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Sustainability
Low Carbon South West gets the green light
A new body aimed at promoting the South West as a hotspot for environmental technologies and services has been formed.
Low Carbon South West (LCSW), which has been created from the merger between the Bristol Environmental Technologies & Services Initiative (BETS) and the environmental activities of the University of Bath’s Innovation Centre (BIC), will become the largest trade body of its type in the UK and will promote the thriving green industry in the region.
Green Capital Credentials
Bristol was the only UK city to be short-listed for the EU Green Capital Award.
Watch European Green Capital film about Bristol
The council adopted a Bristol Climate Change and Energy Security Framework in February 2010 to help the city save energy and reduce CO2 emissions and will work in partnership to achieve the opportunities.
The Framework includes CO2, energy and resilience targets for Bristol’s business/public sector, homes and road transport, with clear accountabilities and monitoring. The council’s overarching targets are to cut Bristol’s CO2 emissions by 40% by 2020 and 80% by 2050, from a 2005 baseline.
It is also the top UK city for recycling and household waste collections according to the 2009 Sustainable Cities Index published by Forum for the Future.
Bristol is pioneering new approaches that put sustainability at the heart of strategic planning, housing development, waste management, economic regeneration and transport. Bristol’s commitment to significant environmental improvement is internationally respected.
Sustainable Commercial Property
Bristol City Council and its partners actively encourage all government sector organisations and companies in the city to incorporate a commitment to sustainability in the management of their estate.
Cabot House and Cabot Circus are both examples of Bristol’s excellent track record in developing sustainable commercial property. Cabot Circus has become the first retail project of its kind in the UK to achieve a BREEAM "Excellent" rating. In addition, the Environment Agency has chosen Cabot House for its new national headquarters.
This BREEAM “Excellent” scheme will be one of the UK’s greenest buildings. Cabot House's green features include natural ventilation, rainwater harvesting, use of solar thermals, solar panels and ground source heat pumps to keep running costs to the minimum.
The new Temple Quay headquarters of Top 50 law firm Burges Salmon include sustainable initiatives such as the use of harbour water as a heat exchanger for a cooling/heating system, rain water recycling, advanced recycling facilities, building with environmentally-friendly materials and a bespoke highly energy-efficient heating/cooling system.
Useful links
www.lowcarbonsouthwest.co.uk
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