Agenda item

ES09102

In October 2008 the Executive agreed to establish a ring-fenced Carbon Management Fund to ‘invest to save’ in energy efficiency measures that would both support the Council to achieve a 25% reduction in its carbon emissions over five years and avoid unnecessary costs.  The Sub-Committee received a report providing an update on progress made on first and second tranche Carbon Management Funded projects and also identified a range of potential third tranche projects for 2010/11 and beyond.

The Environmental Development Manager confirmed that at the meeting of the Executive on 12^th January 2011 a progress report on the Carbon Management Programme (Report ES10188) and a report around the Carbon Reduction Commitment (Report ES10189) had been considered.  In response, the Executive had supported the establishment of a Highways Asset Working Group by the Environment PDS Committee to consider matters concerned with street lighting, street signage and energy efficiency, and requested the Improvement and Efficiency Sub-Committee investigate further ways of reducing energy consumption and look at the benefits associated with renewable energy generation, feed in tariffs and other similar measures.

Members discussed a range of issues around the reduction of carbon emissions.  The Chairman queried how annual avoided spend differed from annual savings.  The Environmental Development Manager explained that the actual savings generated would be impacted by a range of factors such as increased energy prices or consumption, but that any increased cost would be mitigated by the energy efficiency measures taken (and be avoided spend).  Where the reduction in consumption from energy efficiency measures outweighed factors that increased costs, then a true saving would be made.  The introduction of energy efficiency measures would also realise additional savings through a reduced Carbon Reduction Commitment ‘tax’.  With regard to the Carbon Reduction Commitment scheme, Members expressed concern around how schools would be supported to reduce carbon emissions. 

A Member queried the data available around levels of energy use and the impact of energy efficiency measures for different Council buildings.  The Environmental Development Manager confirmed that a range of data was held on energy usage, and a LASER Bureau Service was being introduced to develop a comprehensive database of the entire energy meter estate which would support stronger data management and analysis in future.

The Chairman noted that issues around regular meter reading had been highlighted as a concern at the recent ‘Ideas Aloud’ event.  The Environmental Development Manager confirmed that more than 95% of meters across Council sites had now been identified, and efforts were being made to identify any remaining meters by 31^st March 2011.  The Chairman highlighted the potential to use meters to recharge actual energy costs to managers to promote reduced energy usage.  The Environmental Development Manager confirmed that sub-metering was not undertaken on the Civic Centre site, but there was potential for more accurate reporting of energy consumption at distinct sites, such as library buildings.

In terms of potential third tranche projects, the Environmental Development Manager confirmed that a recent Carbon Trust survey had identified inefficient lighting across the Civic Centre Site, and work to install more efficient lighting was proposed.  A Member queried whether other companies might provide similar survey work across the Council.  The Environmental Development Manager confirmed that a range of organisations had offered surveys, including the London Development Agency through its RE:FIT programme, but subsidised surveys were becoming less common.

Members noted the good progress made in reducing the Council’s carbon emissions during 2009/10 and highlighted the potential to publicise the savings made through the Carbon Management Fund, as well as those delivered at other sites across the borough as ‘good news’ stories.

RESOLVED that:

1)  progress in work carried out on the first and second tranche Carbon Management Funded projects and comments on proposed third tranche Carbon Management Funded projects be noted;

2)  that a further annual report be provided to Improvement and Efficiency Sub-Committee in December 2011 detailing progress on all Carbon Management funded projects and proposals for fourth tranche projects for 2011/12 and beyond.