Any reduction in energy usage has benefits for the environment and profitability. At sust-it we offer a paid for service to any organisation, small or large, which benchmarks your current office equipment efficiency and CO2 emissions, and offers advice on alternatives that could reduce your emissions.

How does this work?

You provide us with information on your current equipment (or we carry out on-site surveys for you) we then query our database to calculate your electricity usage and CO2 emissions – over any given time period. We then produce an Energy Usage Report and Action Plan highlighting where potential or planned upgrades of equipment, and changes in working practices, could have major benefits in reducing your organisations environmental impact.

Benchmarking

Accurate reporting and demonstrated reductions of energy usage have major benefits for carbon footprint reduction for public disclosures, these include:

• Corporate and social responsibility (CSR) or marketing purposes
• Clarification of your green credentials for business clients, retail customers, or from investors
• Help when calculating the level of emissions to offset in order to become ‘carbon neutral’.

Plus

• Reduction in operating costs
• Why buy sustainably? Example of savings

For more information on this service please call us on 01242 808071 or use our contact form here.

The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) was created in October 2008, bringing together energy policy (previously with BERR – the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform) with climate change mitigation policy (previously with Defra – the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs).

DECC is responsible for all aspects of UK energy policy, and for tackling global climate change. DECC exists to tackle the challenges to the environment, economy, and the future security of our energy supplies. It?s creation reflects the fact that climate change and energy policies are inextricably linked ? two thirds of emissions come from the energy we use. Decisions in one field cannot be made without considering the impacts in the other.

DECC’s three overall objectives are:

• Ensuring our energy is secure, affordable and efficient. Helping people save money and save the environment, including through improved energy efficiency, and addressing fuel poverty.;
• Bringing about the transition to a low-carbon Britain;
• Achieving an international agreement on climate change at the UN Climate Conference in Copenhagen, December 2009, and, as the UK imports more energy, ensuring that our supplies are secure, reliable, and from diverse sources.

The Committee on Climate Change (CCC)

The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) is an independent body established under the Climate Change Act to advise the Government on emissions targets, and to report to Parliament on progress made in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It’s role is to:

• Provide independent advice to Government on setting and meeting carbon budgets and targets.
• Monitor progress in reducing emissions and achieving carbon budgets.
• Conduct independent research and analysis into climate change.
• Engage with representatives interested in climate change from across the UK in order to share research and information on climate change and gain input into our analysis.

Set up by government in 2001 as an independent company, the Carbon Trust‘s mission is to ‘accelerate the move to a low carbon economy by working with business and the public sector to reduce carbon emissions and develop commercial low carbon technologies’. They offer advice, run events and produce publications as well as funding the development and deployment of low carbon technologies, and unusually for a government funded body, they can offer venture capital funds – in this case in the early-stage low carbon technology sector. In addition, the Carbon Trust finances a number of loan funds – including an interest-free loan for small and medium sized enterprises for energy-efficient equipment.

The Carbon Trust has a three stage approach to reducing businesses’ carbon emissions: firstly increasing energy efficiency and reducing direct carbon emissions-, secondly by identifying and reducing carbon emissions in the supply chain and when the first two have been maximised where relevant by considering offsetting the remaining emissions through a valid and additional source.

The Carbon Trust have five complimentary areas: Insights – explaining the issues and opportunities surrounding climate change and carbon reduction, Solutions – working with business and the public sector to identify carbon emissions and find ways of cutting them; and providing the knowledge and resources (including funding) to help them do so. Innovations – Helps develop commercially promising low carbon technologies through partnerships, funding, expert advice and large-scale demonstrations, Enterprises – Carbon Trust Enterprises is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Carbon Trust, and through the development of low carbon businesses supports the Carbon Trust‘s objective of making the business case for climate change, and finally Investments – Carbon Trust Investments finances emerging clean energy technology businesses that demonstrate commercial potential.

The Carbon Trust also set up the Carbon Label Company as a subsidiary company that labels products with their carbon footprint embodied in a product in bringing it to the shelf, as well as acknowledging a commitment to reduce that footprint over a specified period. Examples of products featuring their carbon footprint in the UK are Walkers Crisps.

A Carbon Reduction Label shows you the amount of CO2 and other greenhouse gases emitted as part of a product’s manufacture, distribution, use and disposal otherwise known as its carbon footprint. Greenhouse gases (GHGs) are so called because they trap heat in the Earth’s atmosphere and help keep the planet warm enough to sustain life. The main gases are Carbon Dioxide (CO2), methane and nitrous oxide.

The Energy Saving Trust is an independent UK-based organisation focused on promoting action that leads to the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions – a key contributor to man-made climate change. They are funded by the UK government, devolved governments and the private sector.

Offering a source of free advice and information, the Energy Saving Trust helps people across the UK to save energy, conserve water and reduce waste. They work through regionally based and country-specific teams and advice centres to direct people to the right grants to make energy saving happen, including loft insulation, cavity walls and installation of renewable energy sources. For more detail visit the Energy Saving Trust website www.energysavingtrust.org.uk.

In addition to it’s advice role, The Energy Saving Trust provides evidence-based policy analysis in the areas of household energy efficiency, low-carbon transport, renewables and micro generation. They also manage the Low Carbon Building Programme which provides grants for the installation of microgeneration technologies.

The Energy Saving Trust also manages accreditation services such as the Energy Saving Recommended logo, which is used as a stamp of energy efficiency on appliances.

They also run a programme to promote community-based energy projects – Community Action for Energy (CAfE), as well a providing advice to businesses on their green fleet management.