Tag Archives: Energy Efficiency

London Low Carbon Buildings: video case studies

May 2012: Regeneration and construction experts Wilmott Dixon have posted videos on Youtube of two developments that they have been working on in London with a specific brief to reduce energy and carbon emissions. These are:

Retrofit Case Study of a London Victorian Property – a good example of the type of activity that will need to go ahead under the Green Deal in London, with extensive use of IWI (internal wall insulation) resulting in a reduction of 50% in the energy baseline of the dwelling.

Building the zero carbon ‘in use’ Crouch Hill Community Park, Islington – An update on the Crouch Hill Community Park project, developed with Islington Borough Council, which is to be the UK’s first zero carbon ‘in use’ school with a community energy centre that will also provide heat to an adjacent housing estate.

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Procurement of new RE:FIT Framework

March 2012: GLA start the procurement of a new RE:FIT framework, their programme working to support energy efficiency retrofits  in public sector buildings.

The approval document sets out that “RE:FIT provides a commercial model for public bodies to implement energy efficiency and building integrated improvements to their buildings, reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions. The reduction in energy bills and the carbon footprint of buildings is achieved by appointing an EnergyService Company (ESCo) to undertake energy efficiency measures in buildings. The ESCo guarantees a set level of energy savings, this offers a financial saving over the period of the arrangement. The risk associated with the delivery of energy savings is passed onto the ESCo rather than the owner ofthe building.”

A new procurement framework is also being created as the approval form notes that the ” energy services market has also developed significantly since the current Framework was createdwith significant new players entering the market and therefore it is recommended that a new Framework is created by January 2013.”

Full details here. Further information on RE:FIT is also available on the GLA’s website.

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‘Unstoppable! The rise and rise of Britain’s green buildings’

18 March 2012: The Independent highlights the increasing focus on sustainability and energy issues in the development of new buildings across the UK. The article lists 10 exemplar buildings, 6 of which are in London. Read the full story here. Further information on each of sites mentioned can be accessed via links below:

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CERT delivery in London

22 February 2012: Parliamentary question from Tessa Jowell, MP for Dulwich and West Norwood about the delivery of CERT in London.

Tessa Jowell: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much expenditure under the (a) Carbon Emissions Reduction Target and (b) Community Energy Saving Programme has been incurred in respect of properties in (i) London and (ii) the UK. [95626]

Gregory Barker: Best estimates of energy companies total costs in meeting their GB-wide Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT) and Community Energy Saving Programme (CESP) obligations were detailed in the respective impact assessments at the outset of the schemes. Regionally disaggregated cost estimates have not been made. However, in terms of delivery activity, latest figures published by the Energy Saving Trust show that around 2.6 million homes had received insulation measures by March 2011, including almost 132,000 properties in London.

At present, the Government do not have powers to require the obligated energy companies to disclose their CERT and CESP compliance costs. However, we are taking steps to ensure information is available about the cost of delivery under the forthcoming energy company obligation, which is due to replace the existing schemes at the end of 2012.

The latest EST figures for CERT are posted here (they are anticipated to be updated by the EST in early March). The data above once again highlights the low delivery of CERT and CESP in London, with London only achieving a level of around five per cent of all homes treated in the UK

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Impact of the Green Deal in London

21 February 2012: Angie Bray, MP for Central Ealing and Acton, has asked two Parliamentary Questions about the anticipated impact of the introduction of the Green Deal in London with regard to investment and jobs.

Angie Bray: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much private sector investment in energy efficiency in London he expects to result from the Green Deal. [94812]
Gregory Barker: The Department’s estimate of the level of Green Deal private finance is set out in the draft impact assessment published on 23 November 2011. The final impact assessment will be published in the spring. These figures are national and DECC has not carried out an assessment of the private finance requirement on a regional basis. The impact assessment can be seen here.

Angie Bray: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many jobs he expects to be created in London as a result of the Green Deal. [94813]
Gregory Barker: It is not possible to provide figures for the number of jobs that will be created in London. It is estimated that by 2015 the number of jobs in Great Britain as a result of the Green Deal and energy company obligation could be up to 65,000.

Reading the 200 page-plus Green Deal and ECO Impact Assessment (IA) is a pretty thankless task at the best of times, filled as it is with endless graphs and tables of the various scenarios envisaged by DECC’s  modellers, but it’s  particularly pointless at the moment as the Minister has previously stated – over a month ago – that the “Green Deal Impact Assessment is already out of date” (see Greg Barker’s response to George Monbiot at 11.04am).

