Gwynedd Council is committed to an ambitious plan which will have a far-reaching positive impact on our environment and the public purse.
Because of the widely accepted link between carbon emissions from energy consumption and global warming, the Council – like all other businesses – must strike a balance between providing the services people expect and giving consideration to our impact on the natural environment.
The Council is committed to cutting its carbon emissions by 15% by 2011/12 and will go on to cut 60% by 2020. A major part of this project involves investing in public buildings including council offices, schools, residential homes and leisure centres to ensure that they are energy efficient.
Gwynedd Council has recently secured nearly £600,000 of funding from Salix, a not-for-profit company which supports the public sector to invest in energy efficient technologies.
Gwynedd Council’s Senior Environment Portfolio Leader, Councillor Gareth Roberts, said: “We are all encouraged to batten down the hatches at home and make sure our houses don’t leak energy and to use energy efficient devices such as light bulbs. The same is true for Gwynedd Council, the buildings we run and the services we provide.
“This pot of money will allow the Council to make many buildings and services more energy efficient, for example, by improving insulation and upgrading heating systems.
“This really is a win-win situation for Gwynedd council taxpayers as the initiative will deliver annual savings of £274,000 as well as reducing energy consumption by 6,000 kW hours and 1,761 tonnes of carbon emissions.”
Case study – Ysgol Tryfan, Bangor
By working with Gwynedd Council’s Energy Conservation Unit Ysgol Tryfan in Bangor has taken simple steps which have resulted in considerable cuts in energy consumption and carbon emissions.
Between April and December 2009, the school’s energy use was 114,000kWh lower than during comparable periods before the changes were introduced, which is a 21% reduction. This has resulted in Ysgol Tryfan’s carbon footprint being cut by 21 tonnes and a £2,400 energy bill saving.
Steps taken to achieve this include turning off the hot water at the weekend, putting the hot water supply on a timer and turning the heating down in the school building.
Gareth Hughes, Ysgol Tryfan’s head teacher, said: “It’s amazing how much difference small changes can make. The pupils and staff at the school are delighted with the news and would urge everyone to look closely at how they use energy and any changes they can make.”
