Cutting back on the energy we use lowers our carbon emissions and can save us money. As part of our Internal Environment Management programme we worked with the Energy Saving Trust to help our staff reduce their energy use at work and at home.
What we did and why
By 2015 we aim to reduce our energy use and CO2 emissions by 33 per cent compared to 2005/06 and 2006/07 respectively. We also want to help our staff reduce their energy use at home as this will not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions, it will also save them money.
In February 2010 we worked with the Energy Saving Trust (EST) to run a series of road shows events at five Midlands’ offices. These events focussed on:
- home energy efficiency
- home insulation
- renewable electricity and heat generation
- greener travel options
- smarter driving
At these events EST advisors provided face to face advice on energy issues such as insulation, draught-proofing, heating controls, saving water and reducing waste. They brought along a hi-tech computerised driving simulator to demonstrate the benefits of smarter driving techniques, and provided staff with the opportunity to book one-on-one smarter driving lessons and home energy advice visits from a qualified EST advisor.
Following this we have made 100 remote energy monitors available to staff for home use. These show in real time what electricity is being used and have been demonstrated to produce measurable changes in behaviour.
Outcomes and impact
- EST advisors made 79 home visits and from these a number of insulation and renewable energy installations have been scheduled
- 64 employees benefited from smarter driving lessons which will save an average of £328 per person in annual fuel costs and a total annual CO2 saving of 45 tonnes for all participants combined.
- EST confirmed that the installed energy saving measures and advice given through this project should lead to a total assumed lifetime saving of 731 tonnes of CO2 across the Midlands.
- This project won two awards in the annual Low Carbon Economy Awards organised by Business in the Community; the Low Carbon Employee Engagement Award and the Best Transferable Business Practice Award.
Our next steps
We’ve completed this project but continue to encourage our staff to use resources efficiently and reduce their carbon footprint through our Internal Environment Management programme.
What can you do?
Contact the Energy Saving Trust to get free advice and information on saving energy, conserving water and reducing waste in your organisation or home.
