Sponsored Ads
Twitter: CRC_News_
- #CRC David Cameron briefed on concerns over green deal for homeowners http://t.co/rdX5pLla #news
- #CRC Industry launches guide to Green Deal opportunities http://t.co/d5JeAhKz #news
- #CRC CITB tells builders how to cash in on the Green Deal http://t.co/BQc8JuwI #news
- #CRC Prime Minister in battle to save Green Deal http://t.co/cp85m9eG #news
- RT @camfil_farr: RT @SuButcher: Katie shows how online PR helped @Camfil_Farr's blog posts, video, tweets show up in google search #be2atgbe
- #CRC Geo-targeting is crucial to Green Deal success http://t.co/bnqIuL11 #news
- #CRC New national body launched to focus Green Deal expertise http://t.co/rnVrPiGe #news
- #CRC Commercial and public sector contracts worth £3million for William Dyer Electrical http://t.co/tDSO2goM #news
- #CRC Economic Recovery Brings Return to Growth of CO2 Emissions http://t.co/OrXM4FKc #news
- #CRC EECO2 delivering over £10 million in global energy savings to Pharmaceutical & Life Sciences Energy m... http://t.co/x42xeXa4 #news
Posts Tagged ‘low carbon’
Publication of the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme performance league table at the beginning of November has resulted in an abundance of commentary all positively contributing to the debate on carbon policy and legislation, but what can be learnt from the league table? Frances Darton and Lucy d’Arville, from Achilles carbonReduction, investigate.
In terms of quantifying performance, 40% failed to take any recognised early actions to cut emissions and improve their league table position. Estimates put the revenue generation from the first sale of emissions allowances in Spring 2012 at £734m, and overall the public sector were ranked more highly than the private sector.
However, what does this actually tell us about the contribution that UK organisations are making to help meet greenhouse gas targets as laid out in the 2008 Climate Change Act? Despite widespread criticism of the league table, its publication has generated debate and analysis into the performance of UK Plc in working to reduce emissions. There is also now a considerable focus on carbon legislation and assessing the benefit versus burden of reporting an organisation’s carbon emissions.
New report says road pricing should be rolled out across capital to help UK meet air pollution and carbon targets.
The Mayor of London has been urged to roll out pay-as-you go driving across the capital, in a new report which warns failure to do so could prevent the UK meeting strict air pollution and carbon emission reduction targets.
The report published late last week by Professor John Whitelegg and commissioned by Green Party Assembly Member Darren Johnson, examined how different road pricing models could help meet the Mayor’s transport goals, which includes reducing CO2 emissions from ground-based transport by 60 per cent by 2025.
It found that an extension of the current Central London congestion charging zone across the whole of London would deliver “substantial” revenue benefits and help the Mayor achieve his transport goals.
It would also help to reduce road congestion, which could in turn speed up bus journeys and make public transport more attractive.
“Put in very clear language, it is our view that a London-wide pricing scheme is essential and without it congestion will worsen, air pollution will worsen, the legal consequences of failing to meet air quality standards will grow in severity and fall on the Greater London Authority, the health of Londoners will suffer, CO2 reduction targets will be missed and London will stand no chance whatsoever in achieving “best in class” status that it so richly deserves,” said Whitelegg’s report.
Retrofitting private homes is next on the government’s Green Deal agenda. But this task is worlds apart from the large scale energy efficiency programmes of the social housing sector. It’s going to be a piecemeal process, with individual support for owner-occupiers and a host of new financial and technical problems.
Differences aside, social landlords are actually well placed to deliver retrofit in the complex private home sector. They have the neighbourhood management skills, public trust and the impartiality required. As not for profit bodies, any income generated would be used to benefit local communities.
Affinity Sutton’s FutureFit project confirmed what many have long suspected: the Green Deal can work, but a major funding shortfall is likely. Some properties involved in the retrofit trial were left with a funding gap of £3,000 – the difference between the cost of improvements and the fuel savings generated.
