Tag: energy efficiency

Reduce workplace costs with the Carbon Trust Empower – employee engagement tool

The Carbon Trust have launched “Carbon Trust Empower” – an online office tool that could enable employees to save UK businesses and public bodies £500m and two million tonnes of CO2 – equivalent to the annual carbon emissions of all the households in Birmingham.

By engaging employees in cutting energy use, paper waste and travel, Carbon Trust Empower has the potential to save a typical small business over 15% of their energy bill or more than £6K per year – equivalent to powering 3.5km of street lights for a year.  Larger businesses that base their approach on this tool could save £150K and over 500 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.

Employees are able to explore energy saving opportunities throughout their office – starting by considering how they arrive for work, with options to join a company carpool or travel by public transport, before moving on to their desk, where they can commit to switch off their PC when not in use, print double-sided, and teleconference rather than travel. The virtual journey also helps staff cut energy waste in other parts of the office, such as the reception area, kitchen, corridors and toilets.

As well as helping individuals create and keep track of personal action plans, Empower provides a wealth of engaging workplace facts and enables office managers to view the sum of their employees’ individual energy savings.

Full Press release

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50% carbon cuts and £1.5million savings a year – The Natural England Success Story

10:10 and Newnham Croft Primary School, Cambridge, UK invites you to a talk:

 50% carbon cuts and £1.5million savings a year

The Natural England success story and how to make it work for you

by

Mr Paul Hinds, Head of Sustainability at Natural England

Monday 21st November, 6.30pm – 9pm Newnham Croft Primary School, Chedworth Street, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire CB3 9JF, England

RSVP to krysia@1010uk.org to secure your spot

In 2006 the Natural England Board committed the organisation to reduce the carbon emissions of 50% by the end of 2010.

Paul was the man charged with achieving it.

Come along to hear him talk about exactly how they hit their goal and offer advice and guidance on how you can do the same.

The evening is being hosted by 10:10 Solar School – Newnham Croft who will also be talking a little bit about how, with the help of their community, they are setting out to be become a cleaner, greener primary school.

Drinks and refreshments will be provided after Paul’s talk.

Natural England Website

10:10 Website

Newnham Croft Primary School Solar Project

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Hyson Green Eco House – Nottingham, UK

The Partnership Council is a community charity based in Radford, Nottingham, UK has been given planning permission by Nottingham City Council to convert a small terraced house on St Paul’s Terrace in Hyson Green into the Hyson Green Eco House.

The Eco House will be used as a base for money-saving information and community workshops to help local people save money on fuel bills. Free workshops will teach simple, affordable DIY techniques, which people can use in their own homes.

Nottingham City Homes will lend the property to the Partnership Council, to help improve the quality of life for local families. We are now just awaiting the final paperwork.

Moby Farrands from the Partnership Council, who’s been planning the project, said:

“Other Eco Houses in the UK have cost thousands of pounds to reduce their energy bills. Most are large houses with big gardens, owned by organisations or people who can afford expensive adjustments – installing heat pumps, solar panels and hi-tech insulation.

Our Eco House has a concrete back yard and a draughty front door into the living room,  its like many local houses.  We will show you can cut costs in a small house on a tiny budget, using your own skills, with help from fellow volunteers and recycled materials.

We will start with activities like sewing and putting up thermal curtains, draught-proofing floor boards, growing food on a small budget- not like the ‘Grand Designs’ Eco homes on the TV programme. We are keen to hear from anyone with their own home-grown designs or a skill to share – DIY, sewing, recycling or container-gardening. And a fun bit- we want some volunteers to build us a bicycle smoothie-maker.”

Key Motivation

Moby said that:

“Our Eco House Project is motivated by the findings that impoverished owner occupiers and tenants of private landlords have limited resources and little motivation for projects for carbon reduction. Our Project aims to help people with small scale DIY projects, and to experiment with alternatives to expensive options, with the focus on reduced fuel bills. We will hope to give information and support with applications for grants for more hi-tech options, and to campaign with public authorities for larger scale action. Our main focus is small old terraced housing, much of which will still be accommodation for the poor in 20 to 30 years time in many Midlands and Northern cities.”

More information

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The Smart Home: Build by consumer pull

Pilgrim Beart, founder of Alertme gave a presentation at IET in March 2011 argued that consumers need to be in the driving seat and key for a successful transition towards reduction of carbon emissions in the home.

The presentation covers an exploration of how Smart Meter and Smart Grid roll out can help in bringing smart grid benefits into consumer’s homes and act as a catalyst for many more Smart Home services. Creating operational efficiencies for utilities will not be enough, consumers will need to experience the benefit too. Smart capabilities in the Home Area Network (HAN) will need to be built with future developments in mind. Consistent and open standards are vital for the future of the Smart Home.

Pilgrim Beart - Founder, Alertme

Watch the video

 

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