Case Study (67 KB PDF)

Summary

In 1992, Kirklees Metropolitan Council adopted the Friends of the Earth environmental charter for local government, which aims to reduce Carbon Dioxide emissions from KMC operations by 30% by 2005, from a 1990 baseline. Council buildings account for 62% of CO₂ emissions from Kirklees Council operations, and annual energy bills come to £4.6 million pounds.

Results

In 2002/03, the schemes are expected to save their applicants £84,256 on their energy and water costs and to reduce their CO₂ emissions by 891 tonnes.

By 2006/2007, these first projects are predicted to have reduced their cumulative emissions by 4,719 tonnes and to have saved £44,564 on energy and water bills.

The work pays for itself in reduced energy bills quite quickly: lighting work in 2 to 6 years, energy controls in 2 to 8 years, water work in 1 to 7 years and insulation work in 5 to 10 years. The savings will continue to be made for many years to come: the lifetimes of the measures installed vary from 10 years for push taps to over 25 years for insulation work.