Archive for United Kingdom
Manchester City Council Green Champions Scheme
Posted by: | CommentsGreen Champions is an internal scheme that encourages council employees to act more sustainably at work and at home. They are given information on the little changes they can make to their everyday lives, and are encouraged to persuade other to live more sustainable. Any employee can join up to the scheme and do as much or as little as they choose. Champions receive a regular email with energy saving hints and tips, as well as details of campaigns they can choose to become involved in. Since it’s launch in 2005 the scheme grown to over 900 members across the Local Authority. The scheme was awarded a prestigious Green Apple Award for Best Practice in 2006.
Wythenshawe Forever!
Posted by: | CommentsW4E was a project initiated by three Manchester-based organisations with the aim to deliver locally relevant messages about climate change to a deprived area of South Manchester, Wythenshawe. From the outset, the project was designed and delivered by the people of Wythenshawe, working alongside artists, experts and partners and because of this a sense of long-term ownership was created, reaching far beyond the scope of short-term projects delivered by external agencies. In total the project saved 6,972 kg of CO2 but more importantly locally relevant messages were produced for people living in one of the most deprived areas of the UK.
Community-owned wind turbine in the Dulas Valley
Posted by: | CommentsIn the month of April 2003, the UK’s first community owned and developed wind turbine was switched on in the Dulas Valley in Wales. The residents of Pant pert hog village very much enjoyed the idea of a community owned wind turbine. This led to the installation of the 75kW second-hand Vestas wind turbine. The wind turbine is located on the hill above the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT).
WhizzGo Car Share Scheme
Posted by: | CommentsWhizzGo provides a city-wide fleet of low emission cars that are located in designated on-street bays across the city centre so that they are within walking distance of customers. The cars give city centre residents, workers and businesses a greener and more convenient alternative to car ownership, whilst reducing congestion, fuel consumption and emissions.
Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive (GMPTE) has improved the environmental performance of the Metrolink system by letting a contract to supply green energy for traction current and the tram depot. The contract was previously procured by the franchise holder. GMPTE altered the contractual relationship with the franchisee to gain control of the procurement process. The award criteria for the contract were altered to allow weighting for the quality of green energy and e-billing, and a cost adjustment mechanism was included in the new Metrolink franchise agreement. Subsequently, the contract was awarded to Scottish and Southern Energy, including a premium for large scale hydro power on a three year contract.
Aboyne Academy – 600kW (energy output) Wood Chip District Heating
Posted by: | CommentsThe Aboyne Academy is located 30 miles west of Aberdeen. The Aboyne Academy consists of an academy, a primary school, an indoor swimming pool, library, theatre and community centre. The site plays an important role in serving the public in regards of education and community needs. The current academy remit stands at 650 students with an additional 280 pupils from the primary school. The heating requirement for the year 2005/2006 was 2,900,000kWh at a cost of £90,000.
The Aboyne Academy is under constant use (7 days a week, 350 days a year). The previous heating system consisted of 2 oil-fired boilers which provided heat and hot water. Each boiler at its most efficient time worked at 1460kW. The boilers were installed in 1974 and were at the end of their useful life by 2005.
In 2004 a feasibility study was carried out which resulted in after careful consideration, biomass was regarded as being a cost effective answer for the new installation.
Automatic Meter Reading, Manchester City Council
Posted by: | CommentsManchester City Council have been working with their gas and electricity suppliers to formulate appropriate and cost effective proposals for introducing Automatic Meter Reading into Council buildings. These automatic systems are designed to enhance the Council’s ability to meet their climate change targets through sensible and strict use of gas and electricity. The direct effects of automatic systems is the ability to accurately read present consumption, track changes over time and make predictions of future energy use. This increased knowledge energy consumption allows for more accurate procurement, minimising wastage and over-capacity.
Hulme Energy Action Team, Manchester
Posted by: | CommentsHulme Energy Action Team (HEAT) is a local initiative started by Action for Sustainable Living to help Hulme residents save money and reduce CO2 emissions through community energy saving measures. It is a local partnership of residents and organisations working to develop sustainable energy solutions which will run alongside Manchester City Council’s fuel poverty relief programme and enhance them. The project supports local training and the development of local ‘energy champions’, as well as setting-up co-operative buying systems to deliver affordable warmth across all neighbourhoods in the Hulme community.
HEAT has been established so that Hulme residents can: Bulk buy energy efficient products and services, source funding for large-scale energy saving campaigns, understand local attitudes and practices around energy use, assist local people to create local solutions, whilst developing local skills and involvement, and work together as a community.
The Green Building
Posted by: | CommentsConstructed with environmental sustainability high on the agenda, the Terry Farrell-designed Green Building is located in the Macintosh Village, in Manchester’s ‘Southern Gateway’, just off Oxford Road. Every aspect of the construction and maintenance of the building has been aimed at providing the highest environmental standards, with energy efficiency of the highest priority. Day-to-day energy consumption is minimised ‘passively’ through the design of a highly energy-efficient envelope wrapping the structure of the building, and ‘actively’ through installing highly efficient plant and equipment for heating, ventilation and light.
Greater Manchester Green Badge Parking Scheme
Posted by: | CommentsGreen Badge Parking, a joint venture between Greater Manchester local authorities, Manchester City Council and NCP Manchester Ltd, offering season ticket holders with the most environmentally friendly cars a 25% discount off the annual cost of parking in Manchester city centre.
Owners of vehicles with emissions of less than 120g/km (CO2) and 0.02 (particulates) are entitled to the discount; with some drivers saving over £900 per year by using a greener vehicle. The launch of the scheme followed a recent survey of nearly 35,000 cars parked in Manchester, which revealed only 2.2% were classed as low emission.
In addition to the discount, drivers who join the scheme also benefit from especially reserved parking bays that are painted green and clearly signposted in NCP’s city centre car parks.
