Sustainable Energy Strategy
Reigate and Banstead Borough Council adopted a Sustainable Energy Strategy in July 2009 with ambitious targets to enable reductions in carbon emissions across the Borough
Council takes action on Climate Change and Energy Efficiency
Action on climate change is becoming an ever more pressing priority and hit the headlines in December 2010 with the international climate change talks in Copenhagen.The council is leading the way towards change to tackle these problems. Having adopted its own Sustainable Energy Strategy in July 2009, with ambitious targets to enable reduction in carbon emissions across the Borough, it also endorsed the Surrey Climate Change Strategy (Surrey Improvement Partnership website) later the same year.
- Sustainable Energy Strategy
- Surrey Climate Change Strategy (Surrey Improvement Partnership website).
Energy Security
Concerns are not just around climate change, but also the ever-present issues around energy security, as flagged up again in January 2010 with another gas supply crisis. This combines with a council push towards efficiencies and savings across the board to create a really strong drive for change across the organisation and an ambition to lead the community in the same direction.
Putting our own house in order
At a practical level, many projects are underway to reduce carbon emissions across the our own estate. For example, a project in Bancroft Road Car Park in Reigate to swap old fluorescent lighting for energy efficient tubes, saved over 90 tonnes of CO2 per year, equivalent to around 1.8% of the entire annual council emissions.
It will also help us to avoid energy costs of over £20,000 per year into the future. An impressive contribution!
Carbon Management Programme
We are taking part in the Carbon Trust’s Local Authority Carbon Management Programme (Carbon Trust website) to work up an ambitious programme of similar projects aiming:
- to drive forward efficiencies
- fulfil the aims set out in the Sustainable Energy Strategy
- play a leading role in addressing the issues of climate change and energy security locally.
Together these schemes will push the energy costs avoided by the council to a figure well over £100,000 per year.
Community initiatives
We are working closely with the Energy Saving Trust to create a comprehensive long-term plan towards addressing carbon and energy issues across the Borough. We aim to lead the community towards addressing the targets set in the national Climate Change Act of an 80% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050.
Tap into Savings
Our latest community initiative has been to join with partners in the Tap into Savings project. Cllr Julian Ellacott, Executive Portfolio Holder for the Environment said,
"The council is proud to be able to work with many different respected partners on a practical project locally. We plan to make a real difference by helping people to reduce carbon emissions and save water and money in their own homes".Real-time Energy Monitors
As a member of the Surrey Climate Change Partnership, we have also been involved with the provision of energy monitors to schools and libraries within the borough. Each of the libraries have a small stock that residents are able to borrow in the same way as books, CDs, etc .
Further details of this loan-scheme can be found at Energy Monitor Loan (Surrey County Council website).
Contact
Project Manager - Sustainable Energy
Reigate & Banstead Borough Council
Earlswood Depot
Horley Road
Redhill
Surrey
RH1 6PN
Fax: 01737 276610
Telephone: 01737 276628.
Last updated : 07/02/2011
