July 2013: Camden’s Environment Scrutiny Committee met recently where a detailed environment report for the borough was presented. The Green Action for Change annual review provides a pretty exhaustive account of the range of programmes being taken forward in the borough, including the following energy-related actions:
- Pilot enhanced retrofitting planning guidance for conservation areas adopted for Dartmouth Park and Holly Lodge. Format for new borough wide energy efficiency planning guidance for conservation areas agreed.
- Euston Road/Somers Town CHP scheme now procurement ready
- Gospel Oak Heat Network – which uses waste heat from the Royal Free Hospital’s CHP system to heat several Camden housing estates – was connected to 1,427 dwellings, saving an estimated 37,761 lifetime tCO2.
- Energy masterplan completed for Bloomsbury area, with detailed assessment of British Museum link to university and Great Ormond Street to Tybalds estate
- Euston Opportunity Area Planning Framework (OAPF) energy masterplan funding secured with completion pending HS2 judicial review.
On the Green Deal and energy efficiency retrofits, the report outlines that:
- £120,000 DECC Green Deal Pioneer Places funding secured to test Green Deal Promoter model. Pilot underway with funding for site visits, 200 green deal assessments and a successful Greener Homes event run in partnership with the community attracting over 160 attendees and exhibitors.
- Camden delivered energy efficiency improvements to over 7,000 council homes, enabled by securing a total of £4,157,000 in funding, and resulting in a saving of 117,013 tonnes of lifetime CO2.
- 3,418 dwellings received cavity wall insulation, saving a total of 1,405 tonnes of CO2 each year or 56,191 lifetime t CO2. All cavity walled dwellings which it was practical to fill under existing regulations have now been filled. Works were funded by CERT and ECO at no cost to Camden.
- 145 lofts were insulated using CERT funding as part of the ongoing loft insulation programme, saving further 2,105 lifetime t CO2.
- As part of the refurbishment of the Kilburn Gate Estate, 41 flats received external wall insulation (the remaining flats received cavity wall insulation) along with glazing upgrades to “A” rated energy efficient windows, and improved roof insulation.
- EU funding was obtained to install internal wall insulation to 10 homes using the WHISCERS system using laser scanning and offsite cutting of internal wall insulation. Two homes completed and a further eight are scheduled for installation before the end of June 2013.
- Replaced a total of 954 inefficient G to D rated boilers saving a total of 2,949 lifetime tCO2.
- Heat meters installed in 957 dwellings across 12 blocks, saving an estimated 14,970 lifetime tCO2, in addition to the 804 dwellings already provided with heat meters using funding provided by the GLA.