Yet the recent green deal consultation has indicated that social landlords might not have full access to the energy company obligation subsidy used to close this funding hole. The sector is now calling on the government to think again and treat social tenants and owner-occupiers equally when it comes to affordable warmth funding.
Registered providers have more experience than most when it comes to delivering large scale improvements, thanks to the Decent Homes programme. Most of them already have or are developing retrofit strategies.
Firms accounting for over half the UK’s retail market are now signed up to the Carbon Trust Standard, publicly committing themselves to reducing greenhouse gas emissions each year, according to new research from the British Retail Consortium.
Companies carrying the independent standard have to commit to measuring and reporting their emissions in line with agreed methodologies and demonstrating that they are reducing total emissions each year.
Bob Gordon, Head of Environment at the British Retail Consortium, said the high level adoption for the standard was indicative of the retail sector’s commitment to cutting carbon emissions.
“This result demonstrates that the retail sector is taking the lead on reducing its carbon emissions,” he said. “The sector can be proud that more and more retailers are introducing energy efficiency improvements. There’s clearly a strong business case to do so. Helping the environment reflects positively on reputation and reduces energy bills.”
The Government should establish a 2030 energy decarbonisation target and review its renewables target, manufacturer’s body the EEF says.
The recommendations are part of a major report to be launched later today in Parliament that effectively call for an entire overhaul of the Government’s current climate changes strategy. The EEF, which represents 6,000 companies across engineering, manufacturing and technology, is also calling for the abolition of the Carbon Floor Price and the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) Energy Efficiency Scheme.
EU could cut its total greenhouse gas emissions by more than 25% if every country’s cycling rate was the same as Denmark’s.
Europe could cut its total greenhouse gas emissions by more than 25% if every population cycled as regularly as the Danes, according to a pioneering study which tracks the environmental impact of cycling down to the extra calories consumed by riders.
If the EU cycling rate was the same as it is in Denmark, where the average person cycles almost 600 miles (965km) each year, then the bloc would attain anything from 12% to 26% of its targeted emissions reduction, depending on what forms of transport the cycling replaced, according to the report by the Brussels-based European Cycling Federation (ECF).
This figure is likely to be a significant underestimate as it deliberately excludes the environmental impact of building road infrastructure and parking, or maintaining and disposing of cars.
The ECF is urging politicians to focus less on technologically complex solutions to emissions, such as electric cars, and instead think about the potential for increased cycling, especially given that around a third of motorised journeys within the EU are 1.25 miles or less.
Green energy supply chain firms, such as those developing wind turbine and electric car components, have been urged to bid for a share of a new £125m government fund designed to boost UK competitiveness.
Business Secretary Vince Cable launched the Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain Initiative yesterday, targeting key growth areas such as renewable energy and low carbon technologies.
The initiative was based on a bid by local enterprise partnerships to the Regional Growth Fund to boost automotive and aerospace sectors in the Midlands and Liverpool.
However, the government has expanded the fund to cover the whole of England and a range of advanced manufacturing sectors.
Suppliers of all sizes will be encouraged to submit formal proposals to the Technology Strategy Board from early next month for support worth £2m or more. Further details of the programme are expected to be revealed on 13 December.
Businesses have been urged to develop green IT policies after a new survey revealed nearly half of the UK’s organisations fail to ensure that computers power down out of hours.
A survey of 1,000 IT staff, published today by OnePoll on behalf of software developer Faronics, found that 40 per cent of the UK’s private and public organisations have failed to develop green IT Strategies.
The vast majority of those organisations without a plan in place believe it would be too time-consuming, taxing or expensive to enforce a green IT strategy.
However, 40 per cent of respondents said they did have green IT policies in place, and nearly a third considered their businesses to be a “green” organisation in terms of IT efficiency.
Significantly, nearly half of those with green IT policies cited cost savings as the main driver, while just 18 per cent cited environmental concerns. Nearly a third said they were driven by corporate social responsibility or reputational concerns.
Bimal Parmar, vice president of marketing at Faronics, said the survey showed businesses were gradually shifting towards developing green IT plans in the face of rising energy bills and growing customer awareness of environmental concerns.