CIBSE launches 100 hours of Carbon Clean Up campaign
Following on the success of last-year’s carbon clean-up campaign, which saw 700 organisations sign up to reduce carbon emissions, CIBSE is embarking on a similar campaign this year — with incentives to participate.So successful were the two previous CIBSE campaigns to reduce carbon emissions that this year sees a new campaign — with even more support for participants than the previous ones. This year’s campaign offers two incentives to save carbon. The first is to provide some fun and a sense of achievement for the staff involved. The second is encourage participants to achieve energy savings and to help them cut the cost of regulatory compliance for their organisations. This latest campaign takes place against the backdrop of the requirement for Display Energy Certificates and Energy Performance Certificates for buildings and offers guidance to help cut the costs of EPCs and DECs in return for a commitment to pledge 100 staff hours dedicated to energy-reducing activities. By October 2008, all buildings over 1000 m2 from which a public service is provided are required to have a Display Energy Certificate. By the same time, virtually all commercial buildings will need an Energy Performance Certificate whenever the building is sold or let. Such certificates could cost £500 to £5000 — depending on the size of the building, the complexity of its services and the availability of data such as building plans, area information, energy-use information and information on changes to the fabric or services. Participants in this new campaign (see last paragraph for how to sign up) have until the end of November to reach the target of 100 hours, with activities and progress logged on a personalised ‘time card’ on the 100 hours web site. In return, CIBSE will provide free guidance on preparing for EPCs and DECs. CIBSE will also provide tools to encourage the monitoring of energy use and manage it. Learning activities, themed events and eco-freebies will all help to keep the campaign’s participants motivated. CIBSE president John Swaffield says. ‘The previous two campaigns have proved the enthusiasm of UK organisations to get involved and cut carbon emissions from their buildings. This time, we want to encourage even more firms to sign up and pledge their commitment and to show that you just need to spend a little time to make a lot of difference. Last year’s campaign saw 700 organisations sign up to cut carbon emissions from their buildings, with organisations such as Bolton Wanderers Football Club, the Natural History Museum, BBC Wales and Transport for London all getting involved. As part of our contribution to stimulating interest in the 100 hours campaign, Modern Building Services is following the activities of one of participants — the huge Brent Cross Shopping Centre in North London.
Participating in this year’s CIBSE campaign for the third time is Brent Cross Shopping Centre, where facilities manager Hugh Allcock-Green plans to build on reductions in electricity consumption that have already been achieved.
Hugh Allcock-Green, facilities manager at Brent Cross, participated in the two previous two CIBSE campaigns. As a result, he considers he has already used up the easy energy wins. For him, the attraction of the CIBSE campaigns is their immediacy, with quick action and rapid results. However, those ‘wins’ to reduce electricity consumption are now prompting him to look towards a PowerPerfector voltage optimiser to further reduce electricity consumption by, he anticipates, 18 to 20%. Brent Cross is part owned by Hammerson, which is trialling a PowerPerfector at another centre. ‘I am looking for a big PowerPerfector,’ he tells us. Hugh Green is responsible for the landlord’s electrical supplies; all 125 shops have their own electrical supplies. For the centre itself, the widespread replacement of filament lamps in the malls with low-energy compact fluorescent lamps has already reduced annual electricity consumption by 12%. There is little to be gained by improving the efficiency with which gas is used, since the annual costs is only a few thousand pounds a year and mainly used to take the chill off in the morning. More significant is the cooling load of common areas in the summer — but only for a few weeks. To reduce heat gains, a solar reflective coating has been progressively applied to the glass roof — a task that he hopes to finish by the end of this CIBSE campaign. There is more information about the 100 Hours of Carbon Clean Up Campaign at www.100hours.co.uk — where you can sign up to participate and benefit from the range of support available.
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