate more effectively with partners, businesses and residents across the city.”

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The Digital LAEP for Southampton will create a clear picture of how energy is used across the city’s buildings and highlight practical opportunities to reduce carbon emissions. A baseline report will be published later this year, followed by detailed modelling of retrofit options in early 2026. The final plan, delivered in May 2026 through the LAEP+ platform, will present the findings in a fully interactive format that helps the council and its partners make quicker, clearer and more cost-effective decisions.

Southampton presents a distinctive opportunity for Digital LAEP development. As a coastal city with diverse building stock, major port operations and a mix of commercial and industrial activity, its energy needs are highly varied. LAEP+ allows the council to explore scenarios dynamically and compare pathways across different neighbourhoods and building types, helping to reflect the city’s diverse and evolving local conditions.‍
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Jessica Lewis, Southampton City Council’s lead for the project, said:
“Using LAEP+ will make the process of producing our Local Area Energy Plan far more affordable and efficient than traditional methods. It saves significant time and gives us a much more accessible way to explore our options. This will help us engage partners and communities as we work together towards a net-zero Southampton.”

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Lily Cairns Haylor, Head of Product at Advanced Infrastructure, said:
“Local authorities are under increasing pressure to deliver net-zero plans with limited budgets. LAEP+ is designed to make Local Area Energy Planning more affordable, reducing the cost and complexity of producing a LAEP while still providing granular and data-driven insights. We’re excited to support Southampton City Council with a tool that helps them plan for a greener, more resilient future at a fraction of the traditional cost.”

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What is LAEP+ ?

The LAEP+ Customer Planning Portal was created to support utilities, municipalities, consultants and developers to identify optimum locations to deploy low carbon technologies, plan region-wide energy transitions and enhance grid forecasting.

• Integrated datasets and geospatial visualisations: Combines low carbon technology potential, network capacity, building stock models, and socio-economic data.‍
• Scenario and Project Modelling: Model technology change and impact over years or even decades.‍
• Collaboration & Transparency: Boost collaboration and data sharing between utilities, their customers and collaborators to foster planning and investment aligned with need.‍
• Training, support and guidance: Our customer success team runs regular training sessions, deep dives and on-demand support via the in-platform live chat.

Book your Free LAEP+ Demo with Advanced Infrastructure and learn how LAEP+ can improve strategic network planning for utilities and accelerate local energy planning.

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