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  5. 5. Workspaces and construction
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5. Workspaces and construction

Did you know the built environment contributes around 40% of the UK's total carbon footprint? (Source: UKGBC)

Green skills training in Surrey

Retrofit to decarbonise existing properties, is a sector with a shortage of skills, while domestic properties account for around a third of our borough’s emissions.

SCC are supporting these current training opportunities:

One scheme is through the Retrofit Academy for retrofit assessor and coordinator training,

A joint Surrey and Hampshire County Councils Skills Bootcamp training offer for retrofit assessments, retrofit coordinators and heat pump installers

Additional, fully-funded heat pump, insulation and energy efficiency courses in Surrey starting in March 2024.

LoCASE – Grant Programme for Energy Efficiency Measures and Business Development

While the Low Carbon Across the South and East (LoCASE) scheme has closed. Sign up for updates on other schemes at News on grant programmes (SCC website) or contact lowcarbon@surreycc.gov.uk.

Structural

It's important to choose your building materials carefully, from the conventional to the unconventional - it's worth considering:

  • FSC or PEFC certified timber
  • Recycled materials such as reclaimed bricks or tiles
  • Renewable materials such as engineered timber rather than steel
  • Low-toxicity paint, varnish and other finishes
  • Recycled furniture and furnishings
  • Increasing water efficiency standards including low-flow fixtures, cistern displacers and rainwater recycling
  • Taking a whole-life cycle approach to building, considering carbon emissions from source to end-of-life

This Net Zero Carbon Toolkit provides lots of useful information on considerations for the early design stages.

Insulation

Insulation can help save on heating bills (and even air-conditioning bills) and installation during the construction phase is more cost-effective and efficient than retrofitting. While many insulation materials are manufactured from non-renewable resources, there are sustainable alternatives.

Don't forget to check the energy section for advice on how to save on your bills by reducing energy consumption.

Renewables

A new build is a great opportunity to install renewable energy options, from solar panels to ground or air source heat pumps. Energy UK has some good advice for businesses.

As well as saving money on bills, renewable energy can also generate income through the Government's Feed-in Tariff scheme.

Green spaces

You can incorporate sustainability in the green spaces of your workplace, if you have them. See the section on Green spaces here in the My Home page for more detail.

We also have a Tree Planting Guide and the Woodland Trust can offer support on large-scale planting.

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