The Energy Saving Trust has developed specific guidance on the Comprehensive Area Assessment and Local Area Agreements as they relate to NI 186, along with case studies of local authorities that are already delivering actions against targets.
Relaxation of Planning Consent for Microgeneration Following an obligation to reform the planning system to encourage more microgeneration installations in both the Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Act 2006 and their Microgeneration Strategy 2006, the Government laid a Statutory Instrument (SI) in the Houses of Parliament on Thursday 13 March 2008. The changes contained the SI will become law on Sunday 6 April 2008. For details of the changes to planning consent on microgeneration, see our full briefing note
here.
Presentations and workshops Have we visited you for a workshop or presentation yet? The Practical help team offers free presentations relating to sustainable energy to local authority and housing association staff. You may be looking for a speaker at an event, or trying to gain buy-in from senior members of staff. To help, we offer a range of presentations including legislative drivers, renewable technologies, planning, funding and HHSRS. We can also tailor presentations according to your requirements.
Or perhaps you are an officer trying to engage senior management or councillors on climate change or have included national indicator 186 in your local area agreements and need some help planning how to meet your targets. We can help you achieve your objectives through our climate change workshops.
Whether it's a presentation or workshop, or you simply need some help to decide the best option for your organisation, call Practical help on
0844 84 888 30 where a member of the team will be happy to assist.
One-to-one support for local authorities
The one-to-one support programme aims to help local authorities reduce area-wide carbon emissions and demonstrate local leadership in addressing climate change. It is currently helping thirty local authorities reduce carbon emissions and is aiming to assist more in 2008/09. You can apply to the programme at any time of year but the commencement of the programme is different depending on region/nation:
- Apr-Jun 2008: London, North East, Northern Ireland and the North West.
- Oct-Dec 2008: West Midlands, South East, South West, East, East Midlands, Yorkshire and Humberside.
Nottingham Declaration action packIf you've signed the Nottingham Declaration you can take advantage of the online action pack that offers step by step guidance on developing your approach to the fight against climate change. The pack has been redesigned to make it easier for you to navigate. We would welcome your feedback.
Click here for details.
Updated publications
- Carbon Emissions Reduction Target funding
This briefing note provides an overview of the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT) and outlines the opportunities for local authorities and housing associations to develop partnerships and harness CERT money for sustainable energy measures in their area. - Legislative drivers in England
This briefing notes provides an overview of legislation on sustainable energy and highlights why local authorities need to take action on climate change. - Renewables: reviewing your housing association's policies and practices
This briefing note provides a useful overview on why housing associations should think about including climate change and sustainable energy within their strategies and action plans.
Non-EST resources
- C-Plan
This toolkit aims to help local planning authorities implement and monitor their sustainable energy and / or carbon reduction policies. The toolkit provides guidance on how to gather the right information from developers to make sure they are complying with local planning policies. - Display energy certificates
The Department for Communities and Local Government has produced guidance on display energy certificates (DEC), including information on gathering background data and how to produce a DEC.
Funding
CROSS funding partnership launched
The Local Government Association's Carbon Reduction One Stop Shop (CROSS) simplifies the process of accessing Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT) funding from energy suppliers. Through the CROSS scheme, local authorities will estimate what level of carbon dioxide emission reductions will be achieved by any given project. Auctions will then be held to allow energy companies to submit a bid for these energy savings.
Scottish Climate Challenge Fund launched
This £18.8 million fund will support community-led action to tackle climate change. The fund is open to applications from organisations including local authorities, housing partnerships, voluntary sector, charities, schools, colleges and universities. It constitutes one of a number of initiatives by the Scottish Government to help reduce carbon emissions by 80 per cent by 2050.
Events
Scotland's Energy Future Conference - SCDI, Edinburgh
This one day conference looks at the key challenges and opportunities for Scotland to deliver a clean, affordable and reliable energy mix of renewable technologies in order to achieve its targets
The Energy Event 2008 - Birmingham
An annual exhibition and conference which focuses solely on energy: procurement, management and efficiency.
New consultations
- Offshore Electricity Transmission - A Joint Ofgem/BERR Regulatory Policy Update.
- Part L of the Building Regulations, Proposed New Editions of the Approved Documents L: Consultation.
- UK Renewable Energy Strategy Consultation.
- Consultation: The next steps - Energy performance certificates and the establishment of the Green Homes Service.
- Reform of the renewables obligation: statutory consultation on the Renewables Obligation Order 2.
For further information on these and other consultations please see the Timetable of bills and consultations.
Scotland's energy awareness training
One of the commitments that local authorities in Scotland have made in signing Scotland's Climate Change Declaration is that they will provide an action plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, partly through improved staff awareness. The Energy Saving Trust local support teams can help with this, providing free energy awareness training.
Housing association energy strategy matrix
The Energy Saving Trust has developed a step by step process to help housing associations develop or review their energy strategies. To help, there are also four case studies available that show how housing associations approached their strategies. Click here for details.
Interactive house tool launched
Ever wondered what a house built to best practice standards looks like? Visit our best practice house tool and find out! You can view a range of energy efficiency measures, for both new-build and refurbishment projects.
![Energy Saving Trust [go to EST Portal]](/images/header/title_est.gif "Energy Saving Trust [go to EST Portal]")
![Housing & buildings [go to homepage]](http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/housingbuildings/images/header/title_housing2.gif "Housing & buildings [go to homepage]")
