There is a lot going on in the ‘green’ space right now. Here are some insights:
A recently published report by the European Wind Energy
Association (EWEA) highlights the vast amount of water used by traditional power stations to generate power, i.e.,
three Olympic-sized swimming pools being consumed every minute. Energy
production accounts for 44 percent of the EU’s total water use. For more
information please see the following website:
http://www.ewea.org
The UK Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has
produced a specification, known technically as PAS 2030, to set out
requirements that installers have to follow in installing new energy efficiency
measures within the ‘Green Deal
scheme’. To check that your installer complies with these
requirements, consult the the following website: www.gov.uk/green-deal-energy-saving-measures/overview
The offshore wind
energy industry could provide £6.7 billion per year to the UK economy as
well as providing 150,000 jobs by 2020, according to a new report published recently.
The following webside provides further information: http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/analysis/2334094/report-offshore-wind-industry-promises-150-000-jobs-boost
I recently came across the ‘eco congregation’ scheme, which started in Portugal and encourages
churches to turn ‘green’. This can be achieved by changing some of the
following things; how ancient church buildings are heated and insulated, how
congregations travel to church, and how they recycle and come together to support
the community schemes more widely. My own local church held a recycling day
this week, which enabled members to drop off old clothes, mobile phones etc. To
find out more about eco congregations, please view the following website: http://www.ecocongregation.org
Volkswagen is aiming to triple battery life in the 2015 Golf, using Lithium-air batteries. Check
out the following website to find out more: http://www.greencarreports.com/news
Negotiators are meeting in Bonn, Germany, this week to make
progress on establishing a global
climate agreement by 2015. Follow the Agreement on Climate Transformation
2015 (ACT 2015) on the following site: http://www.wri.org/our-work/project/act-2015
I am continuing work on international standards (ISO series)
for sustainable and resilient communities and Smart Cities, which will help planners and local authorities to
engage with entire communities in order to address what really matters in the
local areas. This will come on stream in 2015; however, consultation documents
should be available this summer.
Finally, the British Standards Institution (BSI) has just
released a free leaflet for any
community wanting to be more sustainable. It comes in the form of a guide that
contains a user-friendly plan for any group thinking about developing basic
sustainable living. As one of the main authors, I am hoping this short leaflet
will be distributed widely in the UK in order to spark new schemes as well as shift
views. Sustainability is not just a company responsibility or an individual
lifestyle choice; it is, however, often best addressed as a village, town or
neighbourhood. Please visit the following website to find out more: http://shop.bsigroup.com
Article by David Jackman
