What is the difference between mitigating and adapting to
climate change?
Adaptation, along with mitigation, is an essential part of
addressing the challenges and opportunities associated with climate
change. Adaptation addresses the impacts and opportunities
resulting from a changing climate, Mitigation refers to our efforts
to limit the man-made causes of climate change.
Display energy certificates
A Display Energy Certificate (DEC) shows
the energy performance of a building based on actual energy
consumption as recorded annually over periods up to the last three
years (the Operational Rating).
Carbon Reduction Commitment
The Carbon Reduction Commitment is a new mandatory emission
trading scheme that aims to improve energy efficiency and reduce
the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted in the UK.
CRC will affect large organisations in both the public and private
sector. Organisations that meet the qualification criteria will be
obliged to participate in CRC. Participant organisations will have
to monitor their emissions and purchase allowances sold by
Government, for each tonne of CO2 they emit.
As well as reducing our carbon emissions this scheme will help
organisations save money by reducing their energy bills. These
savings should be well in excess of the costs to participate in the
scheme.
To find out if you organisation is obliged to take
part in the scheme visit the Defra
website
Quick tips
- Do a walkabout - It is estimated that 60% of energy used by
office equipment is wasted because equipment left on. Why not
place someone in charge of turning the lights and printers off at
the end of the night.
- Assess your carbon footprint - This will help you to know your
current energy spend and help set targets to reduce it.
- Energy suppliers - Costs can vary greatly between suppliers,
have you checked your costs recently?
- Reduce, Re-use, Recycle - There are lots of ways to reduce
waste such as discouraging or reducing printing, using tap water
instead of water coolers etc.
- Travel - Has you work got a travel
plan set up, do employers travel to meeting unnecessarily?
- Green Champions - Set up a green champion scheme or environment
sub group to help you roll out any environmental initiatives you
may have for your business.
Employee Energy Challenge
The Peterborough Employee Energy Challenges runs exactly like a
Community Energy Challenge but are open to
anybody who works in a Peterborough business. Up to
65 employees can borrow an energy meter for three weeks at no
cost. Volunteers will be asked to keep a weekly record of
their energy usage using a meter provided. The monitors
enable the household to see how much energy they are using at
any given time, with just a ten second delay, this includes the
consumption in terms of cost and Kwh. This exercise also
allows learning around which household appliances use the most
energy.
The challenge runs across three weeks.
Week 1 - plug their monitor
in but do nothing different in terms of energy usage.
Week 2 – try and consciously
save as much energy as possible for a week. Record the total.
Week 3 – try to maintain or
lower your third weeks energy usage. Record your week total.
In order to run the challenge successfully up
to 50 volunteers need to be identified. A launch event is then held
where the meters and energy diaries are distributed along with
instructions on how the challenge will run. A celebratory event is
then held a number of weeks later with prizes awarded to
participants who have saved the most energy during the challenge.
This event is also an opportunity for volunteers to return
their meters.
Whilst this challenge is aimed to highlight individual
household energy consumption research shows that identification of
good energy practices in the home is often transferred into
the workplace.
How do I sign up?
We need 50 volunteers minimum to run a challenge with an
unlimited number from any company. We hold a waiting list of
volunteers and once enough volunteers have registered the challenge
will begin. To register individually or your company email
climatechange@peterborough.gov.uk
today.
Organisations here to help your business
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Investors In The environment
Investors in the Environment will provide
businesses with a framework for cutting their environmental impact
and and accreditation for achieving different levels of
reduction.
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Eastex
Eastex is a free online
information service where organisations can access information
about others' redundant stock, surplus raw materials or material
requirements.
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Eco Innovation
centre
The Eco Innovation Centre (EIC) is a high quality
business incubation, meeting and networking centre for businesses
and organisations operating within the environment sector in
Peterborough.
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Carbon
Trust
This organisation's mission
is to accelerate the move to a low carbon economy by working
with organisations to reduce carbon emissions and develop
commercial low carbon technologies.
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Resource Efficiency
East
Resource Efficiency East is
a specialist provider of free guidance and support on
resource efficiency to small and medium sized enterprises in the
East of England.
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Business
link
Business link is a
Government funded service designed to promote enterprise. This
website can provide advice on environmental performance amongst
many other things.
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