It is difficult to see how many new jobs will in fact be created by the Green Deal as the Government anticipates in the IA a massive reduction in the number of insulation jobs with the introduction of this new flagship environmental programme. This has been picked up by a wide range of diverse commentators (UKERC, CBI, and most importantly a detailed response from the Committee on Climate Change) and many press articles (BBC and Guardian amongst others). However, maybe this will all change in the final IA to be published in the Spring…

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The Green Deal in London: Borough Challenges

February 2012: Future of London are holding a series of events on the challenges boroughs face in implementing the Green Deal and ECO in London. The first of these “focused on how London Boroughs can be “Green Deal Friendly” and drive demand for the mechanism in their area.” Presentations from the session from local authority representatives from Croydon, Merton and others are available to view as well as a summary of the workshop – Borough Challenges Briefing Paper.

The session was well attended  by 12 London boroughs and makes interesting reading. Included amongst the comments:

1) Participants from across the majority of participant Boroughs were concerned about the feasibility of the Green Deal – particularly relating to levels of local demand and the costs of implementing retro-fit programmes in London

1) General doubts over feasibility of the Green Deal
a) Several doubts were expressed from a number of different sources about whether Green Deal will work under current arrangements
b) In particular, concerns were raised about levels of demand locally for the Green Deal, the impact this could have on the Golden Rule, and the particular costs associated with delivering energy efficiency in London.
c) One borough noted a free eco-refurbishment scheme had only been successfully completed on one property
d) It was felt that further incentives are likely to be required to boost participation.

d) At the moment there is a reluctance amongst the majority of Boroughs represented at this seminar to act as Green Deal providers – there is too much uncertainty surrounding the mechanism
e) There is a risk that Boroughs who don’t take on a meaningful role in the delivery of Green Deal will disengage from the Green Deal altogether, because they have less stake in its success

The Green Deal and Energy Company Obligation (ECO) consultation finished a few weeks ago and  Government are now considering the 600+ responses. Further updates on the Green Deal are available here.

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London Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) Case Studies

8 February 2012: DECC have just posted case studies highlighting the efforts participants in the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) have made in managing their energy and improving their energy efficiency. Examples of London organisations include:

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CSE set for return match at Wimbledon

2 February 2012: The Centre for Sustainable Energy are to undertake an energy audit and carbon footprint for the All England Club. More here.

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Local authority action for energy efficiency in housing stock

25 January 2012: This paper presents the findings of analysis of energy efficiency data supplied by landlords with bids for funding from the Decent Homes Standard Backlog programme administered by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA).

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Energy Efficient Breakfast Events

January 2012: The Carbon Trust is hosting an Energy Efficient Breakfast for local businesses in the London Boroughs of  Camden, Westminster, Southwark and Lambeth, in partnership with Camden Council on 27 March 2012. Registration and breakfast will open at 7:30 am, the session will start at 8 am, and will finish at 10:00 am with an optional carbon surgery with the trainer for half an hour afterwards. Further details on  the content of the event and how to register posted on the Carbon Trust’s website.

A further event in Sutton is also being held on 6 March 2012.

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20% off home energy assessments in Haringey

January 2012: VICTERI (Victorian Terrace Energy Reduction Initiative), a local not-for-profit organisation, is offering a 20% discount on home energy assessments to the first 12 Haringey residents to sign up. The home assessment will provide home owners with:

  • Advice on how to cut high fuel bills
  • Remedies for draughts and cold rooms
  • Assessment of suitability for solar electricity and solar hot water panels
  • A report with recommendations for action, including approximate costs

The discounted price of £80 is available until 31 January 2012. For further information go to the VICTERI website

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Low Numbers for CESP in London

January 2012: An answer to a recent Parliamentary Question from Shadow Secretary of State for Energy, Caroline Flint MP, highlighted the low level of delivery of the Goverment’s Community Energy Saving Programme (CESP) in London.  Of the  9,937 properties treated in England up to June 2011, only 715 homes in London were provided with energy saving measures. Only the South-East (41 properties!) and South-West (179 properties) had lower levels of installation. The next estimate of CESP progress, including the period up to the end of 2011, will be published in May 2012.

The full PQ answer can be viewed here (column 800). Further posts on the delivery of CESP in London are available here.

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