Bath rises to Our Big Energy Challenge
Bath rises to Our Big Energy Challenge
Public sector partners in Bath & North East Somerset report big energy saving strides
3 March 2008
Over 150 senior staff and energy champions from organisations across the Bath & North East Somerset Local Strategic Partnership joined CSE for a celebration of the Big Energy Challenge project at the Bath Guildhall on 15 February. The event was designed to allow them to share experiences of the Big Energy Challenge — their commitment to reduce their energy use by 10% in three years with CSE's expert guidance and funding from the Treasury's Invest to Save programme (see www.ourbigenergychallenge.org). It was also an opportunity to take stock of the lessons learned so far.
One of the organisations that revealed their progress on Our Big Energy Challenge at the event was Bath's Royal United Hospital (RUH). The specialist monitoring they received as part of the scheme has so far highlighted a problem that, when tackled, will slash the hospital's £2 million annual energy bill. It is a problem that, without improved monitoring, will go undetected in many buildings across the UK. RUH found that their heating system was ‘fighting' with their cooling system. By tackling this issue, RUH Estates Manager Michael Ell estimates the hospital will save £170,000 on gas, £63,000 on electricity each year and cut their annual carbon emissions by an estimated 1,635 tonnes.
Across the initiative, which involves 12 public sector members of the Local Strategic Partnership, the measures that have been implemented, proposed or are awaiting approval have taken the project partners three quarters of the way to achieving their 10% energy use reduction target. Further measures still to be identified and savings through improved energy awareness and behaviour change amongst staff should ensure that the project targets are met and even surpassed.
Simon Roberts, CSE's Chief Executive, led the proceedings:
"What Our Big Energy Challenge is starting to show is that there are significant financial and carbon savings to be had from simple but concerted effort. The project's combination of appropriate technical knowhow and focused support to change the energy using culture in an organisation is really starting to pay dividends. And the partnership working is creating new relationships across the public sector and building a real sense of collective endeavour.
With this event showing we're getting close to achieving the energy reduction targets, we're urging partners to raise the stakes and aim for a 15% or even 20% reductions in the 3 years."
To find out more about Our Big Energy Challenge see www.ourbigenergychallenge.org or contact Martin Holley on martin.holley@cse.org.